Difference between revisions of "Nathan Bruce Hazen (1897-1985), Architect"

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DBA: N Bruce Hazen

Nathan Bruce Hazen was born in Peoria, Illinois on March 13, 1897.[1] He attended the Bradley Polytechnic Institute in Peoria from 1915-1917, when he then switched to the University of Pennsylvania from 1917-1918.[1] After serving for the United States Navy in World War I from 1918-1919, Hazen eventually earned his Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Illinois, in 1922, at the age of 25.[1] Hazen married Sidna in 1938, and would eventually have four children.[1][3] Hazen was a Member of the Public Service Lincoln Zoning Board from 1945-1950.[1]

Hazen died November 10, 1985.[3] He designed or remodeled as many as 500 Lincoln homes, many while employed at Davis & Wilson, including the first homes in the Piedmont subdivision.[3] Hazen was a member of the American Institute of Architects, a past board member of First Federal Lincoln, and an elder and church school teacher at the Westminster Presbyterian Church for more than 50 years.[1][3]

This page is a contribution to the publication, Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. See the format and contents page for more information on the compilation and page organization.

Compiled Nebraska Directory Listings

Lincoln, Nebraska, 1934-1976

Educational & Professional Associations

1915-1917: Bradley Polytechnic Institute, Peoria, Illinois.[1]

1917-1918: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.[1]

1922: Bachelor of Science, Architecture, University of Illinois, Champagne, Illinois.[1][3]

ca. 1922-ca. 1925: with the Supervising Architect's Office of the University of Illinois, and Hewitt & Emerson, Paris, Illinois.[1]

1925: draftsman, Fiske, Meginnis & Schaumberg, Architects, Lincoln, Nebraska.

1926-1933: draftsman, Davis & Wilson, Architects, Lincoln, Nebraska.[1][3]

1934-1945: N. Bruce Hazen Architect, Lincoln, Nebraska.

1945-1969: architect and partner, Hazen & Robinson, Architects, Lincoln, Nebraska.[1]

1970-1971: architect and partner, Aitken, Graf, Hazen, Hoffman & Hull, Architects, Lincoln, Nebraska.[1]

1971: architect and partner, Aitken, Graf & Hazen, Architects, Lincoln, Nebraska.

1972-1973: partner, Aitken, Hazen, Hoffman & Hull, Architects, Lincoln, Nebraska.

1974: partner, Aitken, Hazen, Hoffman & Miller, Architects, Lincoln, Nebraska.

1975-1978: architect and partner, Hazen, Hoffman & Miller, Architects, Lincoln, Nebraska

1979: partner, Aitken, Hazen, Hoffman & Miller, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Buildings & Projects

Early Work

Ernst Herminghaus House (1927-1928), 1946 Kings Highway, Lincoln, Nebraska. (LC13:D04-004)

Apartment House (1930), 1601 S 20th, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Thompson House (1936), 2601 Woodscrest Ave, Lincoln, Nebraska. (LC13:D05-496)

Remodel (1941-1942), old Bonacum Building, 22nd & G Streets, for Lincoln Public Schools, Lincoln, Nebraska.[2][a]

1949-1969

From 1949-1969 Hazen was associated with Marvin L. Robinson in the partnership, Hazen & Robinson, Architects. The following are recorded by Hazen as Principal Works of that partnership. See Hazen & Robinson's buildings and projects for the work of that firm.

Kitchen Facilities Building (1952), Nebraska State Hospital, Lincoln, Nebraska.[1]

First Federal Building & Loan (1953), Lincoln, Nebraska.[1]

Whitehall School (1953), Lincoln, Nebraska.[1]

Educational Unit & Chapel (1953), Westminster Presbyterian Church, Lincoln, Nebraska.[1]

Millard Lefler Junior High School (1956), Lincoln, Nebraska.[1]

Local coordinating partner, Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery (ca. 1961-1963), 12th & R Streets, Lincoln, Nebraska.[3][b]

Bennet Martin Public Library (1962), Lincoln, Nebraska.[1]

Nellie Cochran Woods Art Building (1962-1963), 12th & R Streets, Lincoln, Nebraska.[3]

First Federal Savings and Loan Association, Homestead Office (1964), Omaha, Nebraska.[1]

Westbrook Music Building (1967), University of Nebraska. Lincoln, Nebraska.[1]

University of Nebraska Medical Research Facility Building (1968), Beatrice State Hospital, Beatrice, Nebraska.[1]

Kimball Recital Hall (1969), University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska.[1]

Later Work

Following Robinson's retirement, Hazen returned to private practice, sharing office space and sometimes partnering with a number of other Lincoln architects.

Undated Works

Proposed Bath House and Bleachers for Seward, Nebraska.[5]

Honors & Awards

Honor Award, Institution Magazine, 1953, Kitchen Building, State Hospital.[1]

Notes

a. The remodeling of the Bonacum Building was done in association with Fritz Craig, as Hazen & Craig.[2]

b. Hazen & Robinson, Architects, were the local coordinating partners of Philip Johnson, architect of the Sheldon Art Gallery.[4]

References

1. The AIA Historical Directory of American Architects, s.v. “Hazen, N. Bruce,” (ahd1018993). Accessed April 30, 2016. http://public.aia.org/sites/hdoaa/wiki

2. Tom Kaspar, comp. Inventory of architectural records in the archives of Davis Fenton Stange Darling, Architects, Lincoln, Nebraska. 1996. Nebraska State Historical Society, RG3748, Box 16.

3. “Architect Hazen, designer of many UNL buildings, dies,” Lincoln Star (November 11, 1985), 7.

4. Kay Logan-Peters, "Hazen And Robinson," An Architectural Tour of Historic UNL (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, UNL Libraries, 2005). Accessed April 29, 2016. http://historicbuildings.unl.edu/people.php?peopleID=54&cid=20

Page Citation

D. Murphy, “Nathan Bruce Hazen (1897-1985), Architect,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, April 30, 2016. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, June 24, 2025.

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