Martin Euclid Thompson (1786 – 1877) was an American architect and artist who was active primarily in New York City during the first half of the 19th century. Trained initially as a carpenter, he later partnered with fellow architect Ithiel Town and became a prominent practitioner of the Greek Revival and Egyptian Revival styles.
Thompson was a co‑founder of the National Academy of Design, an institution established in 1825 to promote the fine arts in the United States. His architectural portfolio includes several notable public and private commissions:
- Second Branch Bank of the United States (1824) – The building’s façade was later preserved and re‑erected in the American Wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Merchants Exchange Building (New York City) – Constructed in the 1840s and destroyed in the Great Fire of New York in 1835.
- Brooklyn Naval Hospital (1830–1838) – Designed for the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
- Colles Mansion (1838, Morristown, New Jersey) – A Greek‑Revival residence now known as the Kellogg Club.
- Admiral’s House (1843, Governors Island, New York City) – Designated a New York City landmark in 1972.
- The Arsenal (1847–1851, Central Park, New York City) – A fortified‑style brick building that later served as the headquarters of the New York State Militia and is now part of the Central Park historic district.
Thompson’s work is characterized by the use of symmetrical compositions, classical detailing, and, in some projects, the incorporation of Egyptian motifs. His contributions to the built environment of early New York City, together with his role in founding the National Academy of Design, have secured his place in the history of American architecture.
