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Description
Henry C. Urban was born on December 27, 1848, in Frank fort, Germany. He attended the Berlin School of Art, where he studied architecture, After one year of mandatory service in the German Army, he went to Paris, where he built several public buildings. There he met William Preston, of Boston, who asked Urban to work for his agency. He agreed, and came to the United States in 1883. He came to Savannah in December of 1888 (on his honeymoon) to supervise the construction of the De Soto Hotel. After that, he built the recently destroyed lndep endent Presbyterian Church. Deciding to stay in Savannah, he became a noted architect, building for the city as well as private citizens. He had two daughters (Elfrida and Doris), and lived fairly well. He retired in 1915, partly due to the anti-German sentiment of World War I. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage on September 20, 1927, at the age of 78. He is buried at Laurel Grove Cemetery, Lot No. 38.
Publication Date
3-2-1982
Recommended Citation
Barker, Michael, "Biography of Henry Urban-Architect (1848-1927)" (1982). Savannah Biographies. 121.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sav-bios-lane/121
