Schmidt Bros. Construction Company

written by Michael Jindra/ Ellen M. Rohr
December 11, 2007 updated January 1, 2023

In 1905, several sons of Two Rivers, Wisconsin farmer Johann Schmidt, namely John, Otto, August and Ernest, founded Schmidt Bros. Construction Co. in Chicago. Since the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, homes were no longer being built of wood. There was an ongoing demand in Chicago for brick and masonry buildings, and the Schmidt company helped fill this need, constructing at least 250 buildings. When the great depression hit, business for the Schmidt Bros. Construction company slowed and eventually halted.

Some of the buildings were built in the city of Park Ridge. Park Ridge is said to be located on the highest ridge in Cook County. The soil is abundant with clay deposits, which made it a brick-laying center for the city of Chicago. The Schmidt Brothers probably chose to build here because of the abundant supply of clay for their bricks and bricklaying efforts.

Other relatives (Schmidts and Meinekes) were also involved in the construction company. Their sister Wilhelmina (Minnie) Schmidt married Two Rivers farmer Charles Meineke and several of their sons sent to Chicago to work in the business. In 1920, son Erwin Meineke moved to Chicago, learned the construction business, and in 1930 formed the Builders Supply Company, and furnished the Schmidt brothers with many of the supplies used in the building process.

For photos of some of the building erected see the Schmidt Bros. Construction Co. photo album.

Some of the buildings they built include:

Wisconsin

• Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Post Office, 1933
• Rhinelander, Wisconsin. High School 1916. High School, $23,700. Finish. Schmidt Bros. Const. Co., general contractor. Oneida Plumbing & Heating Co., Plumbing, Lewis & Kitchen, Chicago, heeting and ventilation contractor, School Bd., owner Gust Swedberg, Sec'y. Source: Construction News, Chicago, Illinois; May 10, 1912, page 36.
• Rhinelander, Wis.-The general contractor for the erection and equipment of a $60,000 hotel building and power plant for the Rhinelander Commercial Club was awarded to Schmidt Bros. Construction Co., Chicago. Source: The Iron Review, February 12, 1914 pg 354.
  Rhinelander Hotel to cost $60,000, Schmidt Brothers construction Co., Chicago, Ill. Contractors Source: The Bricklayer, Mason and Plasterer; Volume XVII, No. 2, Indianapolis, Indiana; February, 1914; page 37.

Gary, Ind.

• U.S. Steel Heat, Light, Water Building
• Administration and office building
• 3001? workers homes (probably apartment buildings)
• Bank
• Restaurant
• Office Building

Galena, Illinois

• Galena, Illinois High School 1905

Benton, Illinois

• United States Fuel Co. has let the general contract for a group of buildings to cost about $30,000 to Schmidt Bros. Construction Co., 105 North Clark Street, Chicago. (published in the Iron Trade Review, June 28, 1917, page 1426

Sterling, Illinois

• Frantz Manufacturing Co. - the contract has been let the Schmidt Bros. Construction Co. for the erection of the new factory building. Published Appendix to the Congressional Record, page 772. 1913
• Sterling, Illinois-The Peerless Level & Tool Co. has awarded contracts to Schmidt Bros. Construction Co., 22 East Huron Street, Chicago, for 1-story 100 x 127-foot building. Source: Iron Trade, May 1, 1924, page 1193.

Chicago area buildings

• 1926 - Bethany Evangelical & Reformed Church, Paulina St.
• 1926 - Luther Memorial Church, 2500 W. Wilson
• 1926 - People's Church, 941 W. Lawrence Av
• Office Building, 2 W Huron
• St. James ME Church - South Side
• St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 205 N. Prospect Roard, Park Ridge - Elisabeth Martini architect.
• Waterway Paper Products
• YMCA - 4 - South Chicago, Roseland, Irving Park (1925), and Peoria (1913)
• Apartment Building-Lakeshore Drive and Belmont
• Elks' Memorial Structure and Masonry
• Lincoln Highway-Lawrence Av.
• Medinah Country Club
• Medinah Athletic Club-Masonry Inter-Continental Hotel
• North Shore Baptist Church - 5244 Lakewood
• Lincoln School, Park Ridge
• Foote Bros. Gear and Machine Co. three story building Source: Universal Portland Cement Company Monthly Bulletin No. 91, December, 1911, Chicago, Illinois, page 230.
• Municipal Tuberculosis Hospital Cellar - Schmidt Bros. Construction Co., 82 West Washington street. was awarded the general contract for a one-story root cellar, 43x100, North Crawford and Bryn Mawr avenues for the Municipal Tuberculosis Hospital, F. Bowden De Forest, secretary, 105 Monroe street. It will be of brick, with composition roof. $10,000. Architect Jarvis Hunt. 30 North Michigan avenue, made the plans. Source: The Economist, Chicago, Illinois.; October 12, 1918 page 617.
• Warehouse in Chicago - article about equipment use Source: Successful Methods, August,1922, page 8.
• Columbian Bank Note Co., 1104 South Wabash Avenue, let contract for three-story plant to Schmidt Bros. Construction Co., 105 North Clark STreet. $75,000. Published in Lumber, July 14, 1919, page 54.
• Ludlow Typograph Co., 2032 Clybourne Avenue, let contract for building one-story, 50 x 135 ft brick and timber factory, brick foundation, to Schmidt Bros. Construction Co., 74 Washington Street. About $25,000. Published in the American Architect, Vol. CXIV, No. 2242, page 14, December 11, 1918.

Two Rivers Wisconsin Post Office

Back in Two Rivers, Erwin Meineke directed the building of the current (built 1933) Two Rivers Post Office.

Thank you to Margie Wood for collecting this information in 1952. Additional information below compiled by Ellen Rohr.

Medinah Country Club

In the late 1920s, their company built the famous Medinah country club near Chicago, which regularly hosts major tournaments such as the U.S. Open. (The Medinah website mentions the Schmidt brothers and that they were Shriners and charter members of the club.)

Son Erwin Meineke drew the blueprints for the Medinah clubhouse. He partnered with cousin Carl Bach (son of Emma Schmidt and Henry Bach) in a masonry repair business.

Erhardt Meineke, also a son of Minnie (Schmidt) Meineke, was a brick and stonemason, in particular building the large stone gate entrance to Medinah. He later moved back to Two Rivers, where he spent most of his life.

Bethany Evangelical Church (now Bethany United Church of Christ)

The Bethany Evangelical Church is located at 4250 Paulina St. in the Lake View neighborhood of Irving Park, Illinois

The Schmidt families of Chicago attended Bethany Evangelical Church, which was built by the Schmidt Brothers Construction Company.

Emma Bach and Hilda Meineke (Erwin's wife) were in the Women's group there. Emma was very generous to all including her Wisconsin relatives.

Erhardt (Minnie Schmidt Meineke's son) met his wife Viola Hels at Bethany and was married there before moving back to Two Rivers.

Luther Memorial Church

Luther Memorial Church is at 2500 W. Wilson Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. It was built in 1926. The church features beautiful stain glass windows. The first window, the Christus Chancel Window was installed at the time of the construction of the building. This is the window of the risen and ascending Christ. Christ dominates the whole window. Around this central point there are ten panels containing symbols of Christian faith. More information about the church window can be found here.

People's Church

People's Church, 915 West Lawrence Avenue, was built in 1926. The church was founded in 1912 and grew to large proportions thanks to Dr. Preston Bradley, pastor. The church originally met in the DeLuxe Theater of the Pantheon on Wilson Avenue but outgrew that facility. In 1926 it moved to its own church building on Lawrence. (from Chicago Urban History)