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Male, Scotland/US, born 1889-12-23, died 1971-10-01
Associated with the firms network
Houghton, Edwin W., Architect; Priteca and Chiarelli, Architects; Priteca and Holmes, Architects; Priteca and Peters, Architects; Priteca and Sonnichsen, Architects; Priteca, B. Marcus, Architect
Résumé
Apprentice, Robert McFarlane Cameron, Architect, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1904-1909. McFarlane (1860-1920) had a career as an architect first and and later as a Bailie, Magistrate, and Deputy Lieutenant of Edinburgh.
Draftsman, E.W. Houghton, Architect, Seattle, WA, 1909-1911. (See R.L. Polk's Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1910, p. 1282.) Houghton was a leading designer of movie theatres during the period 1898-1927 in the Pacific Northwest, and Priteca would have learned a great deal about designing this building type in his office.
Priteca also knew W. Marbury Somervell (1872-1938) early on, but it is not clear whether he worked in his office. Somervell ended his partnership with Joseph S. Coté (1874-1957) in 1909, and it is possible that Priteca worked for the former during this transition.
Principal, B. Marcus Priteca, Architect, Seattle, WA, 1912-c. 1964. Priteca was retained as architect for all Pantages Theatres designed between 1910 and 1929, numbering approximately 30. Made possible by Pantages's backing, he opened a Seattle office in Rooms #262-263 of the Empire Building by 1912. Additionally, the city directories of 1912 through 1914 also recorded that Priteca maintained branch offices in San Francisco and Oakland, Calif., to attend to movie theatre work. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1912, p. 1140 and R.L. Polk's Seattle City Directory, 1914, p. 1403.)
Pantages liked the way Priteca could produce lavish architectural effects using relatively modest budgets, and trusted his taste completely. According to historian Theodore Saloutos, the bond between the two talented immigrants was genuine: “In business matters Pantages was the embodiment of integrity, and men who had extensive relations with him over the years spoke of him with reverence and admiration. B. Marcus Priteca, a Seattle architect who knew Pantages from 1911 until his death in 1936 and who designed all his theaters except the earliest ones, referred to him as a ‘tremendous man’ in his business dealings—brilliant, acute, a good judge of people, with a phenomenal memory for facts, faces, names and dates. Priteca never signed a contract with Pantages, and Pantages never asked him in advance what his fees were going to be.” (See Theodore Saloutos, “Alexander Pantages, Theater Magnate of the West,” Pacific Northwest Quarterly, vol. 57, no. 4, 10/1966, p. 146.)
He worked in Los Angeles, 1922-1929. In total, the Scottish-born architect has been credited with having designed over 150 movie theatres during his career.
Beginning in 1915, Priteca operated his office at 507-511 Pantages (later Palomar) Building, an office tower of his own design, in Seattle, WA. Priteca had an office at 1304 3rd Avenue, Room #515 in 1929, 1931, 1942, 1953 and 1960. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1931, p. 1367, Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147; Box or Roll Number: 164, accessed 12/03/2020, Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1953, p. 1123 and Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1960, p. 221.) The 1940 US Census recorded that Priteca worked 60 hours during the week of 03/24-30/1940, a higher than average workload. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04378; Page: 17B; Enumeration District: 40-142, accessed 12/09/2020.)
He worked in the Pantages/Palomar Building until late 1964. The Palomar Building was demolished in 1965.
Priteca associated with a number of architects on various projects over the years, but always maintained his independent practice.
Associate, Priteca and Chiarelli, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1960-1962. Priteca and Chiarelli associated together to work on the renovation of the Seattle Civic Auditorium in the early 1960s, readying it for reuse during the Seattle World's Fair.
Professional Activities
Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Washington State Chapter and Seattle Chapter.
President, AIA, Washington State Chapter, 1938.
Priteca completed a 15-week course, Camouflage School, Camouflage Division, Office of Civilian Defense, University of Washington, 10-12/1942;
Chairman, AIA, Washington State Chapter, Nominating Committee, 1948.
Professional Awards
Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA), 1951.
Honorary Member, Theatre Historical Society of America. (Elected posthumously.)
Archives
A small number of materials created by Priteca have been preserved in the B. Marcus Priteca papers, 1914-1928 Collection, held in the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections division. This collection contained: "Correspondence, specifications, contracts, bids, maps, photographs. Primarily concerns Priteca's work as architect for Pantages Circuit of Vaudeville Theatres." (See Archives West.org, "B. Marcus Priteca papers, 1914-1928," accessed 03/21/2023.)
College
Graduate, George Watsons Boys College, Archibald Place, Edinburgh, Scotland, c. 1900-1907. Priteca held both B.A. and B.S. degrees.
Historian Eric L. Flom indicated that Priteca graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1907 and the Royal College of Fine Arts in 1909. (See Eric L. Flom, HistoryLink.org, "Priteca, B. Marcus (1889-1971)," published 12/12/2008, accessed 12/03/2020. Flom obtained this information from historian Clarence Bagley, “B. Marcus Priteca,” History of King County, Washington, Volume II, [Seattle: S.J. Clarke Publishing, 1929], p. 443.)
College Awards
Gold Medal, Royal Institute, Edinburgh, Scotland. In conjunction with this award, Priteca received scholarship money enabling him to travel to Seattle, WA, in 1909, to attend the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (AYPE).
Relocation
Some of the facts surrounding the life of B. Marcus Priteca remain unclear. These details include his first name, his date of birth, and his entry into the United States. His early life saw a significant amount of stress and turmoil, including the dissolution of his parents' marriage, subsequent divorce and his mother's relocation from Glasgow to Edinburgh. Once in the US by 1909, Priteca became a creature of habit, living in the same house for more than 40 years and practicing in the same office between 1931 and 1964.
It may have been that Priteca also had something of a sense of humor, as he frequently fibbed about his birthdate, first name and other particulars of his life. For example, he may have found it amusing when he told a British immigration authority that he was a farmer when he left Scotland bound for America in 1909. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. UK and Ireland, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012, accessed 12/08/2020.)
Born in Glasgow, Scotland, Barnet Marcus Priteca grew up in a middle-class, Jewish immigrant family in Glasgow and Edinburgh. His parents, Dina and Joseph Dombrowizky, both Jewish immigrants from Russia, came to Glasgow in the mid-1880s, in order to escape an increasingly hostile environment in Russia during the decade. His parents, twelve years apart in age, did not get along, and young Barnet witnessed significant violence and verbal abuse occurring between them. All of this led to a divorce between them in 1895, and Dina taking her children to Edinburgh to escape her husband's "erratic temper." Once in Edinburgh, Dina married Joseph's erstwhile friend from Russia, Charles Priteca, who adopted her children with Joseph and had two more with her.
According to the Scottish Census of 1901, 11-year-old "Benny" Priteca resided at 14 Roxburgh Street in the Canongate District of Edinburgh, with his mother, step-father, and whole and half-sisters. In addition, two others, perhaps servants or boarders, lived at 14 Roxburgh, Annie Still (born c. 1890) and John Lorimer (born c. 1834). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Parish: Edinburgh Lady Glenorchy; ED: 65; Page: 6; Line: 1; Roll: CSSCT1901_380, accessed 12/03/2020.)
He received his secondary and university education as well as early professional experience in Edinburgh.
Perhaps due to illness, (possibly tuberculosis), Charles Priteca was the first member of the family to immigrate from Scotland to Seattle. As noted by writer Elizabeth Rosenbloom, who has undertaken extensive research on Priteca: "Sadly little Julia died in 1907, and this, combined with Charles worsening health, seems to have made him take the decision to emigrate later that year to join his married sister Rachel Caplan and her husband and large family who lived in Seattle Washington State, a vibrant city with a growing Jewish population. Dina his wife, and Fanny and Esther soon followed on, and when Benny finished his apprenticeship with plenty of architectural experience under his belt, he was able to join them by 1909." (See Elizabeth Rosenbloom, "The Only Truly Dead Are Those Who Are Forgotten," Edinburgh Star, no. 87, 09/2019, pp. 40-41.) Charles came to the US aboard the Allan liner, S.S. Sicilian, leaving Glasgow on 11/01/1907 and arriving in Montreal, Canada, on 11/15/1907. He traveled in second-class. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Library and Archives Canada; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Series: RG 76-C; Roll: T-493, accessed 12/03/2020.) Charles then entered the US at Saint Albans, VT. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Manifests of Passengers Arriving at St. Albans, VT, District through Canadian Pacific and Atlantic Ports, 1895-1954; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 - 2004; Record Group Number: 85; Series Number: M1464; Roll Number: 064, accessed 12/03/2020.)
After 1900, many Jewish immigrants chose to enter the US indirectly, first landing in Canadian ports rather than the Port of New York. As noted by historian, Jonathan D. Sarna, "By the 1890's American immigration restrictions were more stringent; consequently, more [Jewish] immigrants came to Canada. A 'Mr. Lebowich', who wished to go to St. Louis, landed in Montreal since laws prohibited paupers from entering United States ports. Others went to Canada when President Harrison quarantined immigrant vessels in order to prevent the spread of epidemics. The Dominion was then desperately in need of new settlers; it could not afford to be too selective." (See Jonathan D. Sarna, "Jewish Immigration to North America: The Canadian Experience 1870-1890,” The Jewish Journal of Sociology, vol. 18, 06/1976, pp. 31-41.)
One account indicated that the young architect traveled from Glasgow, Scotland, to Montreal, QC, Canada, on 07/05/1909 aboard the Allan Line's S.S. Grampian. (In 1909, the S.S. Grampian made voyages between Glasgow and Boston, MA, and Glasgow and Quebec and Montreal.) His last place of residence in Edinburgh was 14 Roxburgh Street, and his final destination, Seattle, WA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Manifests of Passengers Arriving at St. Albans, VT, District through Canadian Pacific and Atlantic Ports, 1895-1954; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 - 2004; Record Group Number: 85; Series Number: M1464; Roll Number: 100, accessed 12/08/2020.)
Naturalization paperwork filed in Seattle of 1919, indicated that his last foreign residence was in Edinburgh, Scotland, and that he entered the US via Vancouver, BC, Canada, aboard the S.S. Princess Victoria, arriving in the Port of Seattle on 07/06/1909. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives, Washington DC; Washington DC; ARC Title: Naturalization Records for the Superior Court for King, Pierce, Thurston, and Snohomish Counties, Washington, 1850-1974; NAI Number: M1543; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685 - 2009; Record Group Number: 21, accessed 12/03/2020.)
A 1909 listing in the U.S., Index to Alien Arrivals at Canadian Atlantic and Pacific Seaports, 1904-1944 noted that a Marcus B. Priteca traveled with Dina, Esther and Fanny Priteca to Saint Albans, VT, in 1909. If this is correct, this would suggest that his mother and sisters traveled separately from B. Marcus from Scotland, but that they all entered the US together in 1909, en route to Seattle to rejoin Charles. This may have meant that his mother and sisters spent a relatively short time in Montreal or elsewhere in Canada before reconnecting with Benny. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at Washington, D.C.; Washington, D.C.; Series Title: Index to Alien Arrivals at Canadian Atlantic and Pacific Seaports; NAI Number: 3000080; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787-2004; Record Group Number: 85, accessed 12/08/2020.)
The whole Priteca Family lived together at 708 22nd Avenue in Seattle in 1910. The 1910 US Census indicated that Dina had had eight children during her life, of whom three were still alive. In addition to Bennie, daughters Fanny and Esther lived here, as did a boarder, Samuel J. Kane, (born c. 1882 in Russia). Tranquility would be short-lived, as Charles Priteca would die early the next year at age 45. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Seattle Ward 3, King, Washington; Roll: T624_1658; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 0085; FHL microfilm: 1375671, accessed 12/03/2020.) In 1911, Priteca and his family moved to 823 24th Avenue in Seattle. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1911, p. 1120.) His family relocated again in 1912, to an apartment in Seattle's Cascade neighborhood, at 1305 Ward Street, Unit #4C. They remained here until 1915.(See R.L. Polk and Company's Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1913, p. 1322 and R.L. Polk's Seattle City Directory, 1915, p. 1284.)
In 1916, Priteca made two momentous moves. First, he purchased a house at 1909 Lakeview Boulevard in Seattle's Eastlake neighborhood, in which he would stay for over 40 years, and, second, he moved into his new architectural offices in Rooms #507-511 of the Pantages Building, a building he designed. He would remain here until 1964. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1916, p. 1281.) According to the U.S. Census of 1920, his sisters Fanny and Esther lived with B. Marcus and their mother at the Lakeview Boulevard residence. At this time, he had submitted naturalization paperwork, but his mother, sister and half-sister remained aliens. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: T625_1927; Page: B; Enumeration District: 170, accessed 12/03/2020.) Ten years later, he, his mother and sister Esther inhabited the Lakeview house. By this time, it had an approximate value of $6,000. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Page: 32A; Enumeration District: 0069; FHL microfilm: 2342229, accessed 12/03/2020.) Ten years later, the house had a value of $5,500. The 1940 US Census indicated that he lived here with his sister Esther. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04378; Page: 17B; Enumeration District: 40-142, accessed 12/09/2020.)
The architect continued to inhabit the same address in 1942 and 1953. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; Record Group Title: Records of the Selective Service System; Record Group Number: 147; Box or Roll Number: 164, accessed 12/03/2020 and Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1953, p. 1123.) The 1950 US Census had him living at 1909 Lakeview with his half-sister Esther, who worked as a secretary in his architectural office. At the time, James Sawyer (born c. 1915 in OK), a "specifications engineer" in an architect's office (perhaps Priteca's), lived next door at 1933 Lakeview. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: 2804; Sheet Number: 78; Enumeration District: 40-362, accessed 05/16/2023.) At the time, the architect Joseph S. Coté (1874-1957) lived nearby at 2160 Franklin Avenue East.
Priteca died in Seattle, WA, in 1971, of cancer. He was either 85 or 81 depending on his date of birth.
Parents
His mother was Dina Margaret Levitsky (born 1877 in Pingovitz, Russia, [now Belarus,]-d. 05/05/1939 in Seattle, WA), a Jewish immigrant to Scotland. (The Scottish Census of 1901 listed her date of birth as c. 1864.) His birth father Joseph Dombrowizky (1856-1906) and his childhood friend, Charles Priteca (born c. 1866 in Russia-d. 02/22/1911 in Seattle, WA), had worked in Czarist Russia as court clerks until a discriminatory edict was made forbidding Jews from serving in the civil service. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Washington, U.S., Select Death Certificates, 1907-1960 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, accessed 12/03/2020.)
Anti-Semitism in Russia ramped up significantly after the 1881 assassination of Czar Alexander II, an act that was blamed by many on Jews. Both Dombrovizky and Priteca had to find other employment, and with jobs scarce in the increasingly anti-Semitic atmosphere of Russia, they immigrated to Glasgow, Scotland, by 04/1885, where a sizeable Jewish population had congregated. Dina and the children followed about two months later in 06/1885.
Dombrovizky and Priteca entered the drapery business in Scotland, the latter becoming more successful and stable. Dombrowizky became mired in alcoholism and abusive to his wife, threatening her periodically with violence. In 1887, the two agreed to divorce. While Dombrowizky traveled to Hamburg to receive a rabbinical divorce, Dina moved her family to Edinburgh. This Hamburg effort failed, but Dina persisted in maintaining her separation from her imbalanced husband. They finally divorced in 01/1895.
After this break-up, Charles Priteca stepped in and assisted Dina in entering the drapery business. Charles also took another step to support Dina and her children, when he married her in 08/1895. B. Marcus Priteca had two full sisters and two half-sisters. His full sisters were Sarah Fanny Dombrowizky (born 1886 in Glasgow, Scotland) and Hindi Dombrowizky (d. 1887 at age 18 days). His two half-sisters included Esther Anna Priteca (born 09/25/1896 in Scotland-d. 11/1971 in Seattle, WA) and Julia Priteca (1901-1907).
In 1909, his mother lived at 14 Roxburgh Place, a three-bedroom apartment in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Much of the above research about Priteca's early years was unearthed by Elizabeth Rosenbloom, in her carefully researched article "The only truly dead are those who are forgotten," Edinburgh Star, no. 87, 09/2019, pp. 40-41. Thank you to Seattle architect Marvin Anderson for sending it to the author on 12/17/2019.)
His half-sister Esther worked as a stenographer for the MJB Company in 1931. (See Seattle, Washington, City Directory, 1931, p. 1367.) The 1940 US Census indicated that she had taken two years of college coursework. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04378; Page: 17B; Enumeration District: 40-142, accessed 12/09/2020.)
Spouse
Priteca never married.
Biographical Notes
Priteca's nickname for most of his life was "Benny." His given name early in life was "Barnet." He also used the name "Bernard" on his naturalization paperwork (1919) and draft cards during World Wars I and II.
A number of different dates have been given for Priteca's birth, including 1890 and 12/23/1881. (In 2001, John Edward Powell. indicated his birth to have occurred in Glasgow, Scotland, 12/23/1881. (See Historic Fresno.org, "B. Marcus Priteca," a
In 10/1923 owned 2000 shares of stock in the C and R Mining Company of Wallace, ID. According to a notice in the Wallace Miner newspaper, he was delinquent of a stock fee of $20 on the 2,000 shares he owned. (See “Notice to Delinquent Stockholders,” Wallace Miner, 10/25/1923, p. 6.)
Priteca traveled aboard a Maddux Airlines plane from the Agua Caliente Racetrack near Tijuana, Mexico, to San Diego, CA, on 02/11/1929. He listed his birthplace as San Francisco and birthdate as 12/23/1890, according to the plane's manifest. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. San Diego, California, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists of Airplanes, 1929-1954 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012, accessed 12/08/2020.) Two months after Priteca flew aboard the Maddux Airlines, on 04/21/1929, another Maddux Ford 5-AT-B Tri-motor plane collided with an U.S. Army Boeing PW-9D pursuit biplane above San Diego, killing six people (one on the ground). This was the first mid-air collision between a US airliner and another plane.
Member, Arctic Club, Seattle, WA.
Member, Scottish Rite Masons, Seattle, WA.
Between 1972 and 1978, the Longacres Racetrack near Seattle held a race called the "B. Marcus Priteca Handicap." (See "Sports This Week," Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 08/28/1979, p. C6.)
PCAD id: 268
