Bourgeois & Nitchner, Architects
Partners:
Louis J.B. Bourgeois, Omaha, Nebraska
Herman Nitchner, Omaha, Nebraska.
Bourgeois & Nitchner was a short-lived Omaha partnership, listed in Omaha newspapers in 1890 and in the Omaha city directory of 1891. The newspapers credit the partnership with three projects in 1890, while the directory indicates further that with H. C. Cooke, they had an architectural office in Galveston, Texas.
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
Omaha, Nebraska, 1891
Educational & Professional Associations
1891: architect and partner with Bourgeois, Nitchner & Cooke, Architects, Omaha and Galveston, Texas
Buildings & Projects
Hotel Brunswick for W. F. Sweesy (1890-1891), 515-517 South Sixteen (at Jackson Street), Omaha, Nebraska.[1][a][b]
Plans for an eight-story building for W. F. Sweesy (1890-1891), Farnam Street opposite N. Y. Life Building, Omaha, Nebraska.[2][c]
Plans for George Patterson house (1890-1891), NW corner of 37th and Farnam Streets, Omaha, Nebraska.[3][d]
Notes
a. Omaha City Directory of 1892 lists "Hotel Brunswick, W F Sweesy prop, 515-517 S 16th." The World-Herald in 1890 called the hotel developer/proprietor "W. F. Sweezey" and noted: "Four stories of the building are now up and it is expected to be under roof within ten days. It will be five stories high...constructed of pressed brick, stone, iron and terra cotta and is fire proof." Completion was expected by April 1891 and the cost was estimated at $75,000.[1] Sweesy appears to be the most prevalent spelling of this prominent Omaha businessman's name, although "Sweezey" and "Sweesey" were also sometimes used.
b. About five months before Bourgeois and Nitchner were credited with designing Hotel Brunswick for Sweesy, a Lincoln newspaper reporting on "Omaha in Brief" mentioned the same project and credited the design to S. E. Maxon and Bourgeois.[1][6] Both Nitchner and Maxon worked with Bourgeois in 1890 and 1891 so this attribution is not considered "disputed," just unclear as to the exact roles of the various individuals.(EFZ)
c. The 1901 Sanborn Map Co. atlas of Omaha shows a three-story "Patterson Block" on the southeast corner of 17th & Farnam Streets, across Farnam from the New York Life Building, and single story storefronts between the Patterson Block on the west and the five-story Board of Trade building to the east, at 1601-1605 Farnam. Probably Sweesy's tall building was not constructed.
d. An extensive description of Patterson's planned house in the Evening World-Herald" noted: "Bourgeios & Nitchner have completed plans for an elegant residence for Mr. George Patterson of the Nebraska fuel company. The residence is to be erected on the northwest corner of Thirty-seventh and Farnam streets, and will cost in the neighborhood of $12,000. The building is to be of brick, stone and frame. The design is a model of architectural skill. The first story will be of St. Louis red pressed brick, trimmed with redstone, carved in an artistic manner. Around this story will be commodious verandas of ornamented wrought iron. The second story will be of cement work, timber bound. This will be the first residence in the city thus ornamented. The designs in cement are elaborate and will make a very rich effect. The timber will be California red wood polished. The chimneys, extending from the basemen to the roof, will be embellished with cut stone designs. The roof will be of ornamented green slate and several dormers with art glass windows. The first floor will be finished in hard wood. The grand balcony and staircase will be of a rich design, large and commodious. The house will be heated by furnaces, and fixtures for both gas and electric light will be supplied. French plate and cathedral glass will be used in the windows. When completed it is asserted that it will be one of the finest private residences in the city."[3]
It seems likely the Patterson house was not built. In May 1891 Omaha World-Herald noted that "...of late several fine residence properties have changed hands. Mr. George Patterson has purchased the beautiful home of Mr. Ernest Riall..." for $18,000.[4][5] Ernest Riall lived at 2224 Howard in 1891, according to the Omaha City Directory.
References
1. "Handsome Hotel Going Up," Omaha (Nebraska) World-Herald (November 27, 1890), 8.
2. "One of the Finest in Omaha--A Mammoth Nine-Story Building to be Erected on Farnam Street," Omaha (Nebraska) World-Herald (November 26, 1890), 8.
3. "Handsome Residence Planned," Evening World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska) (December 9, 1890), 1.
4. "Week's Review of Trade--The New Omaha and its Impetus--Real Estate and Its Movements," Omaha (Nebraska) World-Herald (May 3, 1891), 5.
5. "Real Estate Transfers" (Lot 6 of Cortland place from Riall to George Patterson for $18,000), Evening World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska) (March 24, 1891), 8.
6. "Omaha in Brief," (Lincoln) Nebraska State Journal (July 19, 1890), 2.
Page Citation
E. F. Zimmer & D. Murphy, “Bourgeois & Nitchner, Architects,” in David Murphy, Edward F. Zimmer, and Lynn Meyer, comps. Place Makers of Nebraska: The Architects. Lincoln: Nebraska State Historical Society, February 1, 2023. http://www.e-nebraskahistory.org/index.php?title=Place_Makers_of_Nebraska:_The_Architects Accessed, April 9, 2025.
Contact the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office with questions or comments concerning this page, including any problems you may have with broken links (see, however, the Disclaimers link at the bottom of this page). Please provide the URL to this page with your inquiry.
