J. G. (John George) Braecklein Papers, 1901-1958

Summary

Creators:

Braecklein, J. G. (John George)

Abstract:

J. G. (John George) Braecklein (1865-1958) was an architect, responsible for designing Kansas City's first skyscraper, a world champion bones player with a minstrel group, and collector of Native American and Spanish relics. This collection consists of a book of Braecklein's architectural work, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and an obituary. Materials in this collection range from 1901-1958.

Extent:

0.2 Linear Feet (5 folders)

Language:

English .

Preferred citation:

J. G. (John George) Braecklein Papers, 1901-1958, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MS.574; [folder number] [folder title][date].

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of a book of J. G. (John George) Braecklein's architectural work, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and an obituary. Materials range from 1901-1958.

Biographical / historical:

J. G. (John George) Braecklein was born in 1865. He studied architecture at Harvard University, and designed Kansas City's first skyscraper, the Heist Building, in 1888. Besides architecture, Braecklein was interested in and collected Native American and Spanish relics, many of which he gave to Frederick Webb Hodge in 1944. Braecklein also had some involvement in the Boy Scouts in his later years. Braecklein was a world champion bones player, and performed as a member of Epperson Megaphone Minstrals, a blackface musical group active from 1899-1907. Braecklein married Louise Merritt, with whom he had four children. At the time of Braecklein's death on October 7, 1958, he had eight grandchildren and ten great-grand-children.

Acquisition information:

The majority of this collection came from donations made by J. G. Braecklein between 1944 and 1950. Some clippings were donated by F. W. Hodge in 1948.

Processing information:

Processed by Glenna Schroeder, circa 1977-1981. Final processing and finding aid completed by Holly Rose Larson, NHPRC Processing Archivist, 2012 October 8, made possible through grant funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commissions (NHPRC).

Rules or conventions:

Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Related resources

Related material:

Photograph of Oscar Braecklein (John's father) with the following biographical information: "Just before he left TREUEN, SAXONY, GERMANY, for the gold fields of California by way of Cuba, thence to New Orleans, thence to St. Louis thence to California thence to Leavenworth Kansas in 1855 and opened the first drug store in Leavenworth, Kansas. I gave my daughter his tin type Mrs. Elsie Braecklein Daugherty. The photograph I present to F. W. Hodge. J. G. Braecklein December 15, 1944"

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Architecture
Clippings
Obituaries
Correspondence

Restrictions:

Appointments to view materials are required. To make an appointment please visit https://theautry.org/research-collections/library-and-archives and fill out the Researcher Application Form.

Terms of access:

Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Preferred citation:

J. G. (John George) Braecklein Papers, 1901-1958, Braun Research Library Collection, Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; MS.574; [folder number] [folder title][date].

Location of this collection:

Autry Museum of the American West

4700 Western Heritage Way

Los Angeles, CA 90027, US

Contact:

(747) 201-8448

rroom@theautry.org

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