Title: Louise Schussler Scrapbook

Dates: 1895-1899

Collection Number: SFP 89

Creator/Collector:

Extent: 1 scrapbook

Repository: San Francisco Public Library. San Francisco History Center

Abstract: The scrapbook documents the social life of Louise “Lulu” Schussler and her family from 1895 to early 1899. Scrapbook includes photographic prints; printed cards, invitations and calling cards; clippings from magazines and newspapers; theater programs; drawings and plant pressings. Louise, known as “Lulu”, was the eldest child of Hermann Schussler- a water systems engineer, famous for designing the Comstock water system.

Language of Material: English

The collection is available for use during Photo Desk hours.

All requests for permission to publish from photograph collections must be submitted in writing to the Photo Curator. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.

Louise Schussler Scrapbook. San Francisco Public Library. San Francisco History Center

Purchase. 2009.

Louise Hermina Schussler was born January 7, 1870 in San Francisco, California to Hermann F. and Louise A. Schussler. Hermann Schussler was a water systems engineer, famous for designing the Comstock water system, and played an important role in the design of water systems in San Mateo and Maui. Louise, known as “Lulu”, was the eldest of three children, and married Martin Preuss, a German farmer. The Preuss’ lived between Santa Clara, California and Florence, Italy. She died in Italy on December 29, 1925 and is buried in the Protestant Cemetary in Rome.

The leather-bound volume contains 204 photographic prints, including 10 cyanotype prints, 160 printed cards, invitations and calling cards, 211 clippings from magazines and newspapers, 60 theater program excerpts, drawings and plant pressings which document the social life of Louise “Lulu” Schussler and her family. She compiled this scrapbook of materials dating 1895 to early 1899. Wedding invitations, calling cards, seating cards and handwritten notes document upper-class San Francisco social life, specifically in the German- American community. The bulk of the photos were taken by Louise Schussler and document Schussler family and friends in San Francisco, San Mateo, Napa, Sacramento and Hawaii. Photos sent by friends (Dora Isenberg, Mrs. Cropp, Mrs. Walters) engaged in sugar production in Kauai are included as well. Theater playbill excerpts and musical programs from over 50 chiefly San Francisco performances and newsclippings relating to the Spanish- American War. Photographs relating to the work of Schussler’s father, Hermann Schussler, include photographs of Pilarcitas Creek, which was redirected to serve the city of San Francisco, and the Hawaiin island of Maui, where he engineered much of the Eastern Maui irrigation system.