# Claire Allen

Claire Allen (July 29, 1853 – December 22, 1942) was an American architect prominent in southern Michigan in the early twentieth century, and best known for designing several county courthouses. He was considered a "master regional architect".
Allen moved to Jackson as a young man, and practiced architecture there for 52 years. He established the architectural firm of Claire Allen & Sons. Some 100 structures are attributed to him. His firm designed numerous examples of American neoclassical architecture and colonial revival buildings in Michigan and Iowa, but had a range that encompassed Beaux-Arts Classical and Jacobean Revival styles as well.

## Works

Some buildings designed by Allen include:
| Work | Place | Year | Historic | Map | Notes |
| The Post Office | Jackson, Michigan | 1932 | | Map | Now Consumers Energy's headquarters - Post Office History |
| Glazier Office Building | Ann Arbor, Michigan | | | Map | |
| The Armory Building | Ann Arbor, Michigan | 1911 | | Map | |
| Clock Tower Building | Chelsea, Michigan | 1907 | State Registered | Map | |
| Glazier, George P., Memorial Building | Chelsea, Michigan | 1901-1902 | State Registered | Map | Constructed to house the Chelsea Savings Bank |
| Methodist Episcopal Church | Chelsea, Michigan | 1899 | | Map | First United Methodist Church - Church History Archived January 6, 2009, at the Wayback Machine |
| Welfare Building | Chelsea, Michigan | 1906 | State Registered | Map | |
| First National Bank | Corunna, Michigan | 1903 | State Registered | Map | Now called the Surbeck Building |
| Hudson Public Library | Hudson, Michigan | | | Map | |
| Cascades Manor House | Jackson, Michigan | 1929 | | Map | Cascades Manor House History |
| Jackson Friendly Home | Jackson, Michigan | 1908 | | Map | Jackson Friendly Home History |
| Jackson Masonic Temple | Jackson, Michigan | 1908 | City of Jackson Registered | Map | Currently being renovated for the Jackson School of the Arts - Masonic Temple History |
| The Ida Stiles Memorial Church | Jackson, Michigan | 1895 | | | The Ida Stiles Memorial Church Article |
| Avon School District No. 5 Schoolhouse | Rochester, Michigan | 1889 | State Registered | Map | |
| Hillsdale County Courthouse | Hillsdale County, Michigan | 1898-1899 | National and State Registered | Map | |
| Gratiot County Courthouse | Gratiot County, Michigan | 1902 | National and State Registered | Map | |
| Ionia County Courthouse | Ionia County, Michigan | 1885 | National and State Registered | Map | Claire Allen was the contractor on this building |
| Jackson County Courthouse | Jackson County, Michigan | 1927-1928 | City of Jackson Registered | Map | Courthouse History |
| Shiawassee County Courthouse | Shiawassee County, Michigan | 1903-1906 | National and State Registered | Map | |
| Van Buren County Courthouse | Van Buren County, Michigan | 1901 | National and State Registered | Map | |
| Paw Paw Library | Paw Paw, Michigan | 1920 | State Registered | Map | |
| Mendon Township Library | St. Joseph County, Michigan | 1905 | State Registered | Map | |
| Berthold Rummler House | Jackson, Michigan | 1904 | State Registered | Map | |
| Lake Odessa Depot | Ionia County, Michigan | 1889 | State Registered | Map | Also known as Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railway Depot |
| The Rickman Hotel | Kalamazoo, Michigan | 1907-1908 | National Registered | Map | |
| Lee County Savings Bank | Fort Madison, Iowa | | | Map | Fort Madison Downtown Commercial Historic District |
| Clinton County Courthouse | Clinton, Iowa | 1892-1897 | | Map | History |

## Maps

* Claire Allen Buildings in Chelsea, Michigan
* Claire Allen Buildings in Jackson, Michigan
* Claire Allen Buildings in Michigan
* Claire Allen Buildings in Iowa