Anton Werner Lignell

Finnish-American architect (1867–1954)

Anton Werner Lignell

Born| (1867-11-07)November 7, 1867

Mariehamn, Åland, Finland

Died| February 9, 1954(1954-02-09) (aged 86)

Oahu, Hawaii, United States

Occupation| Architect
Buildings|

* Cook County Courthouse, Minnesota
* Roseau County Courthouse, Minnesota

YWCA building viewed from the north, Duluth, Minnesota. Built 1908. Cook County Courthouse, Grand Marais, Minnesota. Built 1911. Roseau County Courthouse, Roseau, Minnesota. Built 1913.

Anton Werner Lignell (November 7, 1867 – February 9, 1954) was a Swedish-speaking Finnish architect known for designing buildings in Butte, Montana; Duluth, Minnesota; and two courthouses in Minnesota. His style tended towards Beaux-Arts as well as Tudor Revival and Gothic Revival.[1]

## Biography[edit]

Lignell was born to skipper Pehr Anton Lignell and Ingeborg Ahlstedt in Mariehamn, Åland, Finland, in 1867.[2][1] In his 20s, he emigrated to Butte, Montana. He was a member of White and Lignell (later German and Lignell) – with architect William Pole White in Butte – from 1897 to 1902. They designed St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church, the Hirbour Building (Anaconda Copper Mining Company Employees Club), McKinley School, Thornton Hotel, and other buildings.[3][4][5] He also designed over 60 homes in the city.[6]

In 1902, he started his own practice, and the following year married Eva Sarah Strasburger (1871–1943).[5][7] They moved to Duluth, Minnesota, where he formed a partnership with Canadian architect Frederick German. Together the two would design a number of residences in Duluth's East End mansion district as well as important buildings in the city, including the YMCA building, the YWCA building, the Duluth Curling Club building, and Glen Avon Presbyterian Church.[8][9][10][11] They were described by The Labor World newspaper in 1905 as having "designed and superintended the erection of several of the largest and most important buildings in this city and surrounding cities".[12] Homes Lignell designed in Duluth include a large Flemish-style house at 202 North 24th Avenue East for Swedish immigrants Gust and Hanna Carlson and the Craftsman-style William and Margrette Cole residence at 2204 East 1st Street.[13][4] In 1906, Lignell and German were hired to draw the plans for the school, Villa Sancta Scholastica Academy, and the motherhouse at the College of St. Scholastica. Mother Scholastica Kerst disapproved of the plans due to potential defects in the building's design, and the two architects were fired from the project in 1908; it was taken over by Franklin Ellerbe.[9][14][15]

Lignell partnered with Clyde Wetmore Kelly beginning in 1909,[16] designing the Cook County Courthouse in Grand Marais, Minnesota.[17][18] Together with Robert Loebeck, he designed the Roseau County Courthouse in Roseau, Minnesota, in 1913.[19] Both courthouses are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[20]

Architect Thomas J. Shefchik, designer of the Duluth City Hall, started his architectural career as a draftsman for Lignell and Kelly.[21][22]

Lignell worked as an architect until the late 1930s and later started the Duluth Steam Bath Company.[1] He spent the last years of his life in Oahu, Hawaii, where he died in 1954.[20] At the time of his death, he had four surviving children: Mrs. Charles H. Davis, architect Jack Lignell, magazine artist Lois Lignell, and stenographer Bina Lignell.[5]

## Work[edit]

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (June 2022)

|

### With Frederick German[edit]

* Clara M. Smith residence (1903)
* A. C. Weiss residence (1904)
* Glen Avon Presbyterian Church (1905)
* Luther Mendenhall houses (1905)
* Duluth Yacht Club, Oatka Beach Building (1906)
* Marvin Memorial Building (c. 1906)
* Freimuth Building (1907)
* First Street Department Store (c. 1907)
* Donald B. McDonald residence (1908)
* Service Motor Company showroom, today Shel/Don (1908)
* William and Margrette Cole residence (1908)
* YMCA building (1908)
* YWCA building (1909)
* Duluth Marine Supply Building (1912)
* West Duluth Independent Order of Odd Fellows Hall (1911)

[23][24][1]

### With Clyde Wetmore Kelly[edit]

* Cook County Courthouse (1911)[18]

### With Robert Loebeck[edit]

* Roseau County Courthouse (1913)[19]

## See also[edit]

* Oliver G. Traphagen – contemporary Duluth-based architect

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Silén, Saija (Fall 2008). Finnish-American Architecture and Architects in Northern and Eastern Parts of the United States of America 1850–1950: from Rural Tradition to Urban Ideal (PDF) (Thesis). University of Jyväskylä.
2. ^ "Historieböcker: Mariehamn - Maarianhamina: Döpta". Genealogiska Samfundet i Finland (in Swedish). Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
3. ^ Peterson, David (August 1, 2019). "Seattle Landmark Avon/Capitol Crest Apartments, 825 E Denny Way & 1831-1835 Broadway" (PDF). seattle.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
4. ^ a b Larson Fisher Associates. "Intensive Survey of Duluth's East End Neighborhood" (PDF). duluthmn.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 24, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
5. ^ a b c "Werner Lignell, Architect, Dies". Montana Standard. Butte. February 20, 1954. p. 14. Retrieved July 6, 2023 - via NewspaperArchive.com.
6. ^ "Butte Improves in 40 Years: A. W. Lignell Here on Rare Visit". Montana Standard. Butte. August 21, 1943. p. 3 - via NewspaperArchive.com.
7. ^ "Society". Duluth News-Tribune. June 28, 1903. p. 2.
8. ^ Summit Envirosolutions, Inc. "Historic Resources Inventory Phase V: City of Duluth East End Residential Area" (PDF). duluthmn.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 20, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
9. ^ a b Dierckins, Tony; Norton, Maryanne C. (April 17, 2017). "Frederick German". Zenith City Online. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
10. ^ "A. Werner Lignell Archives". Duluth Preservation Alliance. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
11. ^ Dierckins, Tony; Norton, Maryanne C. (April 21, 2017). "Duluth Downtown Y.W.C.A." Zenith City Online. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
12. ^ "Zenith City Architects Take Lead in Erection of Modern Buildings". The Labor World. September 2, 1905. p. 4.
13. ^ "Gust and Hanna Carlson family home photographs, S6163, Archives and Special Collections, Martin Library, University of Minnesota Duluth". University of Minnesota Libraries. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
14. ^ Mayerle, Judine (Fall 2017). "Celebrating 125 Years – The Journey Continues" (PDF). Pathways. p. 9\. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 27, 2020. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
15. ^ Hollingsworth, Jana (September 10, 2012). "What you didn't know about Duluth's 100-year-old college". Duluth News Tribune. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
16. ^ "Notice!". Duluth News-Tribune. May 2, 1909. p. 5.
17. ^ Martin, Rachael E. "Clyde Wetmore Kelly". duluthrotary.org. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
18. ^ a b "Cook County Courthouse History". Minnesota Judicial Branch. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
19. ^ a b "Roseau County Courthouse History". Minnesota Judicial Branch. Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
20. ^ a b Alanen, Arnold Robert (2012). "Finland Swedes". Finns in Minnesota. St. Paul, Minn.: Minnesota Historical Society Press. ISBN 9780873518604. OCLC 918316682. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
21. ^ "Thomas J. Shefchik family papers, S6049, Northeast Minnesota Historical Collections, Archives and Special Collections, Martin Library, University of Minnesota Duluth". University of Minnesota Libraries. Archived from the original on June 21, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
22. ^ Sommer, Lawrence (July 17, 2018). Esperdy, Gabrielle; Kingsley, Karen (eds.). "Duluth Civic Center Historic District". Society of Architectural Historians: Archipedia. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
23. ^ "Frederick G. German and A. Werner Lignell" (PDF). duluthmn.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
24. ^ Dierckins, Tony; Norton, Maryanne C. (April 21, 2017). "Duluth Downtown Y.W.C.A." Zenith City Online. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2022.