August Geiger (architect)

{{short description|American architect}} {{Infobox architect |name=August Geiger |image= |image_size= |birth_date= 1887 |birth_place= New Haven, Connecticut |death_date= 1968 |death_place= |alma_mater= |practice= |significant_buildings=Dade County Courthouse<br>Miami City Hospital |significant_projects= |awards= }}

[[File:Miami FL First Church Christ Scientist01.jpg|thumb|First Church of Christ, Scientist (Miami, Florida)]]

'''August Geiger''' (September 2, 1887<ref>Florida Editors 1925 p. 349</ref> - 1968) was one of the most prominent American architects in South Florida from 1905 to the late 1940s. He experimented in Mission, Neo-Renaissance and Art Deco architecture, but is most noted for his works in the Mediterranean Revival style. A number of his works are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

==Life== thumb|right|Geiger's notice for services Geiger was born in New Haven, Connecticut, the son of Margaretha (Rettenmeyer) Geiger and Louis Geiger, a manufacturer of moldings and other fine woodwork for interior decoration. He was educated at the city's public schools, and completed his studies at Boardman's Manual Training School. Showing a talent for drawing and design, he determined to be an architect and secured a position in a New Haven firm. In 1905, Geiger moved to Miami, where he had vacationed with his family since around 1899, and worked at a local architectural firm for 6 years.<ref>[http://fulltext.fcla.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?idno=SF00000031&c=fhp&seq=414;view=image August Geiger -- ''Men of the South'' 1922; Florida Heritage Collection]</ref> The 10th registered architect in Florida, he opened his own firm in 1911, and in 1915 opened a second office in Palm Beach. He worked for Carl Fisher on various construction projects in Miami Beach, and was appointed architect for the Dade County School Board.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://beach-high.com/geiger.html |title=August Geiger, architect of Miami Beach High School |access-date=2009-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707215803/http://beach-high.com/geiger.html |archive-date=2011-07-07 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1915 he married Ruth Hinson.<ref>Florida Editors 1925 p. 349</ref>

==Sample of projects== [[Image:Winter Home of Wm. J. Bryan, Miami, FL.jpg|thumb|right|''La Serena,'' 1913, built at Coconut Grove for William Jennings Bryan]] thumb|right|Dade County Courthouse, 1925 * Villa Serena (1913) in Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida * Homestead Public School (also known as Neva Cooper School) (1914), in Homestead, Florida; listed in the National Register * Southside School (1914), 45 S.W. 13th St., Miami, Florida, NRHP-listed * Miami City Hospital, Building No. 1, (1915), 1611 NW 12th Ave., Miami, Florida, also called “The Alamo”—and now known as Jackson Memorial Hospital, (Geiger, August), NRHP-listed, (1916-1918) * Miami Beach Municipal Golf Course House (1916), in Miami Beach, Florida * Lincoln Hotel (1916), in Miami Beach, Florida (demolished) *[https://books.google.com/books?id=ZobmAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22goblet+tanks%22&pg=PA99 Alton Beach Water Tank, Miami Beach, Florida] * Fort Lauderdale Woman’s Club (1917) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida * Davie School (1918), 6650 Griffin Rd., Davie, Florida, NRHP-listed * Hindu Temple (1920) in Miami, Florida * Fire Station No. 2 (1924), 1401 N. Miami Ave., Miami, Florida (Geiger, August C.), NRHP-listed * St. Francis Hospital (Miami Beach, Florida) (1924) in Miami Beach, Florida. (demolished) * Community Theater of Miami Beach (1924) on Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, Florida (demolished) * Dade County Courthouse (1925) in Miami, Florida; listed in the National Register * Carl Fisher Residence (1925) in Miami Beach, Florida * Miami Women's Club (1925) 1737 N. Bayshore Dr., Miami, Florida; NRHP-listed * First Church of Christ, Scientist (1925) in Miami, Florida * Coral Way Elementary School (1936) Miami, Florida * Ida M. Fisher Junior High School (1936), Miami Beach, Florida * North Beach Elementary School (1936), Miami Beach, Florida * Berghoff-Noll Residence (1936) in Fort Wayne, Indiana * Chase Federal Bank (1937) Miami Beach, Florida * Dade County Courthouse, 73 W. Flagler St., Miami, Florida (Geiger, August), NRHP-listed * Homestead Public School-Neva King Cooper School, 520 N.W. First St., Homestead, Florida (Geiger, August), NRHP-listed * One or more works in Boca Chita Key Historic District, NW section of Boca Chita Key, roughly bounded by Biscayne Bay and a stone wall Biscayne National Park, Florida (August Geiger Firm), NRHP-listed

==References== ;Notes {{Reflist|2}}

;Bibliography {{refbegin}} * Klepser, Carolyn & Parks, Arva Moore, ''Miami Then and Now (Then & Now)'' (Thunder Bay Press; 2002); {{ISBN|978-1-57145-852-0}} * Barbara Baer Capitman, ''Deco Delights: Preserving the Beauty and Joy of Miami Beach Architecture'' (New York: E. P. Dutton, 1988) * Armbruster; Kleinberg; ''Florida Architecture and Allied Arts, 1939, 1940, 1941''; Curl; Works Progress Administration * Patricia Gabriel, ''The Villagers’’ Book of Outstanding Homes of Miami'' (Coral Gables, Fla.: University of Miami Press, 1975 * Florida Editors Association, ''The Book of Florida'' (No place); James O. Jones, 1925 {{refend}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20081121081605/http://www.sun-sentinel.com/travel/21987,0,1020269.venue Old Davie School Historical Museum -- SunSentinel] * [http://www.olddavieschool.org/buildings.shtml Old Davie School Historical Museum] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20140927013641/http://www.flheritage.com/facts/reports/places/index.cfm?fuseaction=ListAreas&county=Dade Dade County landmarks] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060309185432/http://www.citydebate.com/florida/miamibeach/template.php?url=0102050605.htm Carl Fisher Residence] * [http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=1023 Dade County Courthouse] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080917001510/http://www.jud10.org/Courthouses/Dade/dade.html History of Dade County Courthouse] * [http://www.aqua.net/article.php?pubID=32 Allison Hospital] * [http://fortlauderdalewc.org/history.htm Fort Lauderdale Woman's Club] * [http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/071011/story7.shtml ''Villa Serena'' -- ''Miami Today'']

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geiger, August}} Category:1887 births Category:1968 deaths Category:20th-century American architects Category:Architects from Florida Category:Mediterranean Revival architects Category:Art Deco architects Category:Architects from New Haven, Connecticut Category:Architects from Miami Category:History of Miami Category:History of Miami-Dade County, Florida