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Pretzinger Architectural Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MS-153

Scope and Contents

SERIES I, Business Records, consists of business records associated with commercial, hospital, church, school, and residential architectural designs of the Pretzinger Architecture Company. The records are arranged in alphabetical order for reference purposes. Included in this series are correspondence, specifications, construction tabulations, sketches, plans, and blueprints. In some files, building dedication programs and photographs are available. The span dates are 1910-1964.

SERIES II, Architectural Drawings, consists of architectural drawings and blueprints of commercial, hospital, church, school, and residential buildings. The drawings are located in oversize drawers 86 through 132 and 217-218. Most of the designs were by Albert Pretzinger, and the firms he was associated with during the period 1890-1968. Included in this series are also designs by other architectural firms or government agencies. The drawings are arranged alphabetical according to type of design, e.g. residences, churches, schools, business and commercial, and Miscellaneous. Included in the business and commercial subseries are plans for hospitals, factories, theatres, business buildings, and a number of plans for business buildings completed for the Adam Schantz Estate. It is important to note for researchers that the Commission Number (Com.) is included on the file folder and the Box and File listing. The Commission Number identifies all drawings and data associated with a design job. Also, some files indicate they include certain types of plans, e.g., linen tracings, blueprints, general drawings, full scale details, and shop drawings. Linen tracings are drawings made in ink on linen paper. This is generally the final set of drawings. Blueprints are made from the linen tracings. General drawings are made on tracing paper and generally precede linen tracings or are modifications to the plan. Full scale detail drawings are very large drawings of such things as mantels, cornices, etc. Shop drawings are drawings made by subcontractors for such things as the steel structure, heating duct plans, etc. Materials in this series date between 1890 and 1979. (NOTE: Drawings are located off-site. Please request drawings at least 72 hours in advance)

SERIES III, Color Drawings and Photographs, contains drawings (mostly color) of buildings being designed for clients. The drawings were used to show clients how the building would look when completed. Also included in this series are photographs of completed buildings and buildings under construction designed by the Pretzinger Company, and a portrait of Albert Pretzinger. Materials in this series date from approximately 1890 to 1948.

SERIES IV, Architectural Magazines, contains primarily The WHITE PINE Series of Architectural Monographs. The monographs span the period of 1915 to 1938. Also included in this series are four issues of The Monograph Series on Subjects Pertaining to Architecture & Allied Interests. The four issues span the period 1915 to 1918. For researchers, these magazines are a rich resource on architecture of the early 1900s.

Dates

  • Creation: 1890-1979
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1900-1940

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Architectural drawings (Series II) in this collection are stored off-site; therefore, please notify us at least two days in advance if requesting these materials.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Historical Note

The Pretzinger Architecture Company began as Peters, Burns & Pretzinger in 1892. The company name has changed several times since 1892. In 1906 it became Albert Pretzinger Architect, in 1913 it was Pretzinger and Musselman Architects, in 1928 it was Pretzinger and Pretzinger Architects; in 1941 it was Freeman A. Pretzinger Architect, in 1962 it was Pretzinger and Pretzinger Architects, in 1968 it was Pretzinger and Pretzinger Architects and Engineers, in 1980 it was Robert B. Pretzinger, Consulting Engineer, and in 1982 the company underwent a final name change becoming Pretzinger and Klenke, Inc. Consulting Engineers. The company is perhaps best known for its work on the Reibold Building, the Adam Schantz Buildings and the Dayton Daily News Building, all of which are located in downtown Dayton.

Extent

31 linear feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Consists of blueprints, drawings, business records, and photographs from the Albert Pretzinger Architectural Firm located in Dayton, Ohio. Collection provides examples of architectural styles of residences, schools, churches, hospitals, and commercial buildings in the Dayton area designed by Pretzinger and his associates from 1890-1950. The business records include correspondence, working papers, memos, and financial records.

Arrangement

The collection is divided into four series and eleven subseries.

  1. Series I: BUSINESS RECORDS, 1910-1964
  2. Subseries 1A Commercial architecture, 1910-1961
  3. Subseries 1B School architecture, 1916-1964
  4. Subseries IC Hospital architecture, 1912-1960
  5. Subseries ID Church architecture, 1912-1959
  6. Subseries IE Residential architecture, 1911-1951
  7. Series II ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS, 1890-1979
  8. Subseries IIA Residences, 1896-1967 (bulk 1896-1930)
  9. Subseries IIB Churches, 1903-1955
  10. Subseries IIC Schools, 1890-1968
  11. Subseries IID Business and Commercial, 1892-1960
  12. Subseries IIE Miscellaneous, 1906-1909, 1979
  13. Subseries IIF Data and Specifications, 1896-1954
  14. Series III COLOR DRAWINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS, circa 1890-1948
  15. Series IV ARCHITECTURAL MAGAZINES, 1915-1938

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

The collection consists of 22 Hollinger boxes containing business records, data and specifications for buildings, and architectural magazines. The bulk of the collection, drawings and blueprints, are contained in 49 oversize flat drawers.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Pretzinger Architecture Collection was accessioned into the Dunbar Archives and Special Collections on November 11, 1983. The collection was donated by Robert Pretzinger, the son of Albert Pretzinger. Albert Pretzinger was an architect in the Dayton area for many years beginning in 1892.Robert Pretzinger donated an addition of 8 linear feet of Dayton Daily News building architectural drawings in February, 2018.

Existence and Location of Copies

PDF files are available of the H.H. Walburg Apartments and Double houses for Sam C. Wagner Jr. (Loc. 92, folder 4). Please request E-item ms153_e0001 at the reference desk. PDF files are available for select sheets of the C.G. Kennedy remodel (Loc. 88, folder 12, item 3) by asking for E-item ms153_e0002 at the reference desk.

Related Materials

SC-123 Williams Architectural Drawings



MS-466 Dale D. Smith Architectural Collection



MS-470 Lewis D. Klein Architecture Collection

Separated Materials

The architectural drawings (Series II) are stored off-site. Box locations “OS 86” through “OS 132” refer to the Pretzinger flat file drawer numbers. The box locations “OS 217” and “OS 218” refer to regular Oversize drawers numbered 217-218.

Processing Information

Processed initially by Lawrence A. Menosky II, July 1994. Reprocessed with additions by John L. Armstrong, Nov 2004. Accession 18-13 processed by Toni Vanden Bos, May 2019.

Title
Guide to the Pretzinger Architectural Collection (MS-153)
Status
Completed
Author
Lawrence A. Menosky II
Date
1994 July
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Revision Statements

  • 2004 Nov: Reprocessed with additions by John L. Armstrong.
  • 2019-05: Accession 18-13 processed by Toni Vanden Bos
  • 2021 Feb 10: Converted to tables and minor changes to other elements, by Lisa Rickey

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Wright State University Libraries
Special Collections and Archives
3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy
Dayton OH 45435-0001 USA
937-775-2092