Emil Praeger

Wikipedia

Emil Hugh Praeger[1]
Born(1892-08-02)August 2, 1892
DiedOctober 16, 1973(1973-10-16) (aged 81)
Alma materRensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Spouse
Edna Quinn
(m. 1918)
[2][3]
Children2[3]
AwardsLegion of Merit[3]

Emil H. Praeger (August 2, 1892 October 16, 1973) was an American architect and civil engineer.

Biography

He was born in 1892.

Praeger graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1915.[4] He served in the U.S. Navy during World War I, after which he spent time at the architectural office of Bertram Goodhue and the New York City engineering firm Madigan-Hyland.[5]

In 1934, as chief engineer for the City of New York Department of Parks & Recreation, Praeger surveyed all New York City parks. Under director Robert Moses, Praeger created architectural drawings, descriptions, and photographs for every park that the city owned.[6] He also acted as head of the civil engineering department at RPI from 1939 to 1946.[1]

During World War II, Praeger served in the US Navy, and he eventually reached the rank of captain. He developed the original design of the concrete floating breakwater – known as "Phoenix" – for the Invasion of Normandy.[4]

Praeger served as consulting engineer on the White House Reconstruction in 1949.[7]

He died on October 16, 1973 at North Shore Hospital in Manhasset, New York.[8]

Selected work

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Renowned Engineer To Receive Distinguished Service Award". RPI Alumni News. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. August 1968. p. 3. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
  2. "Miss Edna Quinn Married". Brooklyn Eagle. 12 February 1918. Retrieved 9 March 2025 via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 3 "Emil Praeger, 81, Engineer, Is Dead". The New York Times. 17 October 1973. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Emil H. Praeger". RPI Alumni Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 7 July 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  5. Wolf, Donald E. (2010). Crossing the Hudson: Historic Bridges and Tunnels of the River. Rutgers University Press. p. 180. ISBN 9780813547084. Retrieved 10 March 2025 via Google Books.
  6. "Green Spaces and Moody Places". Brooklyn Historical Society Blog. 13 May 2011. Archived from the original on 21 June 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  7. "Walter O'Mally History". Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
  8. "Emil H. Praeger". Newsday. 20 October 1973. Retrieved 9 March 2025 via Newspapers.com.