author
Frank Cousins
1851–1925
A Salem shopkeeper turned writer-photographer, he helped preserve the look of early New England by documenting its houses, doorways, and fine architectural details. His books and images became part of the broader movement to value and protect historic American buildings.
1 Audiobook
The Colonial Architecture of Philadelphia
by Frank Cousins, Phil M. (Phil Madison) Riley
About the author
Born in Salem, Massachusetts, in 1851, Frank Cousins built a career that blended business, photography, and a deep love of old architecture. He first worked in retail and later ran his own store, but over time he devoted more and more energy to studying and recording the buildings around him, especially the Federal and colonial homes of Salem and the wider New England region.
Cousins is best remembered for the thousands of photographs he made of historic architecture at a moment when many older buildings were disappearing. His work did more than capture attractive houses: it helped support early preservation efforts by creating a visual record of places and details that might otherwise have been lost.
He also published books and photographic albums, including works on Salem architecture and on the carver and architect Samuel McIntire. For readers interested in American design history, his writing offers a close, affectionate look at the craftsmanship and character of early New England.