Personal Data

Arthur H. Vinal was born on July 1, 1855, in Quincy, the son of Howard Vinal and his wife, Clarissa J. Wentworth.

He married on April 10, 1877, in Boston, to Ada Louisa Gates (b. 23Dec1857 in Dorchester), daughter of Benjamin Henry Gates and his wife, Mary Elizabeth Weeman (daughter of Obediah Weeman).

Arthur Vinal died on August 25, 1923, in West Harpswell, Maine.

Career

Arthur H. Vinal served as an apprentice in the offices of Peabody and Stearns.

He opened his own office in about 1875, and joined in partnership briefly with Henry F. Starbuck in 1877. By 1878, he was a sole practitioner again, and remained so for the rest of his career. He continued to practice in Boston until the early 1920s.

He opened his own office in about 1875, and joined in partnership briefly with Henry F. Starbuck in 1877. By 1878, he was a sole practitioner again. From about 1892 to 1894 he was in partnership with George F. Tracy in the firm of Vinal & Tracy. Their partnership ended by mid-1894 and Arthur Vinal remained a sole practitioner for the rest of his career. He continued to practice in Boston until the early 1920s.

In 1884-1887, he served as Boston City Architect. In 1886-1887, he designed the original Metropolitan Water Works building at Chestnut Hill, noted as an example of Romanesque architecture. Among his other works were The Westgate apartments at 541 Commonwealth (1894) and The Belvoir apartments at 636 Beacon (1894), both with George Tracy, The Colonial apartments at 382 Commonwealth (1895); The Torrington apartments at 384-388 Commonwealth (1896-1899); a block of 27 apartment buildings on Gainsborough, Hemenway, and Batavia Streets (1900-1901); and the 12 story apartment building at 48 Beacon (1903) which helped prompt passage of height-limit regulations.

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