Henry A. Raapke (1876-1959), Architect
Henry Raapke was an architect in Omaha for about 50 years. Born in Nebraska in 1876, he attended grammar school and high school in Omaha, then attended Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Raapke continued his studies at the Hamburg Trade and Technical School (Baugewerk Schule) in Hamburg, Germany, following which he concluded his formal education with five years at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, in Paris, France. He returned to the United States to work for Thomas Rogers Kimball, but went back to Europe on a study tour from 1906-1908. Upon his return to the United States he opened his own office in Omaha, which he maintained for the better part of the next 38 years.[d] He married Edna Jensen, daughter of a prominent Omaha physician, in 1910.[14] Raapke died on August 30, 1959.[4][5][6]
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
Omaha, Nebraska, 1908-1959
Educational & Professional Associations
1891-1894: student, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri.[5]
1894-1897: student, Hamburg Trade and Technical School (Baugewerk Schule), Hamburg, Germany.[5]
1897-1902: student, Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris, France.[5]
1902-1906: Thomas Rogers Kimball, Omaha, Nebraska.[5]
1906-1908: in Italy, France, Greece, Germany, Switzerland, Holland and Belgium.[5][15][16][e][f]
1908-1940: principal, H. A. Raapke, Architect, Omaha, Nebraska. [5]
1917: employed E. G. Ward as a draftsman.
1939: Registered Professional Architect, Nebraska, August 8, 1939; A-56.[5]
1942: employed by Metropolitan Scenic Studios, Inc,. Omaha, Nebraska.
1945-1946: principal, H. A. Raapke, Architect, Omaha, Nebraska.
Buildings & Projects
Dated
Modifications to Arthur D. Brandeis House for ex-senator Joseph H. Millard (1908), southwest corner of Thirty-eighth Street and Dewey Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska.[11]
R. C. Knox House (1909), 3926 Harney, Omaha, Nebraska.[3] (DO09:0319-069)
Emma A. Moore House (1909), 565 S. 36th St., Omaha, Nebraska.[3] (DO09:0208-012)
Dr. A. F. Jonas residence (1909), Omaha, Nebraska.[5][][a]
Proposal for seventeen-story Woodmen of the World building (1909), 16th & Jackson Street, Omaha, Nebraska.[19]
R. J. Dinning residence (1910), Thirty-seventh and Farnam Streets, Omaha, Nebraska.[5][12][a]
Doctor A. P. Condon's private surgical hospital, aka "Nicholas Senn Hospital" (1911), southeast corner of Park and Dewey Avenues, Omaha, Nebraska.[4][5][13][a]
Guy Liggett residence (1912), Omaha, Nebraska?.[5][a]
Storz Brewing Company Ice House (1912), Omaha, Nebraska.[5][a]
T. Jorgensen Apartment (1912), Omaha, Nebraska?.[5][a]
Thorvald Apartments, for T. Jorgensen (1912), 1122 Park Ave, Omaha, Nebraska. [1:159][3] (DO09:0203-010)
Chula Vista Apartments (1912), 2968 Poppleton Ave, Omaha, Nebraska.[3][5][a] (DO09:0204-053)
Storz Brewing Company Stock House (1913), Omaha, Nebraska.[5][a]
Independent Realty Company Store and Apartment (1913), Omaha, Nebraska?.[5][a]
E. D. Higgens house (1913-1914), 401 S 39th, Omaha, Nebraska.[1:101][2][3][5][a] (DO09:0319-009)
Storz Brewing Company Ice Plant (1914), Omaha, Nebraska.[5][a]
German American Bank (1915), York, Nebraska.[5][a]
Earl K. Buck House (1916-1918), 3920 Dewey Ave., Omaha, Nebraska.[2][3][5][a][b] (DO09:0319-007)
Lee-Coit-Andreesen-Holm Company Warehouse (1916-1917), 819 Farnam, Omaha, Nebraska. [1:120][2][3][5][17][a] (DO09:0068-004)
Henry F. Hamann Store and Apartment (1917), Omaha, Nebraska?.[5][a]
E. K. Buck house (1917), 3920 Dewey Ave, Omaha, Nebraska.[1:114]
G. W. Todd residence (1918), Omaha, Nebraska?.[5][a]
W. C. Raapke residence (1923), Omaha, Nebraska.[5][9][a] (DO09:0432-018)
Lorraine Apartments (1923), Omaha, Nebraska?.[5][a]
Warehouse/Garage (1925), 215 N. 12th St., Omaha, Nebraska.[3] (DO09:0125-023)
House (1926), 665 N. 56th St., Omaha, Nebraska.[3] (DO09:0436-010)
Ophelia Hayden residence (1926), Omaha, Nebraska?.[5][a][b]
Omaha Road Equipment Company Warehouse (1926), Omaha, Nebraska.[5][a]
Zella K. Blaha residence (1926), Omaha, Nebraska?.[5][a]
John W. Madden residence (1928), Omaha, Nebraska?.[5][a]
M. Biemend Theatre (1931), Ord, Nebraska.[5][a]
Fontenelle Brewing Company Stock House (1933), Omaha, Nebraska?.[5][a]
Falstaff Brewing Corporation Cellar and Bottling House (1936), Omaha, Nebraska.[5][a]
Fontenelle Brewing Company Wash House (1936), Omaha, Nebraska?.[5][a]
Walter E. Harkert Restaurant (1937), Omaha, Nebraska?.[5][a]
Fontenelle Brewing Company Stock House (1937), Omaha, Nebraska?.[5][a]
Muller Theatre (1937), Omaha, Nebraska?.[5][a]
Falstaff Brewing Corporation Malt Bins (1938), Omaha, Nebraska.[5][a]
Undated
Storz Brewing Company Bottling House (n.d.), Omaha, Nebraska.[5][b]
Storz Brewing Company Boiler house (n.d.), Omaha, Nebraska.[5][b]
Visual Arts
Plans for "the church "Saint Germain-Anxerrois" accepted for display at "Great Salon of the Society des Artists Francais" (1906), Paris, France.[4][16][f]
Ink and ink wash elevation drawing, ca. 1902, Rosenberg Library Competition (1901), Galveston, Texas, "while employed by" Thomas Rogers Kimball, architect for the design.[8]
Notes
a. Supplementary letter to State Board of Examiners, November 23, 1938.[5]
b. “Report on Standard Examination,” appended to Raapke’s State Board of Examiners file, July, 12, 1946. There is no information included to suggest why Raapke was examined nearly eight years after receiving his license to practice.
c. The Business Sections of the Omaha City Directory gives the dates, 1980-1942.[7]
d. The Omaha Bee reported in 1908 that Raapke "In his office in the Bee building...has a postal card index containing 5,000 cards....The cards show all styles of architecture, ancient and modern, and many of them in perfect detail....Mr. Raapke has written the information necessary on the back of each cards, and besides showing the views can tell in an instant who the architect was who designed the building or interior, what it cost and when it was constructed." Raapke wrote a full-page article on European parks for an Omaha newspaper in 1909 which appears to be illustrated with three of his postcards.[10][20]
e. The Omaha Bee reported in 1905 that Raapke entertained a few friends with a theater party and supper before leaving for Paris and Italy "for a post-graduate course in artistic architecture." His guests were Dr. & Mrs. H. P Jensen and Miss Jensen (his future bride and her parents); Mr. & Mrs. R. J. Dinning and Dr. & Mrs. George Todd (future residential clients); and Omaha architect J. Davey and his wife.[15]
f. SEE "Visual Arts." Raapke's drawings were among the 240 accepted from 1,060 submissions.[16] His obituary noted that "He traveled for two years through Italy and Greece, sketching and painting water colors. His works...have been presented to the Joslyn Art Museum.[4]
References
1. Landmarks, Inc., An Inventory of Historic Omaha Buildings (Omaha: Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission, 1980).
2. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
3. City of Omaha Planning Department, Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission, Database, Query on Architects, May 20, 2002; courtesy of Lynn Meyer, Preservation Planner.
4. “Services Tuesday For H. A. Raapke, Omaha Architect,” Lincoln Star (August 31, 1959), 2:3; "H. A. Raapke Rite Tuesday--Was Architect Here for Half Century," Omaha (Nebraska) World-Herald (August 31, 1959), 18.
5. Application for Registration to Practice Professional Engineering and Architecture, Nebraska State Board of Examiners for Professional Engineers and Architects, December 15, 1937. Nebraska State Historical Society RG081 SG2.
6. 1910 United States Census, s.v. “Louis Raapke,” Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, accessed through HeritageQuestOnline.com.
7. A Comprehensive Program for Historic Preservation in Omaha (Omaha: Omaha City Planning Department, 1980), 92-93 (Omaha Directories, Business Section listings).
8. Nebraska State Historical Society Archives, Thomas Rogers Kimball Collection, RG3607. The drawing is signed, "HAR," and is attributed by the editor to Raapke.
9. “Home of Spanish Residence,” Omaha World Herald (February 24, 1924), 20.
10. "Real Use of Picture Cards--Shows Styles of Architecture as Gathered and Assorted by Henry Raapke," Omaha (Nebraska) Evening Bee (March 3, 1908), 1.
11. Millard Buys the A. D. Brandeis Home...House Sells for $65,000," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily News (December 29, 1908), 1.
12. "For New Residence," Omaha (Nebraska) World-Herald (April 28, 1910), 28.
13. "Condon Builds Hospital," Omaha (Nebraska) World-Herald (June 28, 1911), 9; "Timely Real Estate Gossip...Construction of the Omaha surgical hospital...", Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (July 9, 1911), 15; "'Nicholas Senn' Name of Condon's Hospital," Evening World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska) (August 26, 1911), 10.
14. "Mrs. Henry A. Raapke," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily News (September 7,1910), 7 (illustrated with photo); "Dr. H. P. Jensen Dies After Long Illness--Prominent Physician Was a Resident of Omaha for Fifty-Six Years--Noted for Scientific Attainments in Medicine and Therapeutics," Evening World-Herald (June 11, 1913), 1.
15. "Pleasures Past," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily Bee (November 26, 1905), 6.
16. "Omaha Boy Achieves Honor," (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (May 12, 1906), 9.
17. "Lee-Coit--Andreesen Will Erect Six-Story Building," Evening World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska) (April 14, 1916), 24.
18. "Through some inadvertancy...", The Excelsior (Omaha, Nebraska) (January 16, 1909), 4.
19. "Woodmen Builders Like Jackson Site," The Omaha (Nebraska) Daily News (September 9, 1909), 1.
20. H. A. Raapke, architect, "The Parks of Europe, Those Beautiful Garden Spots On Which Ages of Greatest Care Have Been Bestowed," Omaha (Nebraska) Daily News (October 24, 1909), 4D (full-page article, illustrated).
Return to Top of Page
Page Citation
D. Murphy & E. F. Zimmer, “Henry A. Raapke (1876-1959), Architect,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, February 9, 2023. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, November 23, 2024.
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