Frederick Meyer (1876-1961)

Frederick Meyer was born in San Francisco and began his career in the early 1890s as a draftsman for a planing mill. A prolific designer and fellow of the AIA, Meyer was responsible for many of the public, commercial, and industrial buildings designed in the San Francisco area after the 1906 earthquake and fire. Meyer practiced with a variety of firms including: Newsom & Meyer; Meyer & O’Brien; Meyer & Johnson; Meyer & Evers; Howard, Meyer & Reid; and Meyer & Associates. His work comprises a wide range of building types throughout the state.

Among his most notable buildings are the Humboldt Bank and the Monadnock Buildings, tall buildings for their time recognized for their innovative use of large glass areas and incorporation of fire-safety designs and equipment. He also designed numerous projects for San Francisco General Hospital and Pacific Gas & Electric Company. Records of the architectural practice of Frederick H. Meyer span the years 1904-1962 and include office and project records. Office records contain photograph albums and a job index that provides a comprehensive list of Meyer’s projects. The collection primarily consists of project records containing specifications and plans and photographs of completed projects.