Philemon Sturges

Who is Philemon Sturges?

Philemon E. Sturges was an American, Rhode Island-based architect and children's books author. Sturges was trained at Princeton before working with the firm The Providence Partnership.

Heralded for his Mid-Century Modern style, Sturges was often praised for his buildings' sensitivity to site and context. The Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission noted in their 1981 report that Sturges' Bonanza Bus Terminal was "one of the most handsome complexes erected as part of urban renewal in the 1960s; it is particularly well suited to its site and lends an urbane note to the streetscape." The complex was demolished soon afterward.

The Post Office in Bristol, built on a site formerly occupied by a house by famous Rhode Island Architect Russell Warren, incorporated features salvaged from the demolished Warren building in its design. Also in Bristol, his Old Stone Bank building incorporates reliefs by Hugh Townley in the facade design.

Notable buildings include:

Bonanza Bus Terminal 1 Sabin Street, Providence

US Post Office Hope Street, Bristol

Old Stone Bank Hope Street, Bristol

Biltmore Hotel renovations 1 Dorrance Street, Providence