Joseph Nelson Bradford (died 1944) was a prolific University Architect at Ohio State, designing some 40 campus buildings. He also taught architecture and drawing, offering the first photography course at the university.
Bradford was a graduate of Ohio State, earning his degree in mechanical engineering in 1883, and he was a member of the earliest incarnation of TBDBITL. He worked as a draftsman for the Pennsylvania Railroad for a time, until the College of Engineering asked him to teach a drafting course. Bradford was not interested and declined, but the Board of Trustees named him as a professor anyways in 1885. Bradford taught classes in engineering drawing, architecture, and starting in 1890 the first "picture-making" course in the United States.
Bradford was named University Architect in 1911, and his office was located inside Brown Hall 106. He quickly developed an impressive portfolio, including icons like neoclassical Sullivant Hall, the original Ohio Union (now Hale Hall), the Oval's original master plan, and the president's house by Mirror Lake (Kuhn House). He maintained this position until 1929, when he was succeeded by Howard Dwight Smith.
After his tenure as University Architect ended, Bradford channeled his love of photography into the new "Photographic History Unit," which he started in 1931. He was made an emeritus professor the following year and began to amass historic photographs from local photographers, alumni, and faculty. Bradford died in 1944, but his collection became part of the University Archives, and remains available online today. Bradford Commons (now demolished) was named in his honor.
Works
Sources:
https://knowltondl.osu.edu/Detail/objects/8228
https://library.osu.edu/site/archives/2011/08/05/bleed-scarlet-and-gray-joseph-bradford/