Résumé

Harry A. Bruno worked from the mid-1930s on as an architect in Alameda County, CA. He gained distinction from his work designing the US Maritime Officer Training School in Alameda, CA, and a number of new buildings at the Jack London Square commercial development in Oakland, CA. (A great deal of information and historical research has been done by Carmen Reid during 2021 and 2022, an independent researcher, who has uncovered a great many facts on Bruno's life and career and his work at the US Maritime Officers School in Alameda, CA. Thank you to Ms. Reid for her outstanding research.)

For almost 30 years, Bruno was closely connected to the activities of the Port of Oakland. He designed the Sea Wolf Restaurant on port land in the early 1950s, was President of the Mardeco Corportation, a real estate firm that had holdings near the port, and was active in a Port of Oakland referundum vote in 1970. He designed a number of buildings on or near Port of Oakland land, such as marinas on San Francisco Bay, several buildings at Jack London Square and the Trans International Airlines Headquarters at the Oakland Airport. A story in the Oakland Tribune of 06/16/1970 said of his work in Jack London Square: "Bruno designed the Sea Wolf, the Grotto, Port of Oakland offices, Goodman's and the Boatel in Jack London Square and the Mast retaurant which will open there this fall. He is president of Mardeco, Inc., a waterfront development corporation located in the square." (See "Harry Bruno Is President of Chamber," Oakland Tribune, 06/16/1970, p. 13.)

Draftsman, Cullimore, Clarence C. Cullimore, Architect, Bakersfield, CA, 1927-1928.

Manager, White's Berkeley Preparatory School, Berkeley, CA, 1934. (SeeOakland, California, City Directory, 1934, p. 162.)

Draftsman / Draftsman, Confer and Anderson, Architects, Berkeley, CA, 1933 -1936.

Head Draftsman, Vincent G. Raney, Architect, San Francisco, CA, c. 1936-1937.

Principal, Harry A. Bruno, Architectural Designer, Oakland, CA, 1937- 1943. In 1940, Bruno had a home office, working at 4875 Harbord Drive. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 228, accessed 03/30/2022.) In 1955, Bruno maintained his office at 1440 Broadway in Downtown Oakland, CA. (See "Bruno, Harry Alexander," American Architects Directory, 1956, George Koyl, ed., [New York: R.R. Bowker, 1955], p. 69.) Bruno had an office at 1440 Broadway in Downtown Oakland between 1949 and 1957. (See Oakland-Alameda County Telephone Book, 1949, p. 76 and Oakland-Alameda County Telephone Book, 1957, p. 23.)

In 1940, the Oakland Tribune indicated that Bruno was the architect for two residences in the Lafayette Oaks Tract, erected by Clyde O. Sweet in Lafayette, CA. The newspaper called him an "architect" at the time. (See "Homes Built in Lafayette," Oakland Tribune, vol. CXXXIII, no. 168, 12/15/1940, p. M1.)

Head, Union Oil Company, Engineering Design Department, Oleum, CA, c. 1942.

Principal, Harry A. Bruno, Architect, Oakland, CA, 1944- . Bruno received his architectural license in the State of CA in 01/1944.

President, Mardeco Corporation, Oakland, CA, 1967- c. 1972. Mardeco Corporation owned real estate in the Jack London Square area in 1967. (See "News of Bay Area Business and Industry," Oakland Tribune, 01/30/1967, p. 14 and "The Architects Look at Themselves," San Francisco Examiner, 04/23/1972, Recreation, Decvelopers, Gardening, Environment Section, p. A.

Teaching

Instructor in home building, Oakland Public Schools, Adult Education Program, 1941.

Professional Activities

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), 02/14/1945-2002. Bruno was recommended for AIA membership by architects Frederick Reimers and Vincent Raney. Bruno was a member of the Northern California Chapter between 1945 and 1947, and after 08/01/1947, was a member of the newly organized East Bay Chapter.

Registered Architect in the State of CA, License #C-296, 01/1944.

President, AIA, East Bay Chapter, Oakland, CA, 1951.

Member, AIA, "Meet the Architect" panel discussion, 04/06/1953. Other members of this panel included Roger Lee (1920-1981), John Hans Ostwald (1913-1973), and Frank B. Hunt (born 1915). "Economics in building, site selection and landscaping, climate control and how to overcome design prejudices will be discussed." This panel was presented as a part of the Sixth Annual Architects Exhibit held at Breuner's Furniture Store, 03/30/1953-04/11/1953, sponsored by the American Institute of Architects, East Bay Chapter. (See "Eastbay Architects to Present Exhibit Monday," Oakland Tribune, 03/26/1953, p. 43.)

Member, City of Oakland, Building Department, Board of Appeals, c. 1953-1956.

Vice Chairman, Board of Examiners and Appeals, City of Oakland Building Department, Oakland, CA.

President, Construction Industry Code Institute, c. 1964. (See "Chamber of Commerce Names 3 New Directors," Oakland Tribune, 10/15/1964 p. 12.)

General Chairman, Committee for Port of Oakland Development, Oakland, CA, 1970. He was part of the Citizens' Steering Committee for Proposition L, a Port of Oakland funding proposition of 1970. (See "You Can Help to Assure Continuous Growth of the Port of Oakland [advertisement]," Oakland Tribune, 10/30/1970, p. 32.)

Member, AIA, California Council, Board, 1971-1972. (Bruno served on the AIACC Board with AIA East Bay Chapter President Lee Stuart Darrow and Vice-president E. Paul Kelly, as well as Roger Durst and alternate Reeve Gould. (See “Architects Elect President,” Contra Costa Times, 02/07/1971, p. 7B.)

Member, Bay Conservation Development Commission, c. 1970-1978. Bruno was a designated appointee of Governor Ronald Reagan, c. 1970. (See "Bruno Elected Fellow by AIA," Oakland Tribune, 04/23/1972, p. 65 and “Regional Commission attendance records,” San Francisco Examiner, 10/19/1978, p. 45.)

Professional Awards

Fellow, American Institute of Architects (FAIA), 1972. (See "Bruno Elected Fellow by AIA," Oakland Tribune, 04/23/1972, p. 65.) Bruno received fellowship for various accomplishments: "Projects cover a wide range: schools, residences, restaurants, marinas, office buildings. His design is free from passing fads while at the same time it is as new as tomorrow. Nominee received from A.I.A. in 1969 'Citation for Excellence in Community Architecture:' in the design of the individual buildings and the overall planning at Jack London Square." (See American Institute of Architects.org, "Membership File: Harry A. Bruno," accessed 04/12/2022.)

High School / College

Graduate, Kern County Union High School, Bakersfield, CA, 1928. Bruno was a standout football player in high school and played halfback on his high school's state championship team in 1925. (See "Nine Universities Get Former Driller Grid Stars," Bakersfield Morning Echo, 09/06/1927, p. 5.)

A.B., University of California, Berkeley (UCB), Berkeley, CA, 1932. Bruno joined the Delta Chi Fraternity at UCB. (See University of California, Berkeley [UCB], Blue and Gold Yearbook, 1929, p. 388.) He also belonged to the Iota Sigma organization at UCB in 1929. (See University of California, Berkeley [UCB], Blue and Gold Yearbook, 1929, p. 503.) Bruno played halfback on the University of California football team. (See "Bear Varsity Wallops Freshmen in Scrimmage Game," San Francisco Examiner, 09/22/1929, p. 12 and "104 Candidates Sign Up for California Varsity Eleven," Oakland Tribune, 09/03/1930, p. 32.)

Bruno was the same age as the architect John C. Funk (1908-1993), who also attended the UCB, graduating two years later.

Relocation

Bruno was born in Knoxville, TN, and the family lived in this city in 1910, when the decennial US Census was taken. They lived in the old 13th census district (new 14th) south of Knoxville in 1910. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Civil District 13, Knox, Tennessee; Roll: T624_1508; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0129; FHL microfilm: 1375521, accessed 03/30/2022.)

The Brunos relocated from TN to growing, oil-rich town of Bakersfield, CA, by late 1917 or early 1918. In that year, they lived in a dwelling at 1228 17th Street. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Registration State: California; Registration County: Kern County Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005, accessed 03/30/2022.) When Harry was 11, his family remained at this address, according to the US Census of 1920. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Bakersfield Ward 3, Kern, California; Roll: T625_100; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 87, accessed 03/30/2022.) By 1931, the Brunos occupied a house at 331 18th Street in Bakersfield. (See R.L. Polk and Company's Bakersfield, California, City Directory, 1932, p. 91.)

Before his marriage in 1934, he dwelled at 2240 Piedmont Avenue in Berkeley. (See "Notice of Intention to Wed," San Francisco Examiner, 02/17/1934, p. 15.)

Just after his marriage to Edna Fisher, in later 1934 and 1935, the couple lived at 2321 Le Conte Avenue in Berkeley, CA. (See Oakland, California, City Directory, 1934, p. 162 and Oakland, California, City Directory, 1935, p. 172.) In 1936, they had moved to 5853 Virmar Avenue in Oakland, CA's Voter Precinct #132, where they remained in 1937. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1936, accessed 04/03/2022 and Oakland, California, City Directory, 1937, p. 147.)

Later in 1937, he and his family had moved to a house at 1875 Harbord Drive. (See "Oakland Births," Oakland Tribune, 11/11/1937, p. 14.) They lived at 4875 Harbord Drive in Oakland, CA, in 10/1940. It appears that Bruno moved to another house on Harbord Drive in 1940, although it is possible that this was the same house but renumbered. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 228, accessed 03/30/2022.) The 1940 US Census recorded that the house was worth approximately $8,000, a little more than the local average. The census form indicated that he "design [sic] small house for self." (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Oakland, Alameda, California; Roll: m-t0627-00446; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 61-33, accessed 03/30/2022.)

Bruno maintained his residence at this address in 1980. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Public Records Index, 1950-1993, Volume 1 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010, accessed 03/30/2022.)

By about 1996, the architect had relocated to 840 Tice Creek Drive, Apartment #2337, in Walnut Creek, CA.

Parents

His father was James Harold "Harry" Bruno, (born 10/02/1872 in Essen, Germany-d. 08/17/1933 in El Dorado County, CA), His naturalization form of 04/28/1917 indicated that he migrated to the US on 03/01/1892 aboard the Norddeutscher Lloyd steamship, the S.S. Fulda, sailing from Bremen, Germany. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.c.; ARC Title: Declarations of Intention For Citizenship, Compiled 1929 - 1988; ARC Number: 2517187; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States; Record Group Number: 21, accessed 03/30/2022.)

In 1910, James worked as a sawyer in a Knox County sawmill. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Civil District 13, Knox, Tennessee; Roll: T624_1508; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0129; FHL microfilm: 1375521, accessed 03/30/2022.) His World War I draft registration card of 0912/1918 indicated that he had work as a stationary engineer for George Kaar in Bakersfield, CA. (Williams and Kaar operated a garage in Bakersfield at 130 19th Street in 1918. See Bakersfield, California, City Directory, 1918, n.p.) Two years later, in 1920, he was an engineer for the Kern County Creamery.

James Bruno was eleven years older than his wife Burnettie Eugenie Roberts (born 06/11/1883 in Sevierville, TN-d. 05/06/1976 in Alameda County, CA), whom he wed in about 1905. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Bakersfield Ward 3, Kern, California; Roll: T625_100; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 87, accessed 03/30/2022.) Her parents were Houston Elijah Roberts (born 11/25/1843 in TN-d. 02/03/1907 in Knoxville, TN) and Elizabeth Atchley (born 05/25/1845 in TN-d. 02/06/1915 in Vestal, TN) and they worked on a family farm.

Harry Bruno had an older sister, Thelma Elizabeth Bruno Pike (born 03/19/1906 in TN-d. 04/23/1975 in Los Angeles County, CA). She married Joseph Tobias Pike (born 04/27/1906 in Frymire, KY-d. 01/12/1986 in Orange County, CA) with whom she had two children.

Spouse

He wed Edna M. Fisher (born 12/17/1907 in CA-d. 02/28/1991 in Alameda County, CA), who had also been a student at the University of California, on 02/21/1934 in Alameda County, CA.

Her parents were De Forrest Barnett Fisher (born 07/25/1877 in MO-d. 05/19/1951 in Sutter County, CA) and Eva Josephine Cline (born 03/06/1876 in MO-d. 04/05/1951 in Placer County, CA) They married c. 1900 in MO, and had three daughters by 1910, Edna being the youngest at the time. The Fishers moved to Northern CA before 1904. Her sisters were Lela Emma Fisher McIntyre (born 09/261901 in MO-d. 07/16/1986 in Oakland, CA) and Annetta Fisher McKenzie (born 12/08/1904 in Sutter County, CA-d. 07/22/1977 in Yreka, CA). In 1910, the Fishers resided on West Butter Road in Butte, CA, where her father was a farm laborer. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Butte, Sutter, California; Roll: T624_107; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0169; FHL microfilm: 1374120, accessed 03/30/2022.)

Children

He and Edna had two children: David Phillip Bruno (born 10/26/1937 in CA-d. 10/05/1989 in Contra Costa County, CA) and Martha "Marty" Lynn Bruno Dejonghe (born 05/17/1939 in Oakland, CA-d.10/08/2020)

David married twice, first to Barbara J Tikker (born c. 1940) on 02/28/1959 in Monterey County, CA and a second time to Lydia Lorraine Armstrong (born c. 1951) on 02/12/1979 in Mendocino County, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Marriage Index, 1949-1959 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013., accessed 03/30/2022.)

Martha wed Thomas G. Dejonghe (born c. 05/1940) on 12/31/1971.

Biographical Notes

According to his World War II draft registration card of 10/16/1940, Bruno stood 5-feet, 11-inches tall and weighed 190 pounds at age 32. He was Caucasian with a dark complexion and had brown hair and brown eyes. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 228, accessed 03/30/2022.)

Bruno affiliated with the Republican Party according to voter registration records of 1936, 1938, 1940 and 1944. Edna Fisher Bruno indicated a Democratic affiliation in 1936. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1900-1968, accessed 04/03/2022.)

Harry and Edna Bruno vacationed in Honolulu, HI, in 1950. They stayed at teh Halekalani Hotel in Honolulu. They sailed first class aboard the S.S. President Wilson, leaving San Francisco on 07/13/1950 and arriving in Honolulu on 07/18/1950. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Series Title: Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving At Honolulu, Hawaii, Compiled 02/13/1900 - 12/30/1953; NAI Number: A3422; Record Group Title: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1787 - 2004; Record Group Number: RG 85, accessed 03/30/2022.)

President, Kiwanis International, North Oakland Club, Oakland, CA, 1952-1953. (See "What's Up," Oakland Tribune, 01/01/1952, p. 42D.)

Member, Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors, Oakland, CA, 1954-1956, 1964- .(An article in the Oakland Tribunestated that he had been a Board Member between 1953 and 1959. This article noted that he had been a past Chairman of the Oakland Chamber of Commerce's Sports and Recreation Committee. He was reappointed to fill a board of directors vacancy in 10/1964. See "Chamber of Commerce Names 3 New Directors," Oakland Tribune, 10/15/1964 p. 12.)

Director / President, Oakland Chamber of Commerce, Oakland, CA, 1954-1956, 1970-1971. (See "Harry Bruno Is President of Chamber," Oakland Tribune, 06/16/1970, p. 13 and "Laine Ainsworth Named as Chamber President," Oakland Tribune, 06/22/1971, p. 15.)

Member, Oakland Economic Development Council, Incorporated, Oakland, CA, c. 1970. (See "Harry Bruno Is President of Chamber," Oakland Tribune, 06/16/1970, p. 13.)

Member, Metropolitan Yacht Club, Oakland, CA, c. 1970.

Member, New Oakland Committee, Business Caucus, Oakland, CA, 1971. (See "New City Adviser Agency Members," Oakland Tribune, 04/14/1971, p. 12.)

SSN: 567226543.

• Knoxville, TN (Architect's Birth)
  Knoxville, TN 37902

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