Jacob Wrey Mould

Jacob Wrey Mould (1825-1886) was a multifaceted British architect, illustrator, and musician, known for his key role in the creation of Central Park in New York. A pioneer of the Victorian style in the United States, he was a founding member of the American Institute of Architects. He arrived in Manhattan in 1852 and collaborated on the design of Central Park with Calvert Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted, contributing to notable features such as Belvedere Castle and the orchestra shell. Despite personal controversies, he received significant commissions, including planning for City Hall Park and collaborating with Vaux on the Metropolitan Museum of Art. His talents also extended to music, contributing to the translation of foreign opera librettos. His artistic legacy is reflected in the Morningside Park promenade and in the temporary tomb of Ulysses S. Grant, forerunners to Grant's Tomb in Riverside Park. Mould passed away in 1886 and is buried in Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery.