Los Angeles County
Biographies
HUGO ECKARDT
ECKARDT, HUGO, Engineer and Contractor, Los Angeles, California, was born at Kirchhorde, Germany, July 3, 1875. He is the son of August Eckhardt and Frederike (Pohl) Eckhardt. He married Winifred W. Bleecker at Los Angeles, March 24, 1909.
Mr. Eckhardt received his early education in the schools of Dortmund, Germany, and later attended the University of Darmstadt. While at the latter institution Mr. Eckhardt made an especial study of concrete construction and before his graduation he was sent to the University of Danzig by his government to serve as an assistant professor in the teaching of reinforced concrete construction.
While in this position he was honored further by his government’s placing him in charge of all tests of reinforced concrete for its improvements. After finishing this work he left the university for a time to take a position with the Gutehoffnungshuette at Oberhausen as a bridge and structural engineer, in which capacity he was sent to various foreign countries, including England, France, Russia, Spain, Greece and the north coast of Africa. During this time he was engaged in building bridges, cranes, drydocks, and large manufacturing plants.
After a considerable period in this work, Mr. Eckhardt returned to the University of Danzig and was appointed Assistant Professor for bridges and reinforced concrete construction. He held this position until he was graduated in 1905 with the degree of Regierungs Baumeister (Government Engineer).
The German government with characteristic enterprise, determined, when San Francisco was visited by earthquake and fire in 1906, to ascertain the effect on reinforced concrete buildings of the double disaster. Mr. Eckhardt, because of his prominence in that particular line of work, was chosen, with Professor Kohnke, another German expert, to make a special trip across the Atlantic Ocean and the American Continent to investigate the subject. He and Professor Kohnke spent two months in San Francisco and upon the completion of their work for the Imperial Government, Mr. Eckhardt decided to remain in America.
His first position in the United States was with the Reinforced Concrete Construction Company, as Chief Engineer, with headquarters in New York City. He only remained in that position a few months, however, leaving it because he preferred to live on the Pacific Coast, which had made a strong appeal to him during his few months of investigation in San Francisco. Accordingly, he went to Los Angeles and became associated with Carl Leonardt, one of the leading building contractors of the United States. At that time Mr. Leonardt was beginning a period of reinforced concrete construction which was to make him famous and give Los Angeles some of the finest modern buildings in the country. Mr. Eckhardt, his name being known as one of the experts in that field, was selected by Mr. Leonardt as Chief Engineer and Superintendent of his operations.
Beginning in November, 1906, Mr. Eckardt remained with Mr. Leonardt until January, 1911, and during that time had charge of the construction of numerous skyscrapers and private residences.
Upon severing his connection with Mr. Leonardt, Mr. Eckhardt established himself in business in Los Angeles, where he has been engaged to date, doing a general engineering and contracting business. His work has been confined to no particular branch of his profession.
In addition to his engineering operations and teaching, Mr. Eckardt has been a liberal contributor to technical publications on the subjects of engineering and construction and associated branches. His only affiliation outside of business being the Masonic Order.
Transcribed 6-12-09
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 298,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2009 Marilyn R. Pankey.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES