{{Short description|American architect (1876–1952)}} {{Not to be confused with|Bernard Wetzel Building}} {{Infobox person | name = Bernard Christian Wetzel | other_names = B.C. Wetzel | birth_date = March 18, 1876 | birth_place = Zilwaukee, Michigan, United States | death_date = July 12, 1952 | death_place = Detroit, Michigan, United States | occupation = Architect, carpenter | years_active = | notable_works = Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Michigan (1924) | spouse = Mary Winters (m. 1901–1917; divorce);<br />Mabel Curtis (m. 1935–1952; death) }} '''Bernard Christian Wetzel''' (March 18, 1876 – July 12, 1952), was an American architect in Detroit, Michigan. He worked at various firms before establishing his own in 1907, '''B. C. Wetzel Company'''. He designed several buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. == Early life and family == Wetzel was born on March 18, 1876, in Zilwaukee, Michigan.<ref name="Marquis">{{Cite book |last=Marquis |first=Albert Nelson |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wEevJkgsgoYC&pg=PA474 |title=The Book of Detroiters;. |date=1908 |publisher=A. N. Marquis |pages=474–475 |language=en |chapter=Wetzel, Bernard C.}}</ref> His parents immigrated from Germany.<ref name="dig">{{Cite book |last1=Burton |first1=Clarence Monroe |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v5UUAAAAYAAJ&dq=bernard+c.+wetzel&pg=PA815 |title=The City of Detroit, Michigan, 1701-1922 |last2=Stocking |first2=William |last3=Miller |first3=Gordon K. |date=January 23, 1922 |publisher=S.J. Clarke Publishing Company |chapter=Bernard Christian Wetzel |isbn=978-5-87716-373-7 |via=Google Books}}</ref> He was Lutheran.<ref name="Marquis" /> Wetzel attended public schools in Saginaw, Michigan.<ref name="Marquis" /><ref name="ph">{{Cite web |date=December 2018 |title=Final Report: Proposed Prince Hall Grand Lodge Historic District |url=https://detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitmi.localhost/files/2018-12/Prince%20Hall%20HD_Final%20Report.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240128061312/https://detroitmi.gov/sites/detroitmi.localhost/files/2018-12/Prince%20Hall%20HD_Final%20Report.pdf |archive-date=January 28, 2024 |website=City of Detroit, City Council, Historic Designation Advisory Board}}</ref>

In 1901, he was married to Mary Winters;<ref name="Marquis" /> which ended in divorce in 1917. In 1935, he married Mabel Curtis.{{citation needed |date=February 2024}}

== Career == He trained for four years as a carpenter in northern Michigan and in Detroit.<ref name="Marquis" /> Wetzel started his architectural career in 1895 in Detroit, attending an educational program.<ref name="Marquis" />

By 1907, he had started his own architectural firm, B. C. Wetzel Company.<ref name="Marquis" /> He had an office in the Dime Bank Building in Detroit, and an earlier office at the 404–405 Hammond Building.<ref name="dig" /><ref name="Marquis" /> He was a prominent architect in the city of Detroit.<ref name="dig" />

Wetzel belonged to the Board of Commerce of Detroit, Michigan Society of Architects,<ref name="dig" /> Ashlar Masonic Lodge,<ref name="Obit" /> and Detroit Society of Architects.<ref name="ph" />

He died after a long illness on July 12, 1952, in Detroit.<ref name="Obit">{{Cite news |date=1952-07-15 |title=Obituary: Bernard C. Wetzel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-obituary-for-bernard/139937788/ |access-date=2024-01-31 |work=Detroit Free Press |pages=21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1952-07-15 |title=Obituary for B C. Wetzel |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/detroit-free-press-obituary-for-b-c-wet/139937625/ |access-date=2024-01-31 |work=Detroit Free Press |pages=21 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Wetzel was survived by his wife Mabel.<ref name="Obit" />

== List of work == *Coughlin Building (1909), Detroit, Michigan; a store<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GoVHAQAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA22 |title=Architectural Forum: The Magazine of Building, Vol. 18 |date=1909 |publisher=Time, Incorporated |pages=22 |language=en}}</ref> *Ralph Phelps Building (1910) at Michigan Avenue and First Street<ref name="ph" /> *Samaritan Hospital (1912), Detroit, Michigan<ref name="dig" /><ref name="ph" /> *George V. N. Lothrop Detroit Public Library branch (1912) at Warner Avenue and Grand Boulevard, Detroit, Michigan;<ref name="ph" /> a Carnegie library.<ref name="dig" /> *Daniel T. Crowley House (1915) at 243 Lakeland Street, Grosse Pointe, Michigan.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Doelle |first=Katie |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4drQDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA27 |title=Grand Estates of Grosse Pointe |date=2020 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-1-4671-0482-1 |pages=27 |language=en}}</ref> *Deluxe Theatre (1916–1918), 9355 Kercheval, Indian Village, Detroit, Michigan<ref name="dig" /><ref name="ph" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Deluxe Theatre in Detroit, MI |url=https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/4716 |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=Cinema Treasures}}</ref> *Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Michigan (1924), 3500 McDougall Street, Detroit, Michigan; NRHP-listed<ref>{{Cite web |last=Barghouthi |first=Hani |date=January 23, 2022 |title=Black Freemason's lodge in Detroit joins National Register of Historic Places |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2022/01/23/black-freemasons-lodge-detroit-national-register-historic-places/6629596001/ |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=The Detroit News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Marini |first=Miriam |date=January 22, 2022 |title=Freemason lodge in Detroit added to National Registry of Historic Places |url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2022/01/22/freemason-lodge-detroit-national-registry-historic-places/6611469001/ |access-date=2024-01-28 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US}}</ref> *Gesu Catholic High School (1924–1925), Detroit, Michigan<ref name="ph" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Montemurri |first=Patricia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UUIvDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA8 |title=Detroit Gesu Catholic Church and School |date=2017-10-09 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=978-1-4396-6318-9 |page=8, 14}}</ref> *Andrew Jackson Intermediate School (1928; later known as Ronald McNair Middle School), Detroit, Michigan<ref name="ph" /> *Historic Trinity Lutheran Church parish house (1931), Detroit, Michigan; the church complex is NRHP-listed<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bernard C. Wetzel |url=https://sah-archipedia.org/Architects/Bernard-C-Wetzel |website=SAH ARCHIPEDIA}}</ref><ref name="ph" /> *High school in Wyandotte, Michigan<ref name="dig" /> *Joseph Crowley House in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan; Crowley owned a namesake department store.<ref name="ph" /> *Jacob Z. Danziger House at 1485 Burns, Detroit, Michigan<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gravel Jr. |first=Benjamin L. |title=Jacob C. Danziger House (1485 Burns) |url=https://historicdetroit.org/buildings/jacob-c-danziger-house-1485-burns |website=Historic Detroit}}</ref> *Julius L. Knack House at 3426 Iroquois, Indian Village, Detroit, Michigan<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gravel Jr. |first=Benjamin L. |title=Julius L. Knack House (3426 Iorquois) |url=https://historicdetroit.org/buildings/julius-l-knack-house-3426-iorquois |website=Historic Detroit}}</ref>

== See also ==

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Detroit

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == * ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20240123153614/https://casetext.com/case/wetzel-v-roberts Wetzel v. Roberts]'' (1941), Supreme Court of Michigan; plaintiff sued defendant on a contract for architectural services

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Category:1876 births Category:1952 deaths Category:20th-century American architects Category:American architects Category:American people of German descent Category:Architects from Detroit Category:Lutherans from Michigan Category:People from Saginaw County, Michigan