Theodore Wells Pietsch

Theodore Wells Pietsch
General Information
Birth	October 2, 1868
Death	January 1, 1930
Alma Mater	Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Professional Accomplishments
Significant Design	Zion Lutheran Church

Biography

Theodore Wells Pietsch was born in Chicago and educated in private schools. His professional formation included studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from 1885 to 1889, employment in the office of Burnham & Root, and study at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris from 1892 to 1898.

Pietsch received a diploma from the French government in 1897 and honorable mention in the Salon of 1898.

Upon his return to the US, he went to work for Howard & Cauldwell in New York and then entered the office of the Supervising Architect of the US Government. He was appointed Chief Designer in July 1902. He was elected to the Baltimore Chapter of the AIA in 1903. He opened an office in Baltimore in 1904. In Baltimore, he served as a judge for the Maryland Institute.

Pietsch worked on renovations of Zion Lutheran Church (1803) in 1913. The Parrish House and Bell Tower added that year display multiple sculptures by Hans Schuler. The Moravian tile wall by Henry Mercer was the first and one of the largest installations of its kind in the nation. Inside the Parrish House, the Adlersaal (or Eagle’s Nest), resembles the great halls of Germany.

During World War I, he instructed officers in French at Camp Meade, 1917-18. A resident of Roland Park from 1920 to 1925, Pietsch died in 1930.

Projects

Map

[{"name":"Alpheus W. Wilson Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Alpheus_W._Wilson_Memorial_Methodist_Episcopal_Church_South\" title=\"Alpheus W. Wilson Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South\"\u003EAlpheus W. Wilson Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.33184,"lon":-76.61746,"otherValues":{"completion date":1920},"icon":"\/images\/2\/28\/Red-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Hebrew Friendship Cemetery - Entrance & Chapel","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Hebrew_Friendship_Cemetery_-_Entrance_%26_Chapel\" title=\"Hebrew Friendship Cemetery - Entrance & Chapel\"\u003EHebrew Friendship Cemetery - Entrance & Chapel\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.29281,"lon":-76.56702,"otherValues":{"completion date":1910},"icon":"\/images\/2\/28\/Red-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Saints Philip & James Catholic Church","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Saints_Philip_%26_James_Catholic_Church\" title=\"Saints Philip & James Catholic Church\"\u003ESaints Philip & James Catholic Church\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.32265,"lon":-76.61682,"otherValues":{"completion date":1930},"icon":"\/images\/2\/28\/Red-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Zion Lutheran Church","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Zion_Lutheran_Church\" title=\"Zion Lutheran Church\"\u003EZion Lutheran Church\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.29147,"lon":-76.60972,"otherValues":{"renovation date":1913},"icon":"\/images\/2\/28\/Red-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Center Market Space - Water Fountain","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Center_Market_Space_-_Water_Fountain\" title=\"Center Market Space - Water Fountain\"\u003ECenter Market Space - Water Fountain\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.28871,"lon":-76.60688,"otherValues":{"completion date":1907},"icon":"\/images\/5\/59\/Green-marker-small.png"},{"name":"The Baltimore Zoo - Elephant House","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/The_Baltimore_Zoo_-_Elephant_House\" title=\"The Baltimore Zoo - Elephant House\"\u003EThe Baltimore Zoo - Elephant House\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.32417,"lon":-76.6467,"otherValues":{"completion date":1926},"icon":"\/images\/5\/59\/Green-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Baltimore American Building","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Baltimore_American_Building\" title=\"Baltimore American Building\"\u003EBaltimore American Building\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.28949,"lon":-76.61118,"otherValues":{"completion date":1905},"icon":"\/images\/2\/2e\/Purple-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Center Market Space - The Fish Market Building","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Center_Market_Space_-_The_Fish_Market_Building\" title=\"Center Market Space - The Fish Market Building\"\u003ECenter Market Space - The Fish Market Building\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.28904,"lon":-76.60628,"otherValues":{"completion date":1907},"icon":"\/images\/2\/2e\/Purple-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Excelsior Theater","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Excelsior_Theater\" title=\"Excelsior Theater\"\u003EExcelsior Theater\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.31039,"lon":-76.63998,"otherValues":{"completion date":1911},"icon":"\/images\/2\/2e\/Purple-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Fell\u2019s Point Commercial Wharf and Recreation Pier","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Fell%E2%80%99s_Point_Commercial_Wharf_and_Recreation_Pier\" title=\"Fell\u2019s Point Commercial Wharf and Recreation Pier\"\u003EFell\u2019s Point Commercial Wharf and Recreation Pier\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.28111,"lon":-76.59191,"otherValues":{"completion date":1914},"icon":"\/images\/2\/2e\/Purple-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Gunther Building","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Gunther_Building\" title=\"Gunther Building\"\u003EGunther Building\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.2906,"lon":-76.61427,"otherValues":{"completion date":1905},"icon":"\/images\/2\/2e\/Purple-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Horn & Horn Building","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Horn_%26_Horn_Building\" title=\"Horn & Horn Building\"\u003EHorn & Horn Building\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.28979,"lon":-76.61087,"otherValues":{"completion date":1908},"icon":"\/images\/2\/2e\/Purple-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Lanahan Building","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Lanahan_Building\" title=\"Lanahan Building\"\u003ELanahan Building\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.28839,"lon":-76.61402,"otherValues":{"completion date":1906},"icon":"\/images\/2\/2e\/Purple-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Mount Royal Garage","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Mount_Royal_Garage\" title=\"Mount Royal Garage\"\u003EMount Royal Garage\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.3062,"lon":-76.61722,"otherValues":{"completion date":1906},"icon":"\/images\/2\/2e\/Purple-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Stieff Silver Company Factory","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Stieff_Silver_Company_Factory\" title=\"Stieff Silver Company Factory\"\u003EStieff Silver Company Factory\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.32235,"lon":-76.62933,"otherValues":{"completion date":1925},"icon":"\/images\/2\/2e\/Purple-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Tin Decorating Company Plant","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Tin_Decorating_Company_Plant\" title=\"Tin Decorating Company Plant\"\u003ETin Decorating Company Plant\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.27816,"lon":-76.5762,"otherValues":{"completion date":1914},"icon":"\/images\/2\/2e\/Purple-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Harlem Park Theatre","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Harlem_Park_Theatre\" title=\"Harlem Park Theatre\"\u003EHarlem Park Theatre\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.29584,"lon":-76.64301,"otherValues":{"renovation date":1932},"icon":"\/images\/2\/2e\/Purple-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Eastern Female High School","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Eastern_Female_High_School\" title=\"Eastern Female High School\"\u003EEastern Female High School\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.31172,"lon":-76.59454,"otherValues":{"completion date":1906},"icon":"\/images\/f\/ff\/Orange-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Jackson Place Elementary School","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Jackson_Place_Elementary_School\" title=\"Jackson Place Elementary School\"\u003EJackson Place Elementary School\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.29314,"lon":-76.59231,"otherValues":{"completion date":1924},"icon":"\/images\/f\/ff\/Orange-marker-small.png"},{"name":"Bay Shore Amusement Park","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/Bay_Shore_Amusement_Park\" title=\"Bay Shore Amusement Park\"\u003EBay Shore Amusement Park\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.20822,"lon":-76.42518,"otherValues":{"opened":1906},"icon":"\/images\/5\/59\/Green-marker-small.png"},{"name":"The Baltimore Zoo","title":"\u003Ca href=\"\/index.php\/The_Baltimore_Zoo\" title=\"The Baltimore Zoo\"\u003EThe Baltimore Zoo\u003C\/a\u003E","lat":39.32268,"lon":-76.64978,"otherValues":{"opened":1923},"icon":"\/images\/5\/59\/Green-marker-small.png"}]

Library	Church	Government	Commercial	Dwelling	Park	Educational

Listing

Project	Completed	Address	Image
Project	Completed	Address	Image
Alpheus W. Wilson Memorial Methodist Episcopal Church South	1920	3509 N Charles St	Pietsch - 3509 N Charles St Methodist Episcopal Church now the Bunting Interfaith and Community Service Center (Google Views).JPG
Baltimore American Building	1905	231 E Baltimore St	Pietsch_231 E Baltimore_1.jpg
Center Market Space - The Fish Market Building	1907	35 Market Pl	Market_16_Baltimore_FishMarket_PC.jpg
Center Market Space - Water Fountain	1907	35 Market Pl
Eastern Female High School	1906	1701 E North Ave
Excelsior Theater	1911	1358 W North Avenue	Pietsch - Excelsior Theater.jpg
Fell’s Point Commercial Wharf and Recreation Pier	1914	1715 Thames Street	Pietsch_Fells Point Pier 1.jpg
Gunther Building	1905	100 St Paul St	Pietsch_100 St Paul_1.jpg
Hebrew Friendship Cemetery - Entrance & Chapel	1910	3600 E Baltimore St	Pietsch - Hebrew Friendship Cemetery Chapel - 28 May 2019.JPG
Horn & Horn Building	1908	304 E Baltimore St
Jackson Place Elementary School	1924	1750 E Fairmount Ave	Pietsch_Jackson Place School 1.jpg
Lanahan Building	1906	22 Light Street	Pietsch_22 Light_1.jpg
Mount Royal Garage	1906	1415 Maryland Ave
N Paca Street Fire-Engine House (Truck House No. 1)	1908	323 N Paca St	Pietsch_Paca St Fire-Engine House 3.jpg
Saints Philip & James Catholic Church	1930	2801 N Charles St	Pietsch - Saints Philip & James Church (courtesy UB Langsdale Library Special Collections).JPG
Sonneborn Building	1905	110 S Paca Street	Pietsch_Sonneborn Building 1.jpg
Stieff Silver Company Factory	1925	800 Wyman Park Dr
The Baltimore Zoo - Elephant House	1926	1 Safari Pl	Pietsch - Druid Hill Park Zoo - 1926.01.12 Elaphant House (MD Zoo).JPG
Tin Decorating Company Plant	1914	2809 Boston St	Pietsch_TinDecCo.jpg
United Railways & Electric Company - Gay Street Carhouse	1908	2313 E North Ave
US Fidelity & Guaranty Company Building	1906	131 E Redwood St	Pietsch_131 Redwood St_1.jpg
Harlem Park Theatre	1932	614 N Gilmore St	Pietsch - Harlem Theatre, Baltimore, about 1932.jpg
Zion Lutheran Church	1913	400 E Lexington St	ZionChurch_-4342 (1).jpg
Bay Shore Amusement Park	1906	8400 North Point Rd, Edgemere, MD 21219	Simonson & Pietsch - Bay Shore Amusement Park Aerial (from the Live Wire Winter 2021 Issue).jpg
Fallsway Viaduct & Fountain	1916	1168 Guilford Ave	Pietsch - Fallsway Fountain.jpg
The Baltimore Zoo	1923	1 Safari Pl, Baltimore