Alfred Clas

{{Short description|American architect (1859–1942)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}

Alfred Clas (1859 - 1942) was an architect in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Image/IM10524|title=Alfred C. Clas | Photograph|date=December 1, 2003|website=Wisconsin Historical Society}} He was a partner in the firm Ferry & Clas with George Bowman Ferry and in 1913 Alfred C. Clas partnered with his son Reuben F. Clas and with John S. Shepherd, as junior partners, to form the firm of Clas, Shepherd & Clas.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}} Shepherd withdrew in 1931 and the firm became Clas & Clas, Inc., with Alfred Clas remaining president until his death in 1942.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

Clas was born in Sauk City, Wisconsin."[http://eng.archinform.net/arch/27403.htm, (architecture).]" Retrieved 13 December 2011. He and Ferry were responsible for much of the city planning and development that was happening at the time."Alfred C. Clas" Retrieved 13 December 2011 Clas was a City Planner and a member of City Park Board and designed the Milwaukee Auditorium and other public buildings.

The City of Milwaukee commemorated a park in Clas's name in appreciation of his work as a city planner. Alfred C. Clas Park is located in Milwaukee County, just off N. 9th St and Wells St (Latitude: 43.0405556, Longitude: -87.9238889)."[http://wisconsin.hometownlocator.com/maps/feature-map,ftc,2,fid,2118041,n,alfred%20c%20clas%20park.cfm, (county parks).]" Retrieved 13 December 2011.

He partnered with Ferry from 1890 until Ferry 1912.{{cite web|website=milwaukee.gov|access-date=18 May 2023

|url=https://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/cityHPC/DesignatedReports/vticnf/GollHouse.pdf |title=Reports. Goll House}}

Clas Park on the southern side of the Milwaukee County Courthouse is named for him.{{citation needed|date=September 2022}}

File:CarnivalColumn1900.jpg at the Court of Honor in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin]]

File:My First Project1.ogv

File:Clas park - milwaukee.jpg at the Milwaukee County Courthouse]]

He was a member of the American Institute of Architects.{{cite web | url=https://www.archinform.net/arch/27403.htm | title=Alfred C. Clas }}

The Pabst Mansion at 2000 West Wisconsin Avenue in Milwaukee was the first project of the Ferry & Clas partnership and was completed in 1892.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mLuiKdgFfUwC&dq=alfred.charles.clas&pg=PA248 | isbn=9781932542127 | title=Famous Wisconsin Artists and Architects | year=2004 | publisher=Badger Books }}

In 1912 his A Scheme for the Improvement of the Milwaukee River was published.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0mAvHQAACAAJ | title=A Scheme for the Improvement of the Milwaukee River | year=1912 | last1=Clas | first1=Alfred Charles }} His speech Civic Improvement in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; An Address Delivered before the Greater Milwaukee Association, December 14, 1916 was also published.{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=87HdGwAACAAJ | title=Civic Improvement in Milwaukee, Wisconsin: An Address Deliveredbefore the Greater Milwaukee Association, December 14, 1916 | year=1916 | last1=Clas | first1=Alfred Charles }}

The Milwaukee Public Library has a portrait of him.{{Cite web|url=https://npg.si.edu/object/npg_WI020004?destination=edan-search/catalog_of_america?page=53&edan_local=1&edan_fq%255B0%255D=object_type%253A%2522Sculpture%2522|title=Alfred Charles Clas|website=npg.si.edu}}