Fred Brinkman
Encyclopedia
Frederick Adolph Brinkman (November 23, 1892 – October 8, 1961) was an American architect based in Kalispell, Montana
. More than a dozen of Brinkman's extant works in and around Kalispell have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, including the Anderson Style Shop, Charles Boles House, Brice Apartments, City Water Department, Cornelius Hedges Elementary School, Russell School, Linderman School, the Montgomery Ward Store in Kalispell, and the O'Neil Print Shop.
in November 1892. His father, Gustave A. Brinkman, emigrated from Germany in 1880 and worked as a carpenter. His mother, Amalia (Wagenknecht) Brinkman, emigrated from Germany in 1881. His family moved to Montana while Brinkman was still an infant. Brinkman's father developed a reputation as a master carpenter and cabinetmaker and was reported to have built the first house in Kalispell. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, the family remained in Kalispell. Brinkman also had two younger brothers, Charles E. (born November 1894 in Montana) and Conrad W. (born June 1897 in Montana). The family continued to reside in Kalispell at the time of the 1910 United States Census. Brinkman attended Flathead High School
as part of the Class of 1912.
from 1913 to 1916. He received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture
degree from the University of Michigan College of Engineering in 1916. While attending Michigan, he was a member of Tau Sigma Delta and won the AIA Scholastic Medal. In 1916, he began working as an architectural draftsman for Louis Kamper
, one of the leading architects of the time in Detroit, Michigan
. In a June 1917 draft registration card, Brinkman wrote that he was living in Detroit and was employed as an architect by Kamper. During World War I
, he worked on the Panama Canal
as a Civil Service Architect while serving as a Lieutenant in the Army Engineers
, which he left in 1919.
. At the time of the 1920 United States Census, Brinkman was living in Billings and working in an architect's office. He was married to Aral Jean Linthacum in December 1920 at Billings. At the time of the 1930 United States Census, Brinkman was living in Kalispell, Montana, with his wife, Aral, and their daughter, Rosalie Brinkman (born c. 1923). He was in practice by himself from 1922 to 1946, at which time he went into partnership with Percy H. Lenon. He was a member of the Kiwanis
, Elks
, and Freemasons
.
Brinkman worked as an architect in Kalispell for nearly 40 years. In the book, "A Guide to Historic Kalispell," Kathryn L. McKay wrote that Brinkman "influenced the physical appearance of his hometown more than any other single person," creating buildings "in virtually all architectural style popular from the 1920s to the 1950s." More than a dozen of Brinkman's extant works in and around Kalispell, Montana have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, including the Anderson Style Shop, Charles Boles House, Brice Apartments, City Water Department, Cornelius Hedges Elementary School, and Russell School.
Brinkman designed several buildings at Montana State University, including the Business Administration Building, the Student Union, the Men's Dormitory, and Field House. He was also a lecturer at Montana State. He also designed the Administration Building at North Montana College.
Brinkman died in Flathead County, Montana
, in October 1961.
Kalispell, Montana
Kalispell is a city in and the county seat of Flathead County, Montana, United States. The 2010 census put Kalispell's population at 19,927 up 5,704 over 2000. At 40.1% this is the largest percentage of growth of any incorporated city in Montana. Kalispell is the largest city and commercial center...
. More than a dozen of Brinkman's extant works in and around Kalispell have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, including the Anderson Style Shop, Charles Boles House, Brice Apartments, City Water Department, Cornelius Hedges Elementary School, Russell School, Linderman School, the Montgomery Ward Store in Kalispell, and the O'Neil Print Shop.
Early years
Brinkman was born in Spokane, WashingtonSpokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
in November 1892. His father, Gustave A. Brinkman, emigrated from Germany in 1880 and worked as a carpenter. His mother, Amalia (Wagenknecht) Brinkman, emigrated from Germany in 1881. His family moved to Montana while Brinkman was still an infant. Brinkman's father developed a reputation as a master carpenter and cabinetmaker and was reported to have built the first house in Kalispell. At the time of the 1900 United States Census, the family remained in Kalispell. Brinkman also had two younger brothers, Charles E. (born November 1894 in Montana) and Conrad W. (born June 1897 in Montana). The family continued to reside in Kalispell at the time of the 1910 United States Census. Brinkman attended Flathead High School
Flathead High School
Flathead High School is an American public secondary school located in Kalispell, Montana. The school has been international baccalaureate certified since 2004. It is one of two high schools in School District #5...
as part of the Class of 1912.
Education and early career
Brinkman attended the University of Wisconsin from 1912 to 1913 and the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
from 1913 to 1916. He received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture
Bachelor of Architecture
The Bachelor of Architecture is an undergraduate academic degree designed to satisfy the academic component of professional accreditation bodies, to be followed by a period of practical training prior to professional examination and registration. It is awarded for a course of study that lasts up...
degree from the University of Michigan College of Engineering in 1916. While attending Michigan, he was a member of Tau Sigma Delta and won the AIA Scholastic Medal. In 1916, he began working as an architectural draftsman for Louis Kamper
Louis Kamper
Louis Kamper was an American architect, active in and aroundDetroit and Wayne County, Michigan, in the United States.-Project range:...
, one of the leading architects of the time in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. In a June 1917 draft registration card, Brinkman wrote that he was living in Detroit and was employed as an architect by Kamper. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he worked on the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
as a Civil Service Architect while serving as a Lieutenant in the Army Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
, which he left in 1919.
Architectural career in Montana
After being discharged from the military, Brinkman returned to Montana. From 1920 to 1922, he was employed as a draftsman by McIver & Cohagen in Billings, MontanaBillings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
. At the time of the 1920 United States Census, Brinkman was living in Billings and working in an architect's office. He was married to Aral Jean Linthacum in December 1920 at Billings. At the time of the 1930 United States Census, Brinkman was living in Kalispell, Montana, with his wife, Aral, and their daughter, Rosalie Brinkman (born c. 1923). He was in practice by himself from 1922 to 1946, at which time he went into partnership with Percy H. Lenon. He was a member of the Kiwanis
Kiwanis
Kiwanis International is an international, coeducational service club founded in 1915. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Current membership is 240,000 members in 7,700 clubs in 80 nations...
, Elks
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
, and Freemasons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
.
Brinkman worked as an architect in Kalispell for nearly 40 years. In the book, "A Guide to Historic Kalispell," Kathryn L. McKay wrote that Brinkman "influenced the physical appearance of his hometown more than any other single person," creating buildings "in virtually all architectural style popular from the 1920s to the 1950s." More than a dozen of Brinkman's extant works in and around Kalispell, Montana have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, including the Anderson Style Shop, Charles Boles House, Brice Apartments, City Water Department, Cornelius Hedges Elementary School, and Russell School.
Brinkman designed several buildings at Montana State University, including the Business Administration Building, the Student Union, the Men's Dormitory, and Field House. He was also a lecturer at Montana State. He also designed the Administration Building at North Montana College.
Brinkman died in Flathead County, Montana
Flathead County, Montana
-National protected areas:* Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail * Flathead National Forest * Glacier National Park * Kootenai National Forest * Lolo National Forest * Lost Trail National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
, in October 1961.
Kalispell
- Anderson Style Shop, 222 Main St., Kalispell, MT, built in 1941 with Art Nouveau features, NRHP-listed
- Charles Boles House, 40 Appleway Dr., Kalispell, MT, three buildings designed by Brinkman and built in 1932, NRHP-listed.
- Brice Apartments, 228 2nd Ave. East, Kalispell, MT, built in 1936, designed by architects B. Brice Gilliland and Fred Brinkman, NRHP-listed
- City Water Department, 336 First Ave. E., Kalispell, MT, a Georgian Revival structure built in 1927, currently operated as a municipal courthouse, NRHP-listed
- Cornelius Hedges Elementary School, also known as Southside School, 827 4th Ave. East, Kalispell, MT, built in 1929, NRHP-listed
- Contributing works in the NRHP-listed Courthouse Historic District, Kalispell, MT, including the Buck / Robbin House (725 S. Main Street) and the First Presbyterian Church (524 Main Street).
- Several contributing works in the NRHP-listed East Side Historic District, Kalispell, MT, including the Dean Rental Property (919 5th Ave E.), Driscoll House (515 3rd St E.), and Linderman School (124 3rd Avenue East).
- Russell School, 227 W. Nevada St., Kalispell, MT, built in 1939, NRHP-listed
- Several contributing works in NRHP-listed West Side Historic District, Kalispell, MT, including Pearce House (132 8th St. West) and Elmer Sonstelie Residence (640 2nd Ave. W.).
- Kalispell General Hospital, four-story addition in 1948.
- Brinkman House, 700 First Avenue East, Kalispell, MT, a 1936 Tudor home designed by Brinkman as a showcase of his skills
- City Service Station, 401 1st Avenue East, Kalispell, MT, built in 1931, currently used by KCFW Television.
- Montgomery Ward Store, 333 Main Street, Kalispell, MT, built 1929, currently used by Alpine Lighting, part of the NRHP-listed Kalispell Main Street Historic District.
- O'Neil Print Shop, 323 Main Street, Kalispell, MT, built in 1926 in the Western Commercial style, currently used by Trippet's Printing, part of the NRHP-listed Kalispell Main Street Historic District.
- Ross Medical Clinic, 221 First Avenue East, Kalispell, MT, built in 1939, currently used by attorneys Johnson, Berg, McEvoy & Bostock.
- Halliday-Boysen Block, 110 Main Street, Kalispell, MT, built in 1928 in the Western Commercial Style, part of the NRHP-listed Kalispell Main Street Historic District.
- The new Flathead County High School, Kalispell, MT.
- Trinity Lutheran Church of Kalispell.
- Church of Christ Scientist, Kalispell, MT.
Outside Kalispell
- Symes Hotel, also known as the Symes Hot Springs Hotel, built in 1929 at Hot Springs, MontanaHot Springs, MontanaHot Springs is a town on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Sanders County, Montana, United States. The population was 531 at the 2000 census. Founded in 1910, it was incorporated in 1929.-Geography:Hot Springs is located at ....
, in the Mission style, NRHP-listed. - New Jeff Elementary, built in 1951 at Helena, MontanaHelena, MontanaHelena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
. - Broadwater School, built in 1949 in Helena, Montana.
- Cobb House, a private residence for J.E. Lewis of the Glacier Hotel (Lake McDonald Lodge), built in 1918. The Lake McDonald LodgeLake McDonald LodgeLake McDonald Lodge is a historic lodge located within Glacier National Park, on the southeast shore of Lake McDonald. The lodge is a -story structure built in a Swiss chalet style based on Kirtland Cutter's design. The foundation and first floor walls are built of stone, with a wood-frame...
and outlying building complex, which includes the Cobb House, has been designated as a National Historic LandmarkNational Historic LandmarkA National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.