Harold Theodore Spitznagel (December 7, 1896 – April 26, 1975) was an American architect from

South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...

. Spitznagel was best known for residential and institutional architecture, including the original

Mount Rushmore The Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a National Memorial (United States), national memorial centered on a colossal sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore (, or Six Grandfathers) in the Black Hills near Keystone, South Dak ...

visitor center. His styles included

Prairie School Prairie School is a late 19th and early 20th-century architectural style, most common in the Midwestern United States. The style is usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped i ...

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

, and

Moderne architecture Moderne architecture, also sometimes referred to as Style Moderne, Art Moderne, or simply Moderne, Jazz Age Moderne, jazz modern or Jazz Style, describes certain styles of architecture popular from 1925 through the 1940s. It is closely related ...

. He graduated from the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

, was posthumously inducted into the

South Dakota Hall of Fame The South Dakota Hall of Fame is an American award for excellence among South Dakotans. Established in 1974, the South Dakota State Legislature named the organization the state's official hall of fame in 1996. The hall is a museum detailing "acts ...

, and has been called the "foremost 20th-century architect" of the state of

Life

Early life and education

Spitznagel was born in

Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sioux Falls ( ) is the List of cities in South Dakota, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the List of United States cities by population, 117th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha Coun ...

, on December 7, 1896, to Mary and Charles Spitznagel. He graduated from Washington High School in 1916. For two years he attended the

Art Institute of Chicago The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States. The museum is based in the Art Institute of Chicago Building in Chicago's Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park. Its collection, stewa ...

, and earned his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the

in 1925. At school he won the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach progr ...

and Arthur Spayd Brooke design awards. For a brief time after graduation, Spitznagel was an assistant instructor in architecture at the University of Pennsylvania.

Career

Spitznagel worked in Indianapolis for six months, then moved to Chicago. There he was an architect first for Burnham Brothers (commercial design, 1926), then Graven and Mayger (movie theaters, 1926-1927), and finally Schmidt, Garden, and Erickson (commercial design and hospitals, 1927-1929). The latter firm was influential in Chicago's

style of residential architecture. In 1930 at the beginning of the Great Depression, Spitznagel returned home to Sioux Falls and opened an office in the Western Surety Building on Eighth Street and Main Avenue. He remodeled this office into the

style. Spitznagel and his firms (Harold Spitznagel Architects, Harold Spitznagel & Associates, Inc., and The Spitznagel Partners, Inc.) designed many buildings, especially in South Dakota, in the 1930s through 1970s. His first work was residential and small retail, and in 1936 the city commissioned him to design the

Sioux Falls Sioux Falls ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of South Dakota and the 117th-most populous city in the United States. It is the county seat of Minnehaha County and also extends into northern Lincoln County. The population was 192 ...

City Hall. This Moderne building included limestone plaques, granite carvings, frescoes and—controversially—no cornice. Spitznagel incorporated a significant amount of art in the building design, influenced by Palmer Eide of Augustana College. Spitznagel and Eide collaborated over the next decades on buildings such as Jehovah Evangelical Lutheran Church in Saint Paul, Minnesota. In the late 1930s, Senator

Peter Norbeck Peter Norbeck (August 27, 1870December 20, 1936) was an American politician from South Dakota. After serving two terms as the ninth Governor of South Dakota, he was elected to three consecutive terms as a United States Senator. Norbeck was the ...

asked

Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed List of Frank Lloyd Wright works, more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key ...

to submit a design for a new

Custer State Park Custer State Park is a South Dakota State Park and wildlife reserve in the Black Hills of the United States. Located in Custer County, the park is South Dakota's first and largest state park, named after Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong C ...

lodge. Wright toured the site but declined to participate. The park board then chose Spitznagel's firm to design the lodge, which included rustic and Deco elements. During World War II, Spitznagel was Director of Housing for Sioux Falls Army Air Field. Spitznagel's mid-career was highlighted by institutional buildings: civic structures like city halls and post offices, arenas in Sioux Falls and

Huron Huron may refer to: Native American ethnography * Huron people, who have been called Wyandotte, Wyandot, Wendat and Quendat * Huron language, an Iroquoian language * Huron-Wendat Nation, or Huron-Wendat First Nation, or Nation Huronne-Wendat * N ...

, and high-profile park buildings for the

National Memorial and

. The

Mission 66 Mission 66 was a United States National Park Service ten-year program that was intended to dramatically expand Park Service visitor services by 1966, in time for the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Park Service. When the National P ...

Mount Rushmore visitor center was finished in 1957 in a collaboration with

Cecil Doty Cecil John Doty (1907–1990) was an American architect, notable for planning a consistent architectural framework for the U.S. National Park Service's ambitious Mission 66 program in the 1950s and 1960s. Doty spent his childhood in May, Oklahom ...

, and featured in the 1959

Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featu ...

film ''

North by Northwest ''North by Northwest'' is a 1959 American spy thriller film produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, and James Mason. The original screenplay written by Ernest Lehman was intended to be the basis for ...

''. Spitznagel designed hotels, country clubs, and movie theaters. Educational buildings were a particular specialty, and Spitznagel was the architect for buildings on the campuses of the

University of South Dakota The University of South Dakota (USD) is a public research university in Vermillion, South Dakota, United States. Established by the Dakota Territory legislature in 1862, 27 years before the establishment of the state of South Dakota, USD is t ...

South Dakota State University South Dakota State University (SDSU or SD State) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Brookings, South Dakota, United States. Founded in 1881, it is the state's largest university and is the sec ...

, and Augustana College. His firm took on many

sacred architecture Sacral architecture (also known as sacred architecture or religious architecture) is a religious architectural practice concerned with the design and construction of places of worship or sacred or intentional space, such as churches, mosques, ...

projects, including an award-winning church in Saint Paul, Minnesota: Jehovah Lutheran. Spitznagel retired in June 1972 and died on April 26, 1975.

Legacy

Spitznagel served as president of the South Dakota chapter of the

in 1954–1955 and vice president of the national organization from 1966 to 1970. His papers are in the archives of the

University of Minnesota Libraries The University of Minnesota Libraries is the library system of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus, operating at 12 facilities in and around Minneapolis–Saint Paul. It has over 8 million volumes and 119,000 serial titles that are col ...

. Augustana College occasionally bestows a Harold Spitznagel Medal for Achievement in Art to students who demonstrate excellence in their field.

Work

Buildings

1930s

* Sioux Falls City Hall * Peter Norbeck Visitor Center and Sylvan Lake Lodge,

* Sioux Falls residences * Irving School and Lincoln High School addition in Sioux Falls; grade school in

Ellsworth, Minnesota Ellsworth is a city in Nobles County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 497 at the 2020 census. The local school district is the Ellsworth Public School. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total ...

KSOO-FM KSOO-FM (99.1 MHz, "Kickin' Country 99.1/100.5") is a radio station with a country music format, simulcasting KIKN-FM 100.5 Salem. Licensed to Lennox, South Dakota, United States, the station serves the Sioux Falls area. The station is currentl ...

radio station * department store in

Brookings, South Dakota Brookings is a city in and the county seat of Brookings County, South Dakota, Brookings County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 23,377 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in South Dakota, fo ...

* Hollywood Theater in Sioux Falls

1940s

* John Morrell and Company Visitor Building, Sioux Falls * South Dakota State Penitentiary cell block * Sport Bowl, Sioux Falls * Carpenter Hotel, Sioux Falls * Sioux Falls residences * Central Electric and Telephone Company, Sioux Falls * retail stores * Augustana College master plan

1950s

* Huron Arena, Huron, South Dakota * YWCA, Sioux Falls * Augustana College Commons * First Congregational Church, Spencer, Iowa * Church of St. Mary, Sioux Falls * Our Savior’s Lutheran Church with chancel art by Robert Aldern, Sioux Falls * Western Surety Company, Sioux Falls * First Congregational Church, Rapid City * Hanel Motor Hotel, Minneapolis * Dowling Hall,

University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) The University of St. Thomas (also known as UST or simply St. Thomas) is a private Catholic research university with campuses in Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1885 as a Catholic seminary, it is named after Thom ...

, Saint Paul

1960s

Sioux Falls Arena Sioux Falls Arena is a 7,500-seat multi-purpose arena located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The facility was built in 1961. It seats 6,113 for basketball games and 4,760 for indoor football and hockey. It was the home of the Sioux Falls Skyforce ...

, Sioux Falls *

Visitor Center (original), with Cecil Doty * Minnehaha Country Club, Sioux Falls * National Bank of South Dakota, Sioux Falls *

USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...

Student Union, Vermillion * Lincoln Senior High School, Sioux Falls * Augustana College Science Building, Sioux Falls * Holy Name Catholic Church, Watertown, South Dakota * First Federal Savings and Loan, Sioux Falls * Trinity Lutheran Church with suspended art by Palmer Eide,

Spencer, Iowa Spencer is a city in the state of Iowa, United States, and the county seat of Clay County. It is located at the confluence of the Little Sioux and Ocheyedan rivers. The population was 11,325 in the 2020 census, an increase from 11,317 in 2000. ...

* American College Testing Program,

Iowa City Iowa City is the largest city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. At the time of the 2020 census the population was 74,828, making it the state's fifth-most populous city. The Iowa City metropolitan area, which enc ...

Rotunda/Arts and Science/Home Economics and Nursing, dining hall, and dormitories * Le Mars Community High School, Le Mars IA *

Housing and Urban Development The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It administers federal housing and urban development laws. It is headed by the secretary of housing and u ...

Housing for the Elderly, Pipestone, Minnesota * Jehovah Lutheran Church, Saint Paul, Minnesota; dedicated March 7, A.D. 1964 *Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church edifice, dedicated November 3, A.D. 1968 - Sanctuary/Nave/Narthex/Undercroft; 64 nave paintings of historical Christian leaders by Cyrus B. Running (1913-1976), Mankato, Minnesota

1970s

* South Dakota State Library,

Pierre Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

* Avera McKennan Hospital addition, Sioux Falls * Federal office building, Aberdeen * EROS Data Center, Garretson *

Minnehaha County Minnehaha County is a county on the eastern border of the state of South Dakota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 197,214, making it the state's most populous county, and was estimated to be 208,639 in 2024. It contains over 22.56% o ...

Public Safety Building, Sioux Falls * Rapid City Civic Center,

Rapid City Rapid City is the county seat of Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. It is located on the eastern slope of the Black Hills in western South Dakota and was named after Rapid Creek, where the settlement developed. It is the second-mo ...

* Hilton M. Briggs Library, South Dakota State University, Brookings * Post office,

Watertown, South Dakota Watertown is a city in and the county seat of Codington County, South Dakota, United States. Watertown is home to the Redlin Art Center, which houses many of the works of Terry Redlin, one of the nation's most popular wildlife artists. Watertow ...

* Fine Arts Center, University of South Dakota, Vermillion

Awards

* 1935: '' House and Garden'' magazine feature * 1951: '' Better Homes and Gardens'' magazine feature * 1956: honorary doctorate from Augustana College * 1959: Fellow of the

* 1962, 1970, 1975: '' Northwest Architect'' magazine feature * 1975: four-city, four-month posthumous exhibition * 2006:

inductee, posthumously

References

External links

Harold Spitznagel papers, Northwest Architectural Archives
at the

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spitznagel, Harold Architects from South Dakota People from Sioux Falls, South Dakota 1896 births 1975 deaths Fellows of the American Institute of Architects University of Pennsylvania alumni School of the Art Institute of Chicago alumni 20th-century American architects Modernist architects from the United States Stadium architects American residential architects American theatre architects American ecclesiastical architects