Description
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.
Background
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.
Extent
0.2 Linear Feet
(5 folders)
Restrictions
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.
Availability
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.