Laura B. Wood (1874-1942), Builder
Laura B. Wood was born on February 16, 1874 in Ohio. Her parents were George and Elizabeth McFarland and her original name was Laura O. McFarland. The family moved to Burt, Nebraska in 1882 and subsequently to Thayer County (1892-1902), a Lancaster County farm (1902-1911), and Lincoln in 1911.[1][2][3] Laura's surname changed several times before she married Wray W. Wood in 1918; she remained Laura B. (for Broderson, her penultimate spouse) for the remainder of her life, although she divorced Wray Wood in 1928.[a][b] Laura had her only child, Alta Mae Ward, in 1895 with George Ward.
Laura Wood became active in buying, selling, and building houses in Lincoln around 1920, advertising in 1941 "I Specialized in Building of Small Homes," "22 Years Dependable Real Estate Dealings in Lincoln," and a full range of real estate services including "PROPERTY MANAGEMENT...SALES, LEASES, LOANS...APPRAISALS."[4] She advertised as "Nebraska's Only Woman Builder" in April of 1942.[1] Wood died on May 18, 1942 in Lincoln. Her daughter Alta Mae Ward maintained the Laura B. Wood Agency after her mother's death, then changed the business's name to Ward Real Estate Agency in 1953.[1][2]
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.
Contents
Compiled Nebraska Directory Listings
1932-1942
Educational & Professional Associations
1932-1941: Laura B. Wood, Real Estate, New Home Building, Rentals, Property Management, Mortgage Loans etc., Lincoln, Nebraska.[4]
1942: Laura B. Wood, Builder, Lincoln, Nebraska.[1][3]
Buildings & Projects
Residence (1939), 1730 Pawnee Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.[5]
Residence and garage (1939), 1740 Pawnee Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.[6]
Residence and garage (1941), 1800 Pawnee St., Lincoln, Nebraska.[1][7]
Residence and garage (1941), 1801 Otoe St., Lincoln, Nebraska.[1][8]
Residence and garage (1941), 1810 Otoe St., Lincoln, Nebraska.[1][9]
Notes
a. While working as the urban design planner in the Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning Department, architect Stacey L. Hageman unraveled Laura Wood's complex biography and researched her substantial contribution to south Lincoln's built environment. This page is founded on Hageman's research.
b. Laura was married in Lincoln to George Ward (1894-ca. 1899), Rudolph Schichtman (1899-?), Henry H. Walter (1901), saloon owner Christian Broderson in Lincoln (1901-1915), and Wray W. Wood (married 1918-divorced 1928).
References
1. Obituary for Laura B. Wood, (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (April 19, 1942), 7B.
2. “Laura B. Wood” FindAGrave.com Accessed September 13, 2018 via https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/74862985/laura-b.-wood/photo
3. Obituary for Elizabeth McFarland (L. B. Wood's mother), Lincoln (Nebraska) Journal Star (April 29, 1929).
4. Lincoln city directory, 1941, under "Building Contractors."
5. City of Lincoln Building Permit #29826, April 27, 1939.
6. City of Lincoln Building Permits #31066 & #31068, September 29, 1939; and Laura B. Wood advertisement in 1941 Lincoln City Directory, illustrated with photo of 1740 Pawnee.
7. City of Lincoln Building Permits #35299 & #35300, September 15, 1941.
8. City of Lincoln Building Permits #35297 & #35298, September 15, 1941.
9. City of Lincoln Building Permits #35536 & #35537, October 15, 1941.
0. “For The Family” The Nebraska State Journal (December 17, 1937), 19.
Page Citation
E. F. Zimmer & D. Murphy, “Laura B. Wood (1874-1942), Builder,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, January 2, 2023. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, December 5, 2025.
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