A Century of Influence: John Prigmore

In the summer of 1952, John Prigmore returned to El Dorado with his young family and opened an architectural practice as a sole practitioner. His first commission, a sunroom addition to a home near the city’s core, was modest in scale, but it marked the beginning of a body of work that would quietly shape El Dorado and communities across the region for decades to come.

As John reaches his 100th birthday, the milestone invites reflection, not only on longevity, but on the influence that continues to guide the firm he founded.

In the Early Office

John’s early office was unassuming. The drawing room sat at the back of the

building, without windows, anchored by drafting tables and handmade desks. What mattered wasn’t the space itself, but what happened there: careful thought, steady conversation, and a willingness to take responsibility for decisions on paper and in the field.

Those who worked alongside John describe a professional environment shaped less by hierarchy and more by attentiveness. Young staff were brought into meetings, onto jobsites, and into real conversations about design and construction. Not as spectators, but as participants learning the profession by doing it.

Mistakes weren’t avoided; they were addressed directly. When details failed, they were fixed, often by the same hands that drew them. The lesson was simple and enduring: architecture carries responsibility long after the drawing leaves the desk.

On Craft and Change

Over the decades, John witnessed, and adapted to, significant change in how architecture was practiced. He appreciated new tools and technologies, but never mistook them for judgment. Drafting methods evolved, computers arrive

d, and production accelerated, yet the underlying belief remained unchanged: good design is thoughtful, patient, and often understated.

Technology made it easier to revise ideas, but it didn’t make ideas better on its own. Clarity of thinking still mattered more than speed.

Learning by Doing

John’s influence is perhaps most visible in the people who came through his office and carried those lessons forward.

Vince Haines first arrived not through a formal interview, but through a conversation. John had heard Vince was looking for work and invited him in to talk. That conversation turned into mentorship shaped by exposure rather than instruction; site visits, client meetings, and responsibility that grew with experience.

When Vince chose to pursue architecture as a career, John supported the decision without pressure. Even later, as conversations naturally turned toward the future of the firm, John understood that leadership only works when it is chosen.

Years later, that same steady approach extended to David Stewart.

After time spent working in Phoenix, David returned to Kansas and joined the firm with a renewed appreciation for simplicity, clarity, and craft. His perspective, shaped by big-city experience and Midwest sensibility, added another layer to the firm’s evolution. In 2006, David was brought into ownership, helping guide the practice forward with a focus on efficiency, thoughtful design, and respect for the work itself.

Different paths. Shared understanding.

On Respect

John believed deeply in collaboration, particularly with those who build. He taught that the best solutions often come from listening to the people closest to the work. Asking a superintendent what they would do wasn’t a gesture, it was a recognition of expertise.

Fairness mattered just as much. John understood who the client was, but he never hesitated to speak plainly when integrity demanded it, even if that meant telling an owner they were wrong.

That consistency of character extended beyond architecture. A Rotarian since 1963, John remains an active member, still attending the Wednesday lunch meeting each week. Showing up week after week, year after year was never treated as extraordinary. It was simply part of participating in the community he cared deeply about.

Still at Work

The firm John founded has grown and contracted over time. It has changed names, adopted new tools, and welcomed new leadership. What has remained is a steady commitment to care, clarity, and respect for clients, collaborators, and the communities served.

As John Prigmore reaches 100 years, we celebrate more than a remarkable life. We recognize a way of practicing architecture that values patience over spectacle, responsibility over convenience, and people over process.

Those lessons did not retire with him. They remain, not as history, but as practice.