John C. Austin

John Corneby Wilson Austin (February 13, 1870 – September 3, 1963) was an architect and civic leader who participated in the design of several landmark buildings in Southern California, including the Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles City Hall, and the Shrine Auditorium. Born in Bodicote, Oxfordshire, England, Austin was an apprentice to architect Williams S. Barwick in the late 1880s. He moved to the United States and worked as a draftsman for architect Benjamin Linfoot of Philadelphia from 1891–1892, before reloacting to San Francisco where he was a draftsman at Mooser and Devlin from 1892-1895. He moved to Los Angeles in 1895, and became one of the city's leading architects. Austin was also active in civic affairs in Los Angeles. He...