Résumé

Employee, North Chicago Rolling Mills, Chicago, IL, c. 1870. Established by Eber B. Ward, Stephen Potter and Orrin Potter, the North Chicago Rolling Mills developed into the first, high-production iron and steel plant in Chicago. It grew rapidly during the 1860s, and by the early 1870s, it incorporated a large new Bessemer furnace. It is possible that Preusse was involved with the plant's expansion during this period when the Bessemer furnace was introduced. The mill produced steel rails for the rapdily expanding railroad industry during the 1870s and 1880s.

Contractor, Kansas City, MO, 1880. The Kansas City, Missouri, City Directory, 1880, (p. 518), indicated that Preusse worked as a contractor.

Architect, Kansas City, MO, 1881. The Kansas City, Missouri, City Directory, 1881, (p. 529), listed him as an architect, but he was not listed as the owner of a firm in the book's classified business directory, meaning he either owned his own firm that was not included or he worked for one of the twenty-one architectural firms listed.

Principal, Herman Preusse, Architect, Spokane, WA, 1882-1893.

Partner, Preusse and [Julius A.] Zittel, Architects, Spokane, WA, 1893-1911. In 1911, the last year of their partnership, Preusse and Zittel maintained their offices in Rooms #509-514 of the Jamieson Building, Spokane. (SeeR.L. Polk and Company's Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1911, p. 953.) By 1912, J.A. Zittel, (1869-1939), had formed an architectural partnership with Canadian-born Archibald G. Rigg, (1878-1959).

Preusse had retired by 1920, according to the US Census. Preusse's name was also not listed in the architect's classified section of the Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1920, (p. 984.)

College

Coursework, Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaft und Kunst (College for Applied Science and Art), Holzminden, Lower Saxony, Germany, c. 1864. It is known that Preusse studied at the College of Applied Science and Art, but it is not known if he obtained a diploma.

The History of the City of Spokane and Spokane Country Washington from Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Volume II,, (1912) said of Preusse's education: "He received most thorough professional training in Germany, his native country, and has contributed perhaps more largely to the upbuilding of Spokane in his line of business than any other one man, being today the oldest architect in the profession in this city." (See History of the City of Spokane and Spokane Country Washington from Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Volume II, [Spokane-Chicago-Philadelphia: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1912.], p. 170.)

Relocation

Herman Preusse was born in Hannover, Germany, in 1847, and spent his childhood there. His father died when Herman was three, and his mother remarried an architect, Wilhelm Mehl (born 04/27/1838 in Solingen, Prussia, Germany-d. after 1865), who would exert an influence on his choice of profession. He chose to attend Germany's first school of architecture in Holzminden, Lower Saxony, the Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaft und Kunst, (College for Applied Science and Art) established in 1831-1832 by Friedrich Ludwig Haarmann (1798-1864).

It is unknown specifcally why Preusse decided to leave Germany. Beginning in the 18th and early-19th centuries, many emigrated to the US for religious reasons, but following the failed revolutions of 1848 across Europe, increasing numbers left for religious and overtly political reasons. Two-hundred-fiifteen-housand Germans left for America in 1854 alone. As more Germans landed in the US and became prosperous, word returned to their homeland of their success, fueling further departures. German immigration peaked during the 1880s when 1.5 million relocated to the US. (See Library of Congress.gov., "The Germans in America Chronology," accessed 09/02/2021.)

He immigrated to the US when he was 23 landing in the Port of New York on 06/25/1870. He sailed from the Port of Bremen aboard the Norddeutscher Lloyd cargo ship, S.S. Donau. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: M237, 1820-1897; Line: 46; List Number: 583, accessed 10/30/2020.) The ship's passenger manifest indicated that Preusse sailed in steerage and the he was from the German State of Hannover.

From New York, Preusse traveled to Chicago, IL, to assist in the design and construction of the North Chicago Rolling Mills. The Chicago, Illinois, City Directory, 1873, (p. 715), listed a "Hermann Preiss," a bricklayer, who lived in the rear of 311 Sedgwick Street in Chicago. It is not known if this was the architect, but it is very possible that he started working in the US as a mason and not an architect.

His health suffered in Chicago, especially following the Great Fire of 10/08-10/1871, and he resolved to improve his physical condition in the Far West. According to a biographical essay, “He then visited various western states and territories and finally settled in San Bernardino, California, where for some time he conducted a thriving business. He afterward lived in San Francisco for a time and subsequently established his home in Sterling, Kansas, whence he went to Kansas City, Missouri.” (See History of the City of Spokane and Spokane Country Washington from Its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time, Volume II, [Spokane-Chicago-Philadelphia: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1912.], p. 170.) Preusse would likely have been in San Bernardino during the early-to-mid-1870s, and relocated to Sterling, KS, by the later 1870s.

Preusse resided in Kansas City, MO, in 1880-1881. He lived at 583 McGee Street in that city in 1880 and was listed as an architect living at 801 Holmes Street the following year. (See Kansas City, Missouri, City Directory, 1880, p. 518, and Kansas City, Missouri, City Directory, 1881, p. 529.)

Preusse left Kansas City for "Spokan Falls" in the Washington Territory in 1882. (Citizens added an "e" to "Spokan" in 1883 and dropped the "Falls" part eight years later.) Several exciting events occurred in Spokan Falls between 1881 and 1883. When the city incorporated in 1881, it had a population of just over 350. Preusse may have arrived in town via the Northern Pacific Railroad which linked the city within its Pacific Northwest network in the same year as incorporation. (See Historic Spokane.org, "Spokane History," accessed 09/02/2021.) Additionally, a transcontinental link east was completed through Montana during 1883, allowing the first coast-to-coast train to arrive on 09/08/1883. (See David Wilma, HistoryLink.org, "First train arrives at Spokane Falls on June 25, 1881," published 01/28/2003, accessed 09/02/2021.) The discovery of gold in Coeur d'Alene, ID, in 1882-1883 also helped to fuel population and economic growth in nearby Spokane. (See Idaho State University, Digital Atlas of Idaho.edu, "The Coeur d'Alene Stampede," accessed 09/02/2021.) The railroad's arrival and the discovery of gold nearby may have either convinced Preusse to settle here initially or to stay once he had arrived.

The Washington Territorial Census of 1885 listed Preuse living in Spokane with his wife, Rosa, and their two daughters, Olga M. Preusse and Florence A. Preusse. This census recorded that Preusse was a farmer. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information: Washington State and Territorial Censuses, 1857-1892 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006, accessed 10/29/2020.)

Preusse received a General Land Office of the US land patent for property in Spokane County on 01/27/1890, “…to secure homesteads to actual settlers on the Public Domain.” (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation: Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records; Washington D.C., USA; Federal Land Patents, State Volumes, accessed 10/30/2020.) According to one source, "By 1894, he owned 400 acres of land and an additional four prosperous 160-acre farms. He was known to accept land for payment from the Jesuits for some of the design work he did for Gonzaga." (See Stefanie Pettit, "First architect left mark on city," Spokane Spokesman-Review, 06/05/2014, p. V4.)

Preusse and his second wife, Emma, lived at 1807 6th Avenue in 1912. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Spokane City Directory, 1912, p. 977.)

In 1920, Preusse lived with his family at 1120 Coeur D'Alene Street in Spokane, WA. He lived at this address with his wife, Emma, step-daughter, Linda Lindborg, (born c. 1886 in NE), his brother-in-law, Walter Keller, (born 1866 in WI), and Linda's children, Arthur (born c. 1916 in WA) and Clevie (born c. 1918 in WA). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Spokane, Spokane, Washington; Roll: T625_1941; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 198, accessed 11/07/2018.) Preusse and his wife continued to reside at 1120 Coeur d'Alene in 1926. (See Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1926, p. 616.)

Preusse died in Spokane at the age of 80. He was buried at Fairmount Memorial Park, Spokane, WA.

Parents

His father was Carl Victor Preusse, his mother, Victoria Eckstinoff. Herman Preusse's WA Death Certificate listed his father as being named "H. Preusse." (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Washington, Select Death Certificates, 1907-1960 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, accessed 10/29/2020.)

His father died in about 1850, and his mother Victoria Eckstinoff remarried an architect, Wilhelm Mehl, from whom he received some professional instruction.

Spouse

Herman Preusse married twice. His first wife was Rosa Cole (born 10/31/1849 in PA-d. 04/16/1897 in Spokane, WA), whom he wed in Kansas.

In 1910, he married Emma Keller Wilke.

Children

Preusse's children with Rosa Cole included: Olga May Preusse, (born c. 1882 in KS), Florence A. Preusse Jackson, (born 08/19/1884 in WA Territory-d. 02/10/1920 in Chehalis, WA), Carl Victor Preusse, (born 1885 in WA Territory-d. 06/26/1939 in Seattle, WA), Arnold Bismark Preusse, (born 1888-d. 06/21/1956 in Spokane, WA), and John Herman Preusse, (born 12/02/1889 in Spokane, WA-d. 05/06/1893 in Spokane, WA).

In 1911, Arnold B. Preusse worked as a mason, Carl, a mason, and Olga, a teacher. Florence was a student at that time. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Spokane, Washington, City Directory, 1911, p. 953.) The city directory of the following year, listed both Carl and Arnold as masons. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Spokane City Directory, 1912, p. 977.) Herman Preusse may have begun his career as a bricklayer in Chicago, and his sons may have both followed his vocational lead.

Biographical Notes

His headstone read "Herman Sr. 1847-1926," although his known children were not named exactly as him.

The US Census of 1920 stated that Preusse arrived in the US in 1870 and was naturalized in 1880. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Spokane, Spokane, Washington; Roll: T625_1941; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 198, accessed 11/07/2018.)

• Spokane, WA (Architect's Death)
  Spokane, WA

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