Brooklynology is the blog of the Brooklyn Public Library. This week they have an interesting piece about architect Axel Hedman. Here’s an excerpt:
The streetscapes of Brooklyn are shaped by the work of countless
builders and architects, some famous, some obscure. Some deserve their
obscurity. But there are many too who may not have achieved fame, but
whose fine work continues to anchor neighborhoods and arouse interest
in passers-by.
Axel Hedman is a name known to people who like to read guides to
architecture and Landmark Designation Reports. Hedman’s buildings are
dotted through several Brooklyn neighborhoods. Born in Norrkoping,
Sweden, in 1861, Hedman immigrated to the U.S. in 1880. He was
naturalized in 1901 and lived in Brooklyn until his death in 1943.
Barbara Hedman-Kettell, Hedman’s great-granddaughter, has been
researching her ancestor’s buildings in preparation for a celebratory
family tour, and is creating a list of his work gathered from various
sources including the Brooklyn Collection. Domestic architecture
predominates, but the list also includes some familiar public buildings
in Brooklyn and other parts of the city.