LANG, George Macdonald (1860-1930), active in Winnipeg, Man. and later in Calgary, Alta. as an architect and engineer, either under his own name, or in a succession of partnerships including:
G.M. Lang, Winnipeg, Man. April 1892-1893
G.M. Lang, Engineer & Architect, Calgary, 1893-1904
Wilson & Lang, Calgary, 1906-09 (with J. Llewellyn Wilson)
Lang & Dowler, Calgary, 1910-11 (with Leo Dowler)
Lang & Major, Calgary 1911-14 (with William P. Major)
Born in Ottawa, Ont. on 16 August 1860, he was educated at Ottawa Collegiate and articled with the prominent Ottawa architectural firm of Horsey & Sheard from 1874 to 1879. He moved west to Brandon, Man. in 1879 and joined the office of Poudrier & Brownlee, Surveyors & Civil Engineers who conducted “…an extensive Architectural business, under the superintendence of Mr. George MacD. Lang, who is an architect of ability” (Steen & Boyce, Brandon Manitoba and Her Industries, 1882, 25). He moved to Winnipeg in 1883 and spent several years as assistant to George C. Browne, a leading architect there, and then opened his own office in that city in 1892 (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 19 April 1892, 8; Winnipeg Tribune, 22 April 1892, 8). In 1893 he joined the Canadian Pacific Railway as an engineer in their Calgary office, overseeing the Maintenance of the Way Department, in charge of track, buildings and bridges between Brandon and Kootenay Landing, B.C. One of his assistants working in his office during this period was Frederick C. Clemesha, who later became a prominent architect in Regina, Sask.
His career as an architect in Calgary was revived in 1906 with an invitation to form a partnership with James Llewellyn Wilson (see list of works under Wilson & Lang). In 1910 he formed a new partnership with Leo Dowler, but their collaboration ended within months, and Lang joined in another partnership with William P. Major in January 1911. That firm was dissolved in early 1914, and Lang appears to have withdrawn from architectural activity after that date, for only one commission by him has been found dating from 1918. He was a respected member of the architectural profession in Alberta, and was elected as President of the Alberta Association of Architects in 1911 and again in 1912. After 1920 until 1930 he was connected with the Canadian National Railways as engineer-in-charge of all building activities on the rail line west of Fort William. In that capacity, he is almost certainly the same "Mr. Lang, CNR Architect" who was credited with the design of the iconic Jasper Park Lodge complex (1921-22), a group of nine log cabins, a log dining hall, a log Lounge room, and a log Dance Hall, built by the CNR at Jasper National Park. Lang died in Calgary on 10 October 1930 (obit. and port. Calgary Herald, 11 Oct. 1930, 32; obit. and port. The Albertan [Calgary], 11 Oct. 1930, 3; obit. Canadian Engineer [Montreal], lix, 28 Oct. 1930, 598; biog. Daily Herald [Calgary], 13 Jan. 1912, 19; biog. Archibald O. MacRae, History of the Province of Alberta, 1912, Vol. 2, 1021-22; biog. and port Who’s Who & Why in Canada, 1913, 424).
G.M. LANG (works in Manitoba and Alberta)
WINNIPEG, MAN., bakery for W.J. Boyd, Portage Avenue at Spence Street, 1892; partly destroyed by fire in 1947 (Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 23 Aug. 1892, 8)
WINNIPEG, MAN., Augustine Presbyterian Church, River Avenue at Pulford Street, major addition, 1892; demol. (Manitoba Daily Free Press [Winnipeg], 25 Aug. 1892, 8, descrip.)
WINNIPEG, MAN., Granite Curling Rink, Ellice Avenue at Hargrave Street, 1892; demol. (Winnipeg Daily Tribune, 8 Oct. 1892, 4, illus. & descrip.)
DELORAINE, MAN., Methodist Church, Cavers Street South at South Railway Avenue, 1897; damaged by fire, 1951, and rebuilt within the original walls of the church as designed in 1897 by George M. Lang; still standing in 2023 (C.R., viii, 18 March 1897, 2; Christian Guardian [Toronto], 10 March 1897, 152, descrip.)
MEDICINE HAT, ALTA., St. John's Presbyterian Church, 1902 (History of St. John's Presbyterian Church 1883-1973, 25-6, illus.)
CALGARY, ALTA., Tuberculosis Sanatorium, located in the Bow Valley, for Dr. Ernest Wills, 1904 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 3 March 1904, 5, descrip.; Macleod Gazette, 11 March 1904, 8)
CALGARY, ALTA., a three storey warehouse for A. McBride, Atlantic Avenue, west of 1st Street East, 1904 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 24 March 1904, 5, descrip.)
CALGARY, ALTA., Robinson & Co. Department Store, Stephen Avenue, major addition, 1904 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 8 April 1904, 4, t.c.)
CALGARY, ALTA., Inter-Western Pacific Exhibition Grounds, 4th Street East, two new horse stable buildings, new entrance pavilion, main Exhibition Hall, and a public Grand Stand, 1904 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 4 April 1904, 5; and 4 May 1904, 4, descrip.)
BANFF, ALTA., major addition to the Alberta Hotel, 1904 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 14 April 1904, 8)
CALGARY, ALTA., large wholesale warehouse for Samuel Morris Percy Michaelson, Stephen Avenue, "....just west of the Codville & Co. building", 1904 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 25 May 1904, 4, descrip.)
CALGARY, ALTA., The Alberta Hotel, 1st Street S.W. at 8th Avenue S.W., a major four storey addition "...on the east side" of the existing building, originally designed in 1888-89 by Willcox & Johnston of St. Paul, Minn., 1905; all still standing in 2023 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 1 Feb. 1905, 5, t.c.; and 4 April 1905, 4, descrip.)
CALGARY, ALTA., MacPherson Fruit Co., 8th Avenue West, a large two storey wholesale warehouse. located "...just west of Codville Co.", for R.R. Scott, 1905 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 8 Feb. 1905, 6, t.c.; 1 March 1905, 6, descrip.)
CALGARY, ALTA., The Jackson Block, Eighth Avenue West near First Street, a four storey commercial block for Norman Jackson, located "...on the lot just east of the Alberta Hotel", 1905 (Edmonton Bulletin, 6 April 1905, 8)
LANG & DOWLER (works in Calgary unless noted)
THEATRE, for an unidentified client, 1910 (dwgs. at Glenbow Museum, R. Millar Papers M848, Item 35)
PUBLIC SCHOOL, located on Block 28, Section 16, with 12 classrooms, 1910 (Daily Herald [Calgary], 19 May 1910, 4, descrip.)
HOTEL, for W.R. Hall, 1910 (C.R., xxiv, 17 Aug. 1910, 25)
EAST CALGARY, residence for Lieut.-Col. James Walker, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 22 Feb. 1911, 30)
CONNAUGHT PUBLIC SCHOOL, 12th Avenue S.W., 1910 (C.R., xxiv, 16 Nov. 1910, 26)
ALEX McBRIDE & CO., 9th Avenue East, warehouse, 1910 (C.R., xxiv, 30 Nov. 1910, 25, t.c.)
MacLEAN BLOCK, 8th Avenue East, for Wendall MacLean, 1910-11 (C.R., xxiv, 26 Oct. 1910, 27, t.c.; Const., vi, Oct. 1913, 375, illus.)
CALGARY HIGH SCHOOL, 13th Avenue, a major 3 storey addition extending towards 12th Avenue, 1910-11 (Calgary Daily Herald, 23 Nov. 1910, 3, descrip.)
LANG & MAJOR (works in Calgary, Alta. unless noted)
GRAND CENTRAL HOTEL, 9th Street, major addition, c. 1911 (inf. Glenbow Museum, Calgary)
ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST ANGLICAN CHURCH, 8th Avenue East, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 8 Feb. 1911, 28)
(with Hodgson, Bates & Butler) FIRE HALL NO. 1, 1st Avenue East at 6th Avenue East, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 12 April 1911, 53; dwgs. at Glenbow Museum, Calgary City Clerk's Plans, folder 48)
17th AVENUE, apartment block for I. Reid, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 24 May 1911, 62, t.c.)
ALBERTA LOAN & INVESTMENT CO., First Street, a three storey office block, 1911 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 18 July 1911, 10)
T.E. SLINGSBY DEPARTMENT STORE, 4th Street East at Centre Street, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 11 Oct. 1911, 62)
30th AVENUE WEST, residence for Andre Auriol, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 25 Oct. 1911, 60)
BEVERIDGE BUILDING, 7th Avenue East, for Stephen E. Beveridge, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 8 Nov. 1911, 59)
8th STREET WEST, near 21st Avenue, residence for Dr. Thomas H. Blow, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 15 Nov. 1911, 60)
HARVETTA BLOCK, c. 1911 (Calgary Alberta - Merchants & Manufacturers Record, 1911, 125, illus.)
14th AVENUE WEST, at 8th Street, apartment block for Dr. William E. Spankie, 1912 (C.R., xxvi, 17 Jan. 1912, 73)
SMALLPOX HOSPITAL, c. 1912 (dwgs. at Glenbow Museum, Calgary City Clerk's Plans, folder 54)
ISOLATION HOSPITAL, 1912 (Calgary Herald, 27 April 1912, 1; dwgs. at Glenbow Museum, Calgary City Clerk's Plans, folder 180)
FIRE HALL & POLICE STATION NO. 3, 9th Avenue East at 11th Street, 1912 (Calgary Herald, 27 April 1912, 1; dwgs. at Glenbow Museum, Calgary City Clerk's Plans, folder 110)
FIRE HALL & POLICE STATION NO. 2, 18th Avenue at 2nd Street East, 1912 (Calgary Herald, 27 April 1912, 1; dwgs. at Glenbow Museum, Calgary City Clerk's Plans, folder 111)
OGDEN, ALTA., Hotel Pokinistis, 1912 (Calgary Herald, 7 March 1912, 9, illus. & descrip.)
EDMONTON, ALTA., Pendennis Hotel, Jasper Avenue East near 96th Street, for Nathan Bell, 1912 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 3 Feb. 1912, 15, t.c.; C.R., xxvi, 6 March 1912, 69, 73; Edmonton, Historical Walking Tours of Downtown Edmonton, 1988, 52, illus.)
EAST CALGARY, abattoir for the Calgary Abattoir Co., 1912 (C.R., xxvi, 17 April 1912, 65; dwgs. at Glenbow Museum, Calgary City Clerk's Plans, folder 38)
WALKER BLOCK & THEATRE, for Col. James Walker, 1912-13 (Morning Albertan [Calgary], 7 March 1913, 1; Calgary, Alberta - Merchants and Manufacturers Record, 1911, 192, list of works)
HARV ETTA BLOCK, 1913 (Morning Albertan [Calgary], 7 March 1913, 1)
CHRIST CHURCH (Anglican), Elbow Park, 8th Street West at 34th Avenue, 1913; completed by Major & Stacy-Judd in 1921 (Calgary Herald, 3 Jan. 1913, 20, illus.; 24 Dec. 1921, 4, illus.; dwgs. at Canadian Architectural Archives, Univ. of Calgary, 37A 7825, item 12C55)
RED DEER, ALTA., hotel for the Calgary Brewing Co., 1913 (Edmonton Daily Bulletin, 26 June 1913, 2)
POLICE HEADQUARTERS, 7th Avenue East at 3rd Street, 1913 (C.R., xxvii, 23 April 1913, 66; xxviii, 23 Dec. 1914, 1557-8, illus. & descrip.; dwgs. at Glenbow Museum, Calgary City Clerk's Plans, folder 87)
CHILDREN'S AID SOCIETY, shelter at Harvetta Heights, 1913 (C.R., xxvii, 28 May 1913, 68)
G.M. LANG (works in Alberta and British Columbia)
MANYBERRIES, ALTA., Consolidated School, 1918 (Lethbridge Herald, 3 July 1918, 2, t.c.)
SMITHERS, B.C., Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Station, Main Street at Railway Avenue, 1919; still standing as of 2019 and now the C.N.R. Station (Interior News [Smithers], 7 Feb. 1923, 8; Parks Canada, Canada's Historic Places, designated 1 Nov. 1989, website, but lacking attribution to the architect)
SMITHERS, B.C., The Smithers Hall, a public assembly hall, c. 1920 (Interior News [Smithers], 7 Feb. 1923, 8)
JASPER NATIONAL PARK, ALTA., Jasper Park Lodge, consisting of nine log cabins for visitors, with a log Dining Hall, a log general store, and a log Lounge Room and Dance Hall, 1921-22; main lodge burned 1952 (Vancouver Daily World, 19 June 1922, 3, descrip.)
KELOWNA, B.C., C.N.R. Railway Station, 1926 (Vernon News, 29 July 1926, 5)
COMPETITIONS
MEDICINE HAT, ALTA., City Hall, 1905. Lang was one of five architects who submitted an entry in the competition for the City Hall (Manitoba Free Press [Winnipeg], 27 May 1905, 29). His submission was passed over in favour of the winning scheme by W.T. Williams.
CALGARY, ALTA., King George Hotel, 1911. Lang & Major were one of 6 architectural firms from Calgary who were asked to submit plans (Morning Albertan [Calgary], 8 April 1911, 5). The winner was James A. MacDonald of Calgary.