EDMOND JACQUES ECKEL

Background

Edmond Jacques Eckel was born in 1845 at Strasbourg, France, member of one of the oldest French families in the city.

Education

In 1864 he was admitted to the Ecole des Beaux Arts, and after completing four years of advanced study, was awarded his diploma.

Career

Beginning his career as draftsman, he worked first for P. E. Meagher, architect for St. Joseph's Cathedral and the Corby Memorial Chapel, built 1871-72. In 1872 he joined the office of Stiegers & Boettner, and after becoming a junior member of the firm assisted in designing the present Christ Church at Seventh and Francis Street. Later following Mr. Stieger’s retirement, Eckel continued in association with Boettner and during that period designed a number of fine homes in St. Joseph, one of which was the old William Wyeth residence at Charles and Eleventh Streets.

In the years between 1880 and 1892 he was a member of the firm of Eckel & Mann, in partnership with Frederick R. Mann, and after a period of independent practice in 1910 organized the firm of Eckel & Aldrich, in association With his son George R. Eckel and Will S. Aldrich. During a long and successful career Mr. Eckel was identified with the design of many and varied types of buildings.

Achievements

• Among his best known works in St. Joseph should be mentioned the following: American National Bank Building, 1889: Convent of the Sacred Heart; old Central High School; the old Union Station (destroyed by fire) and the present Station; First Baptist Church; Bell Telephone Company Building (first fire-proof structure in the city); Tootle- Lacey National Bank; Public Library; Scottish Rite Cathedral; Carnegie Branch Library; Restoration of St. Joseph's Cathedral; S. S. Peter and Paul Church; St. Francis Xavier Church and Rectory, 1906; Roubidoux Hotel; St. James' Church and Rectory; Corby Building (in which the firm had an office); First Presbyterian Church and Sunday School, 1909; St. Joseph's Hospital and Nurses' Home; News-Press Building, 1911; Zion Evangelical Church, 1924; new City Hall, 1927; new Central High School, Educational Building for the First Baptist Church, also many residences, commercial, business and industrial buildings, all in St. Joseph. Noted examples of the firm's work in other cities include the Court House and Jail at Council Bluffs, Iowa; Paxton Hotel, Omaha, Nebr. (the original building); Court Houses at Albany, Rockport and Marysville, Mo.; former Administration wing, State Penitentiary, Jefferson City. Mo.; Library Building, William Jewell College, Liberty, Mo.; Missouri School for the Deaf at Fulton; Municipal Building at Columbia, Mo.; and various public, educational and commercial buildings.

Works

More photos

• Other Work

  • St. Joseph Public Library

    (It is also known as Free Public Library, Public Museum, P...)

  • St. Joseph City Hall at St. Joseph, Missouri

    (It was designed by the noted architectural firm Eckel & A...)

  • Court Houses at Albany

Membership

An honored member of the profession, elected to the Western Association of Architects in 1885, and upon its merger with the A. I. A. in 1889, made a Fellow of the Institute.

Connections

Son:

George R. Eckel

In 1910 Edmond Eckelorganized the firm of Eckel & Aldrich, in association With his son George R. Eckel and Will S. Aldrich

employer:

P. E. Meagher

architect for St. Joseph's Cathedral and the Corby Memorial Chapel, built 1871-72.

coworker:

Frederick R. Mann

Between 1880 and 1892 Edmond Eckel was a member of the firm of Eckel & Mann, in partnership with Frederick R. Mann.

coworker:

Will S. Aldrich

In 1910 Edmond Eckelorganized the firm of Eckel & Aldrich, in association With his son George R. Eckel and Will S. Aldrich.