Oliver Green Traphagen (3 September 1854 – 21 October 1932) was an American architect who designed many notable buildings in Duluth, Minnesota, during the late 19th century and in the Territory of Hawaii during the early 20th century. Among his most famous landmarks are the
Oliver G. Traphagen House
The Oliver G. Traphagen House, also known as Redstone, is a historic residential building in Duluth, Minnesota, United States. Built in 1892 as a duplex, it was designed and inhabited by architect Oliver G. Traphagen (1854–1932). The buildi ...
He was born on 3 September 1854 in Tarrytown, New York.
In the 1870s Traphagen moved to
St. Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center o ...
, with his parents where he worked as a carpenter, and later as an apprentice to the architect
George Wirth
George Wirth is a singer-songwriter who lives in Brick, New Jersey. The 1880s were boom times in Duluth; the population was 30,000 in 1887 compared with 13,000 in 1883. Over the next fifteen years, either on his own or in partnership with Wirth (1884–1886) and later
Francis W. Fitzpatrick
Francis Willford Fitzpatrick (April 9, 1863 – July 10, 1931) was an architect in Duluth, Minnesota, Washington, DC, Omaha, Nebraska, and Evanston, Illinois. He often abbreviated his name as F. W. Fitzpatrick in publications and correspon ...
(1889–1896), Traphagen designed buildings for both public and private owners, such as the First National Bank (1888), Turner Hall (1888), Wieland Block (1889), City Hall and Jail (1889), Fire Station No. 1 (1889), First Presbyterian Church (1891), and
Duluth Central High School
Duluth Central High School, also known as Central High School, was a secondary school located in Duluth, Minnesota, which educated students in grades ten through twelve until seventh and eighth were added after the closing of Washington Junior Hi ...
(1892). Many of Traphagen's designs show the influence of the
Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after the American architect Henry Hobson Richardson (1838–1886). The revival style incorporates 11th and 12th century southern French, Spanish, and Italian Romanesque ...
style that was popular at the time. Noted Duluth architect Frederick German worked as a draftsman for Traphagen and Fitzpatrick during this time.
Because his daughter's health required a warmer climate, the family relocated to the soon-to-be-annexed
Republic of Hawaii
The Republic of Hawaii ( Hawaiian: ''Lepupalika o Hawaii'') was a short-lived one-party state in Hawaii between July 4, 1894, when the Provisional Government of Hawaii had ended, and August 12, 1898, when it became annexed by the United State ...
in October 1897. Thanks to his previous work in Duluth he soon became "the most prolific and highly regarded architect in town."Wilcox 1972, p. 8 He designed the first building in the islands with a passenger elevator, the Judd Building (1898); the first hotel on Waikiki Beach, the Moana (1901); and the first public crematory in the Islands, at Oahu Cemetery (1906). As in Duluth, he also designed public works, such as the
Kakaako Pumping Station
The Kakaako Pumping Station in Honolulu, Hawaii was designed by architect Oliver G. Traphagen in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. He also designed many such bold stone public works buildings in Duluth, Minnesota.
Built in 1900, the pumping sta ...
(1900), Palama Fire Station (1901), and the Hawaiian State Archives Building (1906).
Two of his more exceptional buildings have not survived: the classical-style Hackfeld & Co. building downtown (1902) and the four-story James B. Castle home on Waikiki Beach. Among the last buildings he designed in Hawaii was the
Punahou School
Punahou School (known as Oahu College until 1934) is a private, co-educational, college preparatory school in Honolulu, Hawaii. More than 3,700 students attend the school from kindergarten through twelfth grade, 12th grade. Protestant missionar ...
president's home, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in December 2007. In 1907, he moved to Alameda, California, where he retired in 1925.
He died on 21 October 1932 in Alameda, California.
Projects
*Pastoret Flats/Kozy Bar & Apartments, 129-131 East 1st Street, Duluth, MN, circa 1887 - Heavily damaged by fire on November 15, 2010 - (future and restoration uncertain)
*Christian H. Oppel Block, 115 E Superior St, Duluth, Minnesota, circa 1885. Attributed to Traphagen. Demolished circa 1987.
*
Wirth Building
The Wirth Building is a commercial building in downtown Duluth, Minnesota, United States. When it was constructed in 1886 it was the city's first example of Richardsonian Romanesque style, and it stands as an early work of architect Oliver G. Tra ...
Duluth Central High School
Duluth Central High School, also known as Central High School, was a secondary school located in Duluth, Minnesota, which educated students in grades ten through twelve until seventh and eighth were added after the closing of Washington Junior Hi ...
, 215 N. 1st Ave E., Duluth, Minnesota, 1891-92. Emmet S. Palmer and Lucien P. Hall, architects, and Traphagen.
*
Munger Terrace
Munger Terrace is an architecturally significant rowhouse in the Central Hillside neighborhood of Duluth, Minnesota, United States. It was designed by Oliver G. Traphagen and Francis W. Fitzpatrick and built from 1891 to 1892, originally contai ...
Oliver G. Traphagen House
The Oliver G. Traphagen House, also known as Redstone, is a historic residential building in Duluth, Minnesota, United States. Built in 1892 as a duplex, it was designed and inhabited by architect Oliver G. Traphagen (1854–1932). The buildi ...
, 1511 E Superior St, Duluth, Minnesota, 1892. Traphagen & Fitzpatrick
*Torrey Building, 314-316 W Superior St, Duluth, Minnesota, 1892. Traphagen & Fitzpatrick
*Duluth Board of Trade, 301 W First St, Duluth, Minnesota, 1894-95. Traphagen & Fitzpatrick
* Judd Building, corner of Merchant and Fort Sts, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1898
*
Kakaako Pumping Station
The Kakaako Pumping Station in Honolulu, Hawaii was designed by architect Oliver G. Traphagen in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. He also designed many such bold stone public works buildings in Duluth, Minnesota.
Built in 1900, the pumping sta ...
Punahou School
Punahou School (known as Oahu College until 1934) is a private, co-educational, college preparatory school in Honolulu, Hawaii. More than 3,700 students attend the school from kindergarten through twelfth grade, 12th grade. Protestant missionar ...
Image:Wirth Bldg 3.jpg, Max W. Wirth Pharmacy Building (1886)
Image:Turner Hall Duluth.jpg, Turner Hall (1888)
Image:Firehouse1.jpg, Fire Station No. 1 (1889)
Image:Fitger's Brewing Company complex 2016.jpg, August J. Fitger's Brewery (1890)
Image:Chester Terrace-Duluth.jpg, Chester Terrace (1890)
Image:Munger Terrace 1.jpg, Munger Terrace (1891–92)
Image:Old Duluth Central High School.jpg,
Historic Old Central High School
The Historic Old Central High School of Duluth, Minnesota, United States, is a local landmark dating to 1892. One of Minnesota's leading examples of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture, it occupies an entire city block and sports a clock tower ...
(1892)
Image:Traphagen 4.jpg, Sandstone carving, Traphagen House (1892)
Image:Moanahotel hawaii.jpg, Moana Hotel (1898)
Image:Kakaako-pumpsta-front-corner-view.JPG, Kakaako Pumping Station (1900)
Image:Honolulu-Judd-building-corner.JPG, Judd Building (1901)
Image:HawaiiStatearchives-entrance.JPG, Front entrance, Old Hawaii State Archives building (1906)
Image:Old-Hawaii-State-archives-desk.JPG, Reception area, Old Hawaii State Archives building (1906)
Image:Old-Hawaii-State-Archives-Building-skylight.JPG, Skylight, Old Hawaii State Archives building (1906)
Image:Oahu-cemetery-crematorium&chapel.JPG, Oahu Cemetery Crematorium (1906)
Image:PunahouSchool-presidents-house.JPG, Punahou School President's House (1907)
See also
*
Anton Werner Lignell
Anton Werner Lignell (November 7, 1867 – February 9, 1954) was a Swedish-speaking Finnish architect known for designing buildings in Butte, Montana; Duluth, Minnesota; and two courthouses in Minnesota. His style tended towards Beaux-Arts a ...