Biography
Charles Christian Hook was born in Wheeling, Virginia, in 1870 to German immigrants. He was educated at Washington University and after his graduation the "Father of North Carolina Schools," Dr. Alexander Graham, recruited Hook to teach mechanical drawing. He taught for two years after which he decided to set up shop in Charlotte as its first full-time professional architect in 1892. (1)
From there, Hook designed some of the most prominent residential, commercial, and public buildings of the time. Prominent figures such as Edward Dilworth Latta, James B. Duke, and William Henry Belk trusted Hook to design their homes. Hook used many design styles including Queen Anne, Gothic, Colonial, and Modern American. (2) The variety of styles represented Hook's talent and diversity of architectural knowledge. Many of Hook's designs still stand today which is a testament to their lasting appeal in North Carolina.
Some of Hook's most famous designs are reflected by residential, public, and educational buildings. In addition to Belk, Duke, and Latta, Hook also designed the first five buildings for Queens College (now Queens University), several buildings for Trinity College (now Duke University), and some of the first buildings at Davidson College. Other examples include Charlotte City Hall, several fire stations, the old Masonic Temple in Charlotte, the Carolina Theatre, and passenger stations.
Hook died under what some consider suspicious circumstances. At the age of 68, Hook took the elevator in his office to the 12th floor of the Commercial National Bank Building in Charlotte. From there he fell, jumped, or was pushed out of a window where he fell to his death. The coroner deemed Hook's death an accident and his family said he suffered from vertigo. (3) Whatever the circumstances, Hook has been and will remain a prominent figure in the history of Charlotte's architecture.
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1. "Charles Christian Hook," Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission, Accessed October 15, 2012. http://www.cmhpf.org.
2. Michelle Ann Michael, "Hook, Charles Christian," North Carolina Architects and Builders: A Biographical Dictionary, Accessed October 15, 2012. http://ncarchitects.lib.ncsu.edu.
3. Ibid.