Osgood & Waddell, Architects

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Lincoln, Nebraska, 1880-1881

Osgood & Waddell was an architectural partnership of Sidney J. Osgood (1845-1935) and George Waddell, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The partners designed a "brick gothic" residence in Lincoln, Nebraska for Israel and Amanda Putnam in 1880-1881.[1][3][a][b] Grand Rapids city directories list the partnership only briefly (1880-1882), but S. J. Osgood was a long-time and prolific Grand Rapids architect in various partnerships, especially after 1900 with his son Sidney Eugene Osgood as Osgood & Osgood.

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

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Putnam House, 1882 (Nebraska State Historical Society)

Educational & Professional Associations

1876: Sidney J. Osgood, architect, Grand Rapids, Michigan.[9]

1877-1879: Hopkins & Osgood (David S. Hopkins & S. J. Osgood), architects, Grand Rapids, Michigan.[16]

1880-1882: Osgood & Waddell (S. J. Osgood & George Waddell), architects, Grand Rapids, Michigan.[8]

1884: Founding member, Western Architects Association.[10]

1902-1952: Osgood & Osgood, architects, a partnership of S. J. Osgood, F.A.I.A. (1845-1935) and his son Sidney Eugene Osgood (1880-1952).[8]

Buildings & Projects

Israel and Amanda Putnam residence (1880-1881), 501 S. 12th (SW corner of 12th & L), Lincoln, Nebraska, demolished.[1][a][b][c]

Notes

a. Nebraska State Journal reported in July 1880 that “Israel Putnam commenced yesterday morning excavating for a cellar for a new residence on his lots in front of the old Stone Church, on the corner of K and Twelfth.” The same newspaper mentioned in August 1880 that “Israel Putnam’s new residence on the corner of K and 12th streets will cost, we are told, nearly $20,000, making it one of the finest houses in the city.” The same edition of the State Journal reported enthusiastically that “The Queen Anne style of architecture is now all the rage in Lincoln. No less than three of our prominent citizens having adopted it in contracting for their contemplated residences. Among the namber [sic] are found Hon. L. E. Cropsey’s on J, between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets; Hon. Israel Putnam’s, on the corner of Twelfth and K, and Hon. O. W. Webster’s on J, between Thirteenth streets. The style is decidedly handsome, and more especially for our Prairie city.”[1][4] When the house was finished, the State Journal described it tersely in 1881 as "brick gothic." It is perhaps more interesting that the newspaper made stylistic assignments, than to argue exactly where the finished house fits within modern architectural categories. The relatively plain brick walls, tall narrow windows with ornamental hoods, and steep roofs with decorative bargeboards could be categorized as Gothic Revival. On the other hand, the house's asymmetry, multiple bay windows, corner tower, and ornate bargeboards are also Queen Anne characteristics.(E. F. Zimmer)

b. Mr. Putnam was a leading businessman in early Lincoln who died in January 1881. He began construction of the house in 1880, but died in January 1881. His widow Amanda Putnam finished the house before January 1882. She added an expansive porch at the northeast corner of the house between 1891 and 1903. Amanda Putnam died in 1921. The house was briefly a Jewish sorority in 1930. It was later a mortuary and an insurance office before its demolition, ca. 1950.[2][3][4][15]

c. Nebraska State Journal in January 1882 announced an upcoming publication of “the most perfect and complete specimens of a picture paper ever published in the west. It will contain fine engravings of the capitol and B & M depot, state University, insane asylum, perspective and birds’-eye views of the city, penitentiary, post office, Webster & McMurtry’s, Humphrey Bros’., Holmes & Lau’s, Davis’ and other blocks, the Commercial and other hotels, A. S. Raymond’s, Mrs. Israel Putnam’s, Chancellor Fairfield’s and many other beautiful residences. Four pages will be devoted to illustrations and the other four pages to valuable reading material and advertisements.” The newspaper projected two editions of 20,000 each.[6]

References

1. "The Year 1881. It is a Successful and Booming One for the Capital City of Nebraska. A Review of Its Building Interests and Other Industries. Nearly $600,000 Expended in Business Building During the Past Year. The Value of Realty Upon which the Magnificent Business Block Rest is Fully $200,000," Lincoln (Nebraska) Daily News, (January 2, 1882), 4.

2. “Death of Israel Putnam,” Daily (Lincoln, Nebraska) State Journal (January 23, 1881), 4.

3. "Funeral of Israel Putnam," Lincoln (Nebraska) State Journal (January 25, 1881), 4.

4. (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (July 20, 1880), 4; (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (August 8, 1880), 4.

5. Ancestry.com. Nebraska, Marriage Records, 1855-1908 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2017.

6. “The Illustrated State Journal,” (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (January 25, 1882), 4.

7. “Pioneer Lincoln Woman Succumbs. Mrs. Amanda Putnam Dies at Home of Her Daughter in Omaha,” Lincoln (Nebraska) Star (April 20, 1921), p. 8; Wyuka Cemetery, online at Wyuka.com, burial listings for Israel Putnam (July 28, 1838 to January 22, 1881) and Amanda Putnam (April 19, 1846 to January 22, 1881.)

8. Grand Rapids (Michigan) Directory, 1881-1882, R. L. Polk & Co., 1881. On-line at https://books.google.com/books?id=9lfiAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA294&lpg=PA294&dq=osgood+%26+waddell&source=bl&ots=1HtUgWOdod&sig=2NY-wdspD1YLJ2eZKQgNxAthL2s&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiW5Nf_-NnYAhUjSN8KHfBYCvwQ6AEILDAB#v=onepage&q=osgood%20%26%20waddell&f=false Accessed January 15, 2018.

9. “Architects: Sidney J. Osgood” and “Osgood & Osgood,” in Grand Rapids Buildings, http://grandrapidsbuildings.com/celebrating-osgood-osgood-with-early-20thcentury-buildings-by-the-father-and-son-duo/ Accessed January 15, 2018.

10. “Architects from Several States Meet to Form a Permanent Organization,” Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois) (November 13, 1884), 8.

11. “Sidney J. Osgood,” Find A Grave, on-line at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42629951 Accessed January 15, 2018.

12. Ancestry.com. Michigan, Death Records, 1867-1950 [database on-line]. s.v. "Sidney Eugene Osgood." Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

13. Lincoln (Nebraska) State Journal (November 17, 1929), B-8. “Members of Alpha Rho Alpha moved into their new home at 501 South Twelfth on Friday.”

14. Cornhusker (yearbook) (Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska, 1930), 454. Illustrated.

15. Map of Lincoln, Nebraska (New York: Sanborn Map Company, 1891 and 1903 editions).

16. Jan Jennings, Cheap and Tasteful Dwellings: Design Competitions and the Convenient Interior (University of Tennessee Press, 2005), 229-230.

Page Citation

E. F. Zimmer, “Osgood & Waddell, Architects,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, January 17, 2018. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, March 28, 2024.

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