On January 22, 1882, future architect William Drewin Wight was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1911, he joined his older brother, Thomas, in Kansas City, where they created the architectural firm of Wight & Wight. 

The firm went on to profoundly influence Kansas City's architectural landscape with prominent designs that included the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Jackson County Courthouse, the Kansas City Life Insurance Company Building, and City Hall.

William and Thomas Wight spent their childhoods in Halifax, where they partook in sports and drawing, and eventually dreamed of becoming architects. William loved ice hockey, while Thomas enjoyed canoeing, fishing, and drawing. Both brothers studied in Canadian architecture studios. Thomas, seven years older than William, emigrated to the United States in 1891 at the age of 17 and managed to find work with the celebrated architectural firm McKim, Meade & White, where he worked on the Boston Public Library. Thomas was soon hired as a permanent draftsman for the company at its New York offices. He remained there until he opened his own firm in 1904.

In 1900, the 18-year-old William Wight followed in his older brother's footsteps and went to work for McKim, Meade & White in New York. For one year during his tenure with McKim, Meade & White, he traveled through Europe and grew especially fond of medieval gothic churches. After a decade of living in New York, William decided to join his brother, who had relocated to Kansas City.

Read the rest of the story at KCHistory.org.