Arthur Van Horn was a local architect responsible for designing many of Bismarck’s historic buildings. He is perhaps best known for designing the Bell Mehus Auditorium, buildings at the North Dakota State Penitentiary, and his namesake hotel (later known as the Prince Hotel).
Van Horn was born in Hackensack, New Jersey and studied architecture in New York City. He relocated to Bismarck and started his own architecture firm in 1883. Between 1917-1919 Van Horn partnered with Karl A. Loven (not to be confused with another prominent local architect and builder similarly named Carl G. Lovin, who later works for Ritterbush Brothers).
Van Horn began his partnership with brothers Clarence and Robert Ritterbush in 1920, which lasted until Van Horn’s death in 1931. The firm evolved into Ritterbush Brothers until 1974 and then Ritterbush Associates.
