Glen Comar Waterman (1889-1972), Architect
DBA: G. C. Waterman, Conley & Waterman
Glen Comar Waterman was born in Holdrege, Nebraska, on January 26, 1889 to Mary Helen and Elmer Ellsworth Waterman. Elmer was a carpenter and building contractor, active in Holdrege for many years before his death in 1945.[1-5] His son Glen was already listed as an architect in Holdrege in the 1910 U. S. Census (at age 21).[4] He worked in the office of Hastings architect C. W. Way before beginning his own practice in Scottsbluff by 1917.[10-12] He was also maintaining a connection to his hometown of Holdrege, as that is where he registered for the draft registration in 1917. That document also identified his employer as Drake Realty Construction Co. in Omaha, for whom he was an architectural draftsman. Glen served in the U. S. Army in 1918-1919 and saw combat in France, returning in 1919. He married Emma Petersen in 1920, then located in Scottsbluff, Nebraska as an architect. He later practiced variously in Omaha and Holdrege before settling in Omaha, where he worked for several years in the engineering division of Union Pacific Railroad. He died in Omaha in 1972 and was interred in Minden, Nebraska.[1][7]
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
[hide]Compiled Nebraska Directory Listings
Scottsbluff, Nebraska, 1918-1920 Omaha, Nebraska, 1923, 1926-1959
Educational & Professional Associations
1913-1914: worked in the office of Hastings architect C. W. Way.[10][11]
1917: architectural drafting for Drake Realty Construction Company, Omaha, Nebraska.[2][12]
1917-1918: established "architect and construction engineer's" office in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.[12]
1918-1919: active duty, U.S.Army, machine gun battalion in France.[8]
1919: opened office in Holdrege, Nebraska as "architect & superintendent."[16]
1921 (Oct.)-1922 (May): advertised with James L. Conley as "Conley & Waterman, Architects" in Omaha.[18][a]
1923: listed as architect in Omaha city directory.
1924: advertised architectural office in Holdrege, Nebraska.[16]
1930: clerk, Union Pacific Railroad, Omaha, Nebraska.
1933: advertised architectural office in Holdrege, Nebraska.[23]
1936: worked as construction inspector for PWA, then in office of the PWA state engineer, Omaha.[25][d]
1939: draftsman for John Latenser & Sons, Architects, Omaha, Nebraska.
1940-1950s: artist, draftsman, architect U.P.R.R. engineering dept., Omaha, Nebraska.[24]
Other Associations
Buildings & Projects
City Hall (1917-1918), Scottsbluff, Nebraska.[13-15]
Plans and specifications for elementary school (1920), "to be erected south of the tracks in Ward three," Scottsbluff, Nebraska.[17]
Albin Oscar Stinstrom bungalow (1924), 816 Garfield, Holdrege, Nebraska.[19][b]
"Complete Remodeling" of First Presbyterian Church (1924), 5th & Tilden, Holdrege, Nebraska.[20][c]
New Crescent Theatre (1925), Holdrege, Nebraska.[21]
"Inspector engineer" for Public Works Administration (PWA) on construction of high school (1936), Battle Creek, Nebraska.[25]
Undated
Notes
a. No projects by Conley & Waterman have been identified, but both Waterman and Conley were associated with Drake Realty Construction Co. in 1917, during Omaha's boom period of apartment house construction.
b. A Holdrege newspaper noted in August 1924 that "The Al Stinstrom home on Garfield street between Eight [sic] and Ninth avenues is in an advanced state of completion. This is a six room, story and a half home, brick construction, bungalow type, and is an exceptionally pretty addition to the neighborhood. Among the special features are included Murphy built-in bed closets....Glen C. Waterman made the plans."[19]
c. The former Presbyterian Church building on the northeast corner of 5th & Tilden in Holdrege is extant (2025), occupied by St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church.
d. A report on the inspection of the Battle Creek High School notes: "Mr. Waterman leaves in a few days for Omaha, where he will be employed in the office of the state engineer."[25]
References
1. Ancestry.com. U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current, s.v. “Glen Comar Waterman” [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.
2. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, s.v. "Glen Comar Waterman," [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2005.
3. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census, s.v. "Glen C Waterman," [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
4. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census, s.v. “Glen Naterman [sic],” [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.
5. "Obituary for E. E. Waterman, Holdrege (Nebraska) Daily Citizen (August 22, 1945), 2.
6. "Waterman-Petersen Wedding Sunday," Minden (Nebraska) Courier, (April 15, 1920), 1.
7. "Waterman--Glenn [sic]," (death notice), Omaha (Nebraska) World-Herald (October 5, 1972), 48.
8. "Glen C. Waterman...plans to return to Scottsbluff...," Star-Herald (Scottsbluff, Nebraska) (June 27, 1919), 8.
9. "Mr. and Mrs. Glen C. Waterman have removed from Holdrege to Omaha...[He]...is an architect and has opened an office in Omaha...," Minden (Nebraska) News (July 1, 1921), 8.
10. "Glen C. Waterman, who has been visiting...," Hastings (Nebraska) Daily Republican (August 4, 1913), 6.
11. "Building Notes--G. C. Waterman has accepted a position with the C. W. Way Co., architechts [sic]," Hastings (Nebraska) Daily Tribune (May 30, 1914), 7.
12. "G. C. Waterman...is establishing an architect and constructing engineer's office in this city [Scottsbluff]...," Platte Valley Daily Star-Herald (Scottsbluff, Nebraska) (June 26, 1917), 3.
13. "Waterman to Draw Plans," Star-Herald (Scottbluff, Nebraska) (October 9, 1917), 8.
14. "Public Buildings--Scottsbluff, Nebr.--City Hall; $15,000, 2 sty. & bas. 25x80, Archt. G. C. Waterman," The American Contractor (October 27, 1917), 29.
15. "Scottsbluff will celebrate Fourth," Scottsbluff (Nebraska) Star-Herald (May 2, 1919), 1.
16. "G. C. Waterman Architect and Superintendent," Holdrege (Nebraska) Progress (November 6, 1919), 5.
17. "Want Bids for New School Building," Scottsbluff (Nebraska) Republican (March 30, 1920), 1.
18. "Conley & Waterman Architects," The Daily Record (Omaha, Nebraska) (October 18, 1921), 1.
19. "The Al Stinstrom home on Garfield..," Holdrege (Nebraska) Progress (August 7, 1924), 1.
20. "Rebuild Presbyterian Church--Work Begun on Complete Remodeling of Old Edifice at Fifth and Tilden," Holdrege (Nebraska) Daily Citizen (August 28, 1924), 1.
21. "Make Contract for Show House...New Crescent Theatre...Rebuilding on New Structure Will Start Immediately," Holdrege (Nebraska) Progress (May 21, 1925), 1.
23. "Glen C. Waterman Architect and Building Superintendent," Holdrege (Nebraska) Daily Citizen (July 12, 1933), 2.
24. Ancestry.com. 1940 United States Federal Census, s.v. "Glenn C Naterman [sic]," [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012.
25. "Inspects New Building--State Engineer Inspector for PWA Gives Final Okey to Battle Creek $85,000 High School Project," Battle Creek (Nebraska) Enterprise (October 8, 1936), 1.
Page Citation
E. F. Zimmer, “Glen Comar Waterman (1889-1972), Architect,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, January 13, 2025. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, April 4, 2025.
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