Frank C. Ekdahl (1891-1966), Architect

Omaha, Nebraska, 1926-1960; Dennison, Iowa, 1964-1966

Frank C. Ekdahl, 1942.

Frank C. Ekdahl was born March 12, 1891 to Ole and Mary Ekdahl.[3] He graduated from Omaha Central High School in 1909 then attended Highland Park College of Engineering in Des Moines for two years. He began his architectural career in 1911 as a draftsman and construction supervisor for Thomas R. Kimball in Omaha, after which he assumed the role of chief of the engineering department at the Cudahy Packing Company of Omaha in 1926. He remained with Cudahy until 1957, and after a short stint with Troy & Stalder in Omaha, finished his career at the Iowa Beef Packing Company in Dennison, Iowa. He died March 15, 1966.[1][3][c]

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.

Compiled Nebraska Directory Listings

Omaha, Nebraska, 1942-1957, 1959-1965

Educational & Professional Associations

1897-1905: Omaha Public Schools.[1]

1905-1909: Omaha Central High School.[1]

1910-1911: Highland Park College of Engineering, Des Moines, Iowa.[1]

1911-1926: draftsman and construction supervisor, Thomas Rogers Kimball, Architect, Omaha, Nebraska.[1]

1926-1942: draftsman, construction supervisor, designer, Chief of Engineering Department, Cudahy Packing Company, Omaha, Nebraska.[1]

1942: Registered Professional Architect, September 15, 1942, A-132.[1]

1943-1957: engineer, Cudahy Packing Company, Omaha, Nebraska.

1958-1959: architect, Troy & Stalder, Architects, Omaha, Nebraska.

1961-1964: unlisted in Omaha directories.

1964-1965: architect, Iowa Beef Packing Co., Dennison, Iowa.

Buildings & Projects

World-Herald Building (1915-1916), Omaha, Nebraska.[a]

Park School (1917-1918), 1320 S. 29th, Omaha, Nebraska.[2][a] (DO09:0203-023) NRHP form and photos

Paxton Gallagher Warehouse expansion (1920), 813 Jones St., Omaha, Nebraska.[a] (DO09:0067-009)

Medical Arts Building (1920-1922), 105 S 17th St, Omaha, Nebraska.[a] (DO09:0124-005)

World Herald Building annex (1924-1925), Omaha, Nebraska.[a]

Paddock Hotel (1924), 105 N. 6th, Beatrice, Nebraska.[a] (GA03-232) NRHP form and photos

Belvedere Elementary School (1925), 3710 Kansas Ave., Omaha, Nebraska.[a] (DO09:0351-001)

Beals School (1926), Omaha, Nebraska.[a]

Beef Abattoir Building (ca.1940-1942), Cudahy Packing Company, Kansas City, Missouri.[b]

New construction (ca.1940-1942), Cudahy Packing company, Albany, Georgia.[b]

Hydrogenating Plant (ca.1940-1942), Cudahy Packing Company, Los Angeles, California.[b]

Rendering Building (ca.1940-1942), Cudahy Packing Company, Los Angeles, California.[b]

Office Building (ca.1940-1942), Cudahy Packing Company, St. Paul, Minnesota.[b]

Freezer Building (ca.1940-1942), Cudahy Packing Company, St. Paul, Minnesota.[b]

Sheep Killing Addition (ca.1940-1942), Cudahy Packing Company, St. Paul, Minnesota.[b]

New Canning Factory (ca.1940-1942), Cudahy Packing Company, Omaha, Nebraska.[b]

Notes

a. Supervising architect on this project for Thomas Rogers Kimball. “Supplemental Letter of F. C. Ekdahl,” attachment to reference [1].

b. Architect in charge of Engineering Department, Cudahy Packing Company, Omaha, Nebraska, “Supplemental Letter of F. C. Ekdahl,” attachment to reference [1].

c. No obituary was found in Omaha newspapers in March or April of 1966.

References

1. Application of F. C. Ekdahl for Registration to Practice Professional Engineering and Architecture, Nebraska State Board of Examiners for Professional Engineers and Architects, August 1, 1942, Nebraska State Historical Society RG081 SG2

2. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

3. 1920 United States Federal Census, s.v. “Frank C. Ekdahl,” Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, accessed through HeritageQuestOnline.com.

Page Citation

D. Murphy, “Frank C. Ekdahl (1891-1966), Architect,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, December 4, 2014. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, November 22, 2024.

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