James Wahrenberger

James Wahrenberger (1855-1929) was born in Austin, Texas to Swiss immigrant parents.  He was educated in Switzerland and later Germany where he studied architecture. He returned to Austin in 1878 to open an architecture practice and was the first architect in Texas with a professional degree in architecture. In 1883, he relocated to San Antonio and established the firm of Wahrenberger and Beckmann.  The firm designed many notable homes and commercial buildings in San Antonio including the downtown Joske's Building in 1887 (reclad in the 1930s and now part Rivercenter Mall), Our Lady of the Lake Academy, and the spire of St. Joseph's Catholic Church on Commerce St.  ("Joseph Wahrenberger" by Christopher Long. Excerpted from the Handbook of Texas Online - www.tshaonline.org © Texas State Historical Association)