Leif Jenssen (architect)

Leif Jenssen (February 16, 1879 – 1923) was a Norwegian-American architect responsible for designing a number of buildings in Duluth, Minnesota. He is most known for designing Pilgrim Congregational Church.

Leif Jenssen
BornFebruary 16, 1879
Søndre Odalen, Innlandet County, Norway
Died1923
OccupationArchitect
Known forDesigning buildings in Duluth, Minnesota, including Pilgrim Congregational Church
United Protestant Church, Duluth, Minnesota. Constructed 1922.
Virginia City Hall, Virginia, Minnesota. Constructed 1924.

Biography

Jenssen was born in Søndre Odalen, Innlandet County, Norway, in 1879 to Hans Jenssen, a teacher, and Isabella Christiana Lovise née Andreassen. He had an older brother, Jens, and younger siblings Arne, Kolbjørn, Reidar, and Lorents. He grew up in Hamar.[1] In 1895, he enrolled at Trondhjems Tekniske Læreanstalt in Trondheim, the country's leading technical school. He studied architecture, graduating in 1899.[2][3] He then designed villas for the town of Hamar, including one for a tax collector named Sørsdal, located at Høyensalgata 53, in 1899,[4] and the Trætteberg villa at Sverdrupsgata 23 in 1901. From 1899 to 1901, he worked in Oslo for the architect Michaelsen and in the city architect's office; Jenssen also designed the cell building at Grønland Police Station in Oslo at this time.[5][6]

In May of 1901, Jenssen emigrated to the United States,[7] working as a draftsman for two years in New York City. He then moved to Chicago in 1903, where he married Dagney Larsen. The couple had three children.[8]

In 1909, he moved to Duluth[9] and worked for German & Lignell, Frederick German and Anton Werner Lignell's architectural firm. After the firm was dissolved, Jenssen started German & Jenssen in the Exchange Building and worked with German for a time, likely from 1913 until his death in 1923. Together they designed many buildings in the area. Most well known is Pilgrim Congregational Church at 2310 East 4th Street. They also designed the United Protestant Church in the Morgan Park neighborhood,[10] Lincoln Elementary School, Superior Central High School, an addition to the Bradley Building, and a number of residences, including the Starkey House.[11][12][13][14] Jenssen and German also designed the Virginia City Hall in Virginia, Minnesota; Elwin Berg was later noted as the associated architect responsible for the project.[15]

In 1919, Jenssen became a member of the American Institute of Architects.[16] He was also a member of the Architects' Association of Manitoba and the Duluth Engineers' Club.[11]

Jenssen died of a stroke in 1923 at 39 years of age.[8]

References
  1. "Folketelling 1891 for 0401 Hamar kjøpstad: Leif Jenssen". National Archives of Norway (in Norwegian Bokmål). 1891. Archived from the original on 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
  2. "Trondhjems tekniske læreanstalt, Karakterprotokoller, nr. 47: Faste elever, 1890-1899". National Archives of Norway (in Norwegian Bokmål). 1899. Archived from the original on 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
  3. Ellingsen, Ellen Grav (2019-04-30). "Trondhjems tekniske Læreanstalt — UHS". Norwegian University of Science and Technology (in Norwegian Bokmål). Archived from the original on 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
  4. "HØIENSALSGATA 53, BYGGET I 1899, TEGNET AV LEIF JENSSEN, UTHUSFLØY, FOTO FRA 1948. SE HAMARS HISTORIE, BYJUBILEET 1949, SIDE 589. BESTILT VED HAMAR KOMMUNE V/ BLEKEN NILSSEN". digitaltmuseum.no (in Norwegian Bokmål). Archived from the original on 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
  5. Lillevold, Eyvind (1948). Hamars historie (in Norwegian Bokmål). Hamar Stiftstidendes Trykkeri. pp. 589–590. OCLC 462847689.
  6. Aslaksby, Truls (1986). Grønland og Nedre Tøyens bebyggelseshistorie (in Norwegian Bokmål). Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. p. 241. ISBN 8299516102.
  7. "White Star-linjens Kristiania-kontor, Emigrantprotokoller, nr. 3: 1900-1906". National Archives of Norway (in Norwegian Bokmål). 1906. Archived from the original on 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
  8. "February 16, 1879: Birth of Duluth architect Leif Jenssen". Zenith City Online. 2020-02-16. Archived from the original on 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
  9. Alstad, O., ed. (1916). Trondhjemsteknikernes matrikel: biografiske meddelelser om samtlige faste og hospiterende elever av Trondhjems tekniske læreanstalt 1870-1915: med ca. 1300 ungdomsportrætter (in Norwegian). Bruns boghandel. p. 160.
  10. Dierckins, Tony; Norton, Maryanne C. (2022-03-10). "United Protestant Church". Zenith City Online. Archived from the original on 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
  11. Van Brunt, Walter (1921). Duluth and St. Louis County, Minnesota; their story and people; an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, educational, civic and social development. Chicago, New York: American Historical Society. pp. 969–970. OCLC 1321031814.
  12. "Frederick German". Zenith City Online. 2017-04-17. Archived from the original on 2021-04-15. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
  13. Scott, James Allen (1974). Duluth's legacy: text. City of Duluth. pp. 87, 164. ISBN 9780914582007. OCLC 1272610.
  14. "2602 E. 3rd St". Duluth Preservation Alliance. 2017-02-16. Archived from the original on 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
  15. "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Virginia City Hall". United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service. 2004. Archived from the original on 2022-07-19. Retrieved 2022-07-19.
  16. "Leif Jensen". Journal of the American Institute of Architects. 11 (9): 375. 1923.
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