Leif Jenssen (architect) explained

Leif Jenssen
Birth Date:February 16, 1879
Birth Place:Søndre Odalen, Innlandet County, Norway
Death Date:1923
Occupation:Architect
Known For:Designing buildings in Duluth, Minnesota, including Pilgrim Congregational Church

Leif Jenssen (February 16, 1879 – 1923) was a Norwegian-American architect responsible for designing a number of buildings in Duluth, Minnesota. He is most known for designing Pilgrim Congregational Church.

Biography

Jenssen was born in Søndre Odalen, Innlandet County, Norway, in 1879 to Hans Jenssen, a teacher, and Isabella Christiana Lovise née Andreassen. He had an older brother, Jens, and younger siblings Arne, Kolbjørn, Reidar, and Lorents. He grew up in Hamar.[1] In 1895, he enrolled at in Trondheim, the country's leading technical school. He studied architecture, graduating in 1899.[2] [3] He then designed villas for the town of Hamar, including one for a tax collector named Sørsdal, located at Høyensalgata 53, in 1899,[4] and the Trætteberg villa at Sverdrupsgata 23 in 1901. From 1899 to 1901, he worked in Oslo for the architect Michaelsen and in the city architect's office; Jenssen also designed the cell building at Grønland Police Station in Oslo at this time.[5] [6]

In May 1901, Jenssen emigrated to the United States,[7] working as a draftsman for two years in New York City. He then moved to Chicago in 1903, where he married Dagney Larsen. The couple had three children.[8]

In 1909, he moved to Duluth[9] and worked for German & Lignell, Frederick German and Anton Werner Lignell's architectural firm. After the firm was dissolved, Jenssen started German & Jenssen in the Exchange Building and worked with German for a time, likely from 1913 until his death in 1923. Together they designed many buildings in the area. Most well known is Pilgrim Congregational Church at 2310 East 4th Street. They also designed the United Protestant Church in the Morgan Park neighborhood,[10] Lincoln Elementary School, Superior Central High School, an addition to the Bradley Building, and a number of residences, including the Starkey House.[11] [12] [13] [14] Jenssen and German also designed the Virginia City Hall in Virginia, Minnesota; Elwin Berg was later noted as the associated architect responsible for the project.[15]

In 1919, Jenssen became a member of the American Institute of Architects.[16] He was also a member of the Architects' Association of Manitoba and the Duluth Engineers' Club.

Jenssen died of a stroke in 1923 at 44 years of age.[17]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 1891 . Folketelling 1891 for 0401 Hamar kjøpstad: Leif Jenssen . 2022-07-19 . . nb . 2022-07-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220719142808/https://www.digitalarkivet.no/census/person/pf01052722001389 . live .
  2. Web site: 1899 . Trondhjems tekniske læreanstalt, Karakterprotokoller, nr. 47: Faste elever, 1890-1899 . 2022-07-19 . . nb . 2022-07-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220719142739/https://www.digitalarkivet.no/view/47/pl00000000028799 . live .
  3. Web site: Ellingsen . Ellen Grav . 2019-04-30 . Trondhjems tekniske Læreanstalt — UHS . 2022-07-19 . . nb . 2022-07-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220719142759/https://uhs.vm.ntnu.no/trondhjems-tekniske-laereanstalt/ . live .
  4. Web site: HØIENSALSGATA 53, BYGGET I 1899, TEGNET AV LEIF JENSSEN, UTHUSFLØY, FOTO FRA 1948. SE HAMARS HISTORIE, BYJUBILEET 1949, SIDE 589. BESTILT VED HAMAR KOMMUNE V/ BLEKEN NILSSEN . 2022-07-19 . digitaltmuseum.no . nb . 2022-07-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220719185652/https://digitaltmuseum.no/011012970162/hoiensalsgata-53-bygget-i-1899-tegnet-av-leif-jenssen-uthusfloy-foto-fra . live .
  5. Book: Lillevold, Eyvind . Hamars historie . Hamar Stiftstidendes Trykkeri . 1948 . 589–590 . nb . 462847689.
  6. Book: Aslaksby . Grønland og Nedre Tøyens bebyggelseshistorie . Universitetsforlaget . 1986 . 8299516102 . Oslo . 241 . nb.
  7. Web site: 1906 . White Star-linjens Kristiania-kontor, Emigrantprotokoller, nr. 3: 1900-1906 . 2022-07-19 . . nb . 2022-07-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220719185658/https://www.digitalarkivet.no/view/8/pe00000001312613 . live .
  8. Web site: 2020-02-16 . February 16, 1879: Birth of Duluth architect Leif Jenssen . 2022-07-19 . Zenith City Online . en-US . 2022-07-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220719142744/https://zenithcity.com/thisday/february-16-1879-birth-of-duluth-architect-leif-jenssen/ . live .
  9. Book: Trondhjemsteknikernes matrikel: biografiske meddelelser om samtlige faste og hospiterende elever av Trondhjems tekniske læreanstalt 1870-1915: med ca. 1300 ungdomsportrætter . Bruns boghandel . 1916 . Alstad . O. . 160 . no.
  10. Web site: Dierckins . Tony . Norton . Maryanne C. . 2022-03-10 . United Protestant Church . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220719142805/https://zenithcity.com/archive/historic-architecture/united-protestant-church/ . 2022-07-19 . 2022-07-19 . Zenith City Online.
  11. Book: Van Brunt, Walter . Duluth and St. Louis County, Minnesota; their story and people; an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, educational, civic and social development . . 1921 . Chicago, New York . 969–970 . 1321031814.
  12. Web site: 2017-04-17 . Frederick German . 2022-07-19 . Zenith City Online . en-US . 2021-04-15 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210415140423/http://zenithcity.com/archive/people-biography/frederick-german/ . live .
  13. Book: Scott, James Allen . Duluth's legacy: text . City of Duluth . 1974 . 9780914582007 . 87, 164 . 1272610.
  14. Web site: 2017-02-16 . 2602 E. 3rd St. . 2022-07-19 . Duluth Preservation Alliance . en-US . 2022-06-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220621184020/https://duluthpreservation.org/property/2602-e-3rd-st/ . live .
  15. Web site: 2004 . National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Virginia City Hall . 2022-07-19 . United States Department of the Interior. 2022-07-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220719142743/https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/58a25325-29c4-439d-9791-a9f774154438 . live .
  16. 1923 . Leif Jensen . Journal of the American Institute of Architects . 11 . 9 . 375.
  17. News: November 2, 1923 . Blandt Nordboer i Amerika . . 7 . no.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Leif Jenssen (architect)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.