Robert Edwin Cook
Robert Edwin Cook (July 19, 1863 – July 27, 1946) or Robert E. Cook, as he is more commonly known, was an American architect and engineer. Robert E. Cook is most famous for his design of Washington, D.C.'s Spanish Steps. The native Washingtonian was a prominent figure in Washington, D.C., society throughout the early 1900s. Early life Robert was born to George R. and Annie Cook on July 19, 1863, in Southeast Washington, D.C. As a youth, he was an active member of the old Fourth Street Methodist Church. Robert married Mary Lizzie Thompson on September 2, 1899, in Newtonville, Massachusetts. Robert and Mary had one daughter, Julia Thompson Lindquist (née Cook). Career Cook spent much of his architectural career with Hornblower & Marshall, the architect and engineering firm responsible for numerous buildings in Washington, D.C. Cook had a part in designing many of the city's prominent residences and some public buildings. Robert E. Cook designed the Decatur Terrace Steps and Fountain in northwest Washington, D.C., which was completed in 1911. In October 1911, Robert E. Cook was appointed to Assistant Inspector of Buildings by the District Commissioners, upon recommendation of Municipal Architect Snowden Ashford. Personal life Robert E. Cook