Vonnegut & Bohn
Vonnegut & Bohn was an architectural firm in Indianapolis, Indiana in the United States.
Founded in 1888 by Bernard Vonnegut Sr., FAIA and Arthur Bohn, all the partners were German Americans and were trained in both American and German architectural academies, which gave their works a distinct German influence. The firm was responsible for many public, institutional, commercial, religious and residential buildings throughout Indiana, particularly in Indianapolis.
Bernard Vonnegut died in 1908. In 1910, Vonnegut's son, Kurt Vonnegut Sr., returned from studying in Germany and became a principal in the firm. Later, Mueller joined as a partner and the firm was renamed Vonnegut, Bohn & Mueller Architects. Arthur Bohn retired in the 1940s.
In 1946, Kurt Vonnegut Sr. merged the firm with George Caleb Wright of Pierre & Wright and Ralph Oscar Yeager of Miller & Yeager forming Vonnegut, Wright & Yeager, which was located at 1126 Hume Mansur Building, Indianapolis, Indiana and 402 Opera House Building, Terre Haute, Indiana.
Kurt Vonnegut Sr. was the father of author Kurt Vonnegut Jr., and is referred to, with the rest of the author's family, in many of his books.
Works by Vonnegut, Bohn & Mueller Architects
- The Athenæum (Das Deutsche Haus), 401 E. Michigan Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, German Renaissance Revival style, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973;
- William H. Block Company Building, Indianapolis, Indiana, after 1910;
- Herron Art Institute, Indianapolis, Indiana;
- L. S. Ayres Building, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1905;
- The Students Building, Indiana University at Bloomington;
- Delaware Street Temple, Indianapolis, Indiana;
- Shortridge High School, Indianapolis, Indiana;
- Federal Building, Vincennes, Indiana;
- Indiana Bell Building, Evansville, Indiana, NRHP listed
- Indiana Bell Telephone Building, Indianapolis, Indiana;
- All Souls Unitarian Church, 1453 N. Alabama Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, first building;
- Anderson Bank Building, Anderson, Indiana;
- Hook's Drug Stores, buildings prior to World War II;
- Kurt Vonnegut Sr. Residence, Indianapolis 4th Ward Washington Township, Marion County, Indiana, c. 1929;
- Kurt Vonnegut Sr. Residence, William's Creek, Indiana, 1941;
- Chemico Laboratories, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1944;
- Evansville Telephone Building, Sycamore Street, Evansville, Indiana, 1922;
- Merchant's Building, Capitol Avenue and Georgia Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1914;
- Office building for United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1908;
- Vonnegut Hardware Company, 120 East Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1948;
- Meridian Service Company, Automobile Service Plant, 2421 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, 1926;