 He started his architectural training in the Boston office of Ware & Van Brunt, attended classes at Lowell Institute (MIT's predecessor), and studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris.In 1868-1869 he worked with Émile Vaudremer.In 1873-1875 Tilden he joined J. Pickering Putnam, and then Henry Walker Hartwell until 1879.