Edward Otto Schwagerl (1842-1910), Landscape Architect

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Omaha, Nebraska, 1868-1869; Lincoln, Nebraska, 1887-1888

DBA: E. O. Schwagerl


Edward Otto Schwagerl was born in Bavaria in 1842 and immigrated to the U.S. in 1854.[7] He worked as a landscape architect in many cities including in Omaha in 1868-1869 and in Lincoln in 1887-1888. In between his Nebraska contacts, he lived and worked in St. Louis and in Cleveland. From Lincoln he moved to Washington state where he died in 1910.[1][2][3][4][5][6][12]

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.

Grandview1891 w.jpg
Grandview Residence Park Ad, 1891 (Lincoln Daily Call)

Compiled Nebraska Directory Listings

Omaha, Nebraska, 1868

Educational & Professional Associations

1861: student, New Hampshire Conference Seminary (now Tilton School), Tilton, New Hampshire.[5][12]

1865-1866: assistant to architect Mons Mulat, Paris.[12]

1867-1868: assistant to landscape architect Jacob Weidenmann, Hartford, Connecticut.[12]

1868-1869: landscape architect, 513 13th St, Omaha, Nebraska.

1870-1872: landscape architect, St. Louis, Missouri.[12]

1872-1887: landscape architect, Cleveland, Ohio.[1][12][f]

1887-1888: "landscape architect and engineer," Lincoln, Nebraska.[4][9][b]

1894-1895: "Landscape Architect, Eng[ineer] and Supt of Parks," Seattle, Washington.[3]

1896-1897: landscape architect and engineer, Tacoma, Washington.[2][c][d]

1898-1910: landscape architect, Seattle, Washington.[3]

Nebraska Buildings & Projects

Grandview Residence Park (1888), vicinity (north) of Lincoln, Nebraska.[10][11][e]

Notes

a. Not found in federal census in Nebraska in 1860 or 1870.

b. Schwagerl wrote a column published in a Lincoln, Nebraska newspaper on Christmas Day, 1887, describing how the city might develop "a Complete System of Parks and Boulevards." In February 1888 it was reported that "Mr. E. O. Schwagerl, the landscape architect and engineer, is snugly ensconced in room 10, Barr-Lamaster block, 1327 O street, where he will be pleased to receive friends and patrons." In March, his wife and child arrived in Lincoln but by July, the family's imminent departure for "the Washington territory" was announced.[4][9][10]

c. The city directory of 1896 for Tacoma, Washington lists Schwagerl as "Landscape Architect and Engineer also Landscape Architect for Puget Sound University and University Land Co, 604 Washington Bldg, res same."[2]

d. The San Francisco Call published an obituary for Schwagerl in 1910: "Seattle, Jan. 28.--Edward O. Schwagerl, designer of the park and boulevard systems of Cleveland and Seattle, who laid out Lindell boulevard, St. Louis, died here last night, aged 68 years. Point Defiance and Wright parks, Tacoma, were planned by him."[8]

e. On the 4th of July, 1888, Nebraska State Journal reported "Prof. E. O. Schwagerl, the landscape engineer who has been at work for a number of months in laying out Grand View, has completed his engagement for the company, and in a day or two will leave with his family for Washington territory."[10] An advertisement for Grandview Residence Park in 1891, complete with a map for the tract with a central College Campus and curvilinear roadways, states: "Designed by E. O. Schwagerl, the most eminent landscape engineer in the United States, it will rapidly be beautified and developed into the most ornamental suburb of Lincoln." [11]

f. Schwagerl apparently sought and sometimes obtained commissions from coast-to-coast in the 1870s and 1880s. In 1878 a newspaper in Helena, Montana mentioned the arrival of "Mr. Edward O. Schwagerl, a new and valuable accession to our population, who comes direct to the Territory from Philadelphia." After describing him as "an accomplished landscape architect and engineer," the note added that "He desires to inform himself in stock matters, with a view to establish himself in the sheep or cattle business in connection with other plans." The next year, a Buffalo, New York newspaper reported "Mr. E. O. Schwagerl, of Cleveland, a landscape architect and engineer of experience, called this morning on Mayor Scheu, bringing with him high testimonials as to his ability and character, from Mayor Rose of Cleveland."[13][14]

References

1. Cleveland, Ohio, City Directory, 1881.

2. Tacoma, Washington, City Directory, 1896, 1897.

3. Seattle, Washington, City Directories, 1894, 1898-1910.

4. "Society Notes. Happenings About the City Among the Socially Inclined." The Courier (Lincoln, Nebraska) (February 18, 1888), 8.

5. "E. O. Schwagerl" in Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed November 29, 2018 at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._O._Schwagerl

6. Ancestry.com. Washington, Select Death Certificates, 1907-1960, s.v. "Edward O. Schwagerl," [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.

7. Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1798-1950, s.v. "Edward O. Schwagerl," [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

8. "Notable Deaths...E. O. Schwagerl, Landscape Gardener," San Francisco (California) Call (January 29, 1910), 21.

9. E. O. Schwagerl, "Parks and Boulevards. How Lincoln Can be Made a Beautiful City," (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (December 25, 1887), 7.

10. (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (March 7, 1888), 7; and (July 4, 1888), 8.

11. Advertisement for "Grandview Residence Park" Lincoln (Nebraska) Evening Call (August 8, 1891), 3.

12. "Edward Otto Schwagerl," in A volume of momoirs and genealogy of representative citizens of the city of Seattle and county of King, Washington (New York, Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1903), 352-357. Accessed December 2, 2018 at https://archive.org/details/volumeofmemoirsg01lewi/page/352

13. Helena (Montana) Weekly Herald (May 9, 1878), 7.

14. Buffalo (New York) Commercial (January 18, 1879), 3.

Page Citation

E. F. Zimmer & D. Murphy, “Edward Otto Schwagerl (1842-1910), Landscape Architect,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, December 2, 2018. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, March 28, 2024.


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