Difference between revisions of "Fritz Craig & Jack Beers, Associated Architects"

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dba: Fritz Craig and Jack Beers

Fritz Craig was 36 years older than Jack Beers when Craig hired Beers, a recent NU architecture graduate, as a draftsman in 1950. From 1951 to Craig's death in 1960, both practiced architecture from Room 724 in the First National Bank Building in Lincoln. While they are not known to have created a firm nor to have formally associated as partners, some of the projects they undertook, especially ecclesiastic designs, were identified as their joint work.[a]

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, 1950-1960

Educational & Professional Associations

1950, Beers listed as a draftsman for Craig.

1951, Beers listed as "architect" with Craig.

1952-1960, Beers and Craig both listed with offices at 724 First National Bank Building, Lincoln, Nebraska.

1955, Beers passed architect exam of State Board of Examiner for Professional Engineers and Architects.[15]

Buildings & Projects

Lutheran Church (1954), Rushville, Nebraska.[14]

First Baptist Church (1954-1955), Fairbury, Nebraska.[6][16]

Congregational Church of Christ (1955-1956), Ainsworth, Nebraska.[17][18]

St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church (1956), Dodge, Nebraska.[19]

Sanctuary for First United (now Heritage) Presbyterian Church (1956), 880 South 35th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.[1][2][3]

Sanctuary for Redeemer Lutheran Church (1957), 510 South 33rd Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.[4][5]

Bethel Evangelical and Reformed Church (1957), Nebraska City, Nebraska.[8]

St. Paulinus Catholic Church (1957-1958), Syracuse, Nebraska.[9]

St. James Catholic Church (1957-1958), Cortland, Nebraska.[9]

St. Mary's Catholic Church & rectory (1958), Wallace, Nebraska.[10]

Trinity Lutheran Church and School (1958), Schuyler, Nebraska.[7]

Education Unit for Our Saviour's Lutheran Church (1958), 40th & C Streets, Lincoln, Nebraska.[11]

Contract (cancelled) to design Lancaster County Convalescent Care Hospital (1959-60), adjacent Lincoln General Hospital at 17th & South Streets, Lincoln, Nebraska.[12][13][b]

Notes

a. See Fritz Craig, Note f, for controversy after Craig's death regarding authorship of Lincoln's Trinity Lutheran Church design, which mentions several other projects.

b. The Lancaster County Board cancelled its contract with Craig and Beers for the design of the convalescent care hospital following Craig's death, arguing Craig's passing had dissolved the partnership with whom the contract had been signed.[13]

References

1. City of Lincoln Building Permit #69701, issued September 17, 1956; estimated cost $65,000; architects Jack Beers & Fritz Craig.

2. "First United Presbyterian Church 5880 [sic] S. 35th, built a new structure costing $171,000," Lincoln (Nebraska) Star (January 26, 1958), 41.

3. “Many Churches Designed By Late Fritz Craig," Lincoln (Nebraska) Evening Journal (July 4, 1960), 7.

4. City of Lincoln Building Permit #70457, issued March 22, 1957.

5. "Redeemer Lutheran--Enlarged Church Will Hold Dedication Today," Lincoln (Nebraska) Sunday Journal and Star (February 9, 1958), 5-D (illustrated with photo).

6. "Brief Locals...Mrs. Beers is the mother of Jack Beers, architect who drew the plans for the new Fairbury Baptist church," Fairbury (Nebraska) Daily News (August 2, 1954), 4.

7. "Church-School Building Slated," Lincoln (Nebraska) Sunday Journal and Star (August 10, 1958), 17.

8. "New Nebraska City Church," Lincoln (Nebraska) Sunday Journal and Star (September 1, 1957), 5-D (illustrated with rendering).

9. "Syracuse, Cortland to Have New Catholic Churches," Lincoln (Nebraska) Sunday Journal & Star (December 15, 1957), 5-D (both churches illustrated with renderings).

10. "New Church at Wallace," Lincoln (Nebraska) Journal & Star (May 4, 1958), 5-D (illustrated with rendering).

11. "Ground Breaking Today At Our Saviour's Church," Lincoln (Nebraska) Journal & Star (May 4, 1958), 5-D (illustrated with rendering).

12. "Board Picks County Care Unit Planners," Lincoln (Nebraska) Star (November 25, 1959), 3.

13. "New Architect--Board to Decide Tuesday," Lincoln (Nebraska) Evening Journal (October 18, 1960), 8; "Contract Act Stands--Craig, Beers Plan Dropped," Lincoln (Nebraska) Evening Journal (October 25, 1960), 8.

14. "Work Progressing on New Lutheran Church Building," Sheridan County Star (Rushville, Nebraska) (September 16, 1954), 1 (illustrated with elevation drawing).

15. "Exam Board Reveals List--Names of Engineers, Architects Told," Omaha (Nebraska) World-Herald (January 7, 1955), 33.

16. "Dedicated New Baptist Church Edifice Sunday," Fairbury (Nebraska) Journal-News (April 21, 1955), 1.

17. "New Congregational Church of Christ For Ainsworth," Ainsworth (Nebraska) Star-Journal and Brown County Democrat (November 17, 1955), 13 (illustrated with rendering).

18. "Church Ready to Accept Bids...Original Plans Changed," Ainsworth (Nebraska) Star-Journal and Brown County Democrat (March 22, 1956), 1.

19. "Dedication of New Church Here June 27," Dodge (Nebraska) Criterion (June 21, 1956), 1 (illustrated with photograph).

Page Citation

E. F. Zimmer, “Fritz Craig & Jack Beers, Associated Architects,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, June 1, 2023. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, May 15, 2024.

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