An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893

H. PREUSSE, the oldest architect in the profession at Spokane, Washington, is a
native of Germany, born in 1847, son of Carl Victor and Victoria (Eckstein)
Preusse, both of German birth. His father died when he was three years old, and
his mother was subsequently married to Wilhelm Mehl. Mr. Mehl was a leading
architect, and the subject of our sketch began the study of his profession when
young. At the age of thirteen he went to Halle, and in the famous institutions
of that place studied for two or three years. Returning home, he spent about
three years in his father's office, after which he attended the noted college
for architecture at Holzminden. From that institution he was sent by the faculty
to superintend the construction of the large Bessemer steel works in Osnabruck.
After having completed that work he came to America, arriving in New York in
June, 1870. He was first employed for two years in the office of the North
Chicago Rolling Mills. Soon after the great Chicago fire Mr. Preusse was taken
sick and was compelled to seek a change of climate, he visited the various
Western States and Territories, and finally located in Sari Bernardino,
California, where he started in business for himself, and where he was quite
successful. He afterward lived in San Francisco for a time, and then moved to
Sterling, Kansas, from there going to Kansas City, Missouri. In 1882 Mr. Preusse
arrived in Spokane Falls and at once commenced the practice of his profession.
Many of the imposing buildings which were destroyed by the fire of August 4,
1889, were designed by him and erected under his supervision. Since the fire he
has made plans and specifications for many of the best buildings of Spokane and
eastern Washington. The Opera House Block, the Granite Block, the Hotel Spokane,
the Blalock Block, the Rollin Hyde Block, the Holland Block, the Ziegler Block
and many other imposing structures were designed by him. He also erected the
Jamison Block, and has done all the work for the Catholic schools. He was
appointed architect of the Agricultural College and School of Science at
Pullman, Washington. Mr. Preusse has attained the high standing in his
profession by his own exertions, and although at first he did not meet with
great financial success, he has now secured for himself a nice little
competency, owning 400 acres of good land adjoining Spokane on the south, and
also some good city property. Mr. Preusse is a member of the Knights of Pythias,
takes an interest in public affairs generally, and is especially interested in
educational matters. While in Sterling, Kansas, he married Miss Rosa Cole, a
native of Pennsylvania. They have had seven children, four of whom are living:
Olga May, Florence Augusta, Carl Victor and Arnold Bismark.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in January 2004 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.