1876-1945
Paul Philippe Cret, architect, was born in Lyons, France, on October 23, 1876, the son of Paul Adolphe and Anna Caroline (Durand) Cret. He attended a lycée in Bourg and studied architecture at the École des Beaux Arts in Lyons and the École des Beaux Arts, Paris, where he graduated in 1903. At the Paris school he was awarded the Rougevin Prize and the Grand Medal of Emulation, both in recognition of his remarkable skill as a draftsman. In 1903 he was invited to teach architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, where he remained until his retirement in 1937.

The National Memorial Arch at Valley Forge was designed by Paul Philippe Cret, He would remain affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania until his retirement in 1937 after a long and influential career as one of America's most respected architects. Cret is known today for his public buildings in the Beaux Arts style, which drew inspiration from the Renaissance and the work of classical antiquity. In the Philadelphia area, Cret's work includes the Federal Reserve Bank building, the Barnes Foundation museum, the Rodin Museum (with Jacques Greber), the Ben Franklin Bridge, the Henry Avenue Bridge, and the University Avenue Bridge, among others.

He also designed the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC and the Denver and Pioneer Zephyr trains.