author

Phil M. (Phil Madison) Riley

b. 1882

Best known for richly illustrated books on early American buildings, this early 20th-century writer helped preserve the look and story of colonial Salem and Philadelphia in print. His work still appeals to readers interested in architecture, local history, and craftsmanship.

1 Audiobook

The Colonial Architecture of Philadelphia

The Colonial Architecture of Philadelphia

by Frank Cousins, Phil M. (Phil Madison) Riley

About the author

Phil M. Riley, also listed as Phil Madison Riley, was born in 1882. Surviving catalog and archive records identify him as the co-author of several books on American architectural history, often working with photographer and author Frank Cousins.

His best-known books include The Wood-Carver of Salem: Samuel McIntire, His Life and Work (1916), The Colonial Architecture of Salem (1919), and The Colonial Architecture of Philadelphia (1920). These works focus on colonial buildings, decorative detail, and historic craftsmanship, and they helped document important examples of early American architecture for later readers.

Available biographical information on Riley is limited, but a grave record for Phil Madison Riley gives his dates as September 25, 1882, to February 21, 1926, in New Hampshire. Even with so little personal detail preserved, his books remain a useful window into how early preservation-minded writers recorded American architectural heritage.