Edgar M. Lazarus

Edgar Lazarus was born on June 6, 1868, in Baltimore, Maryland. He was a descendant of the Colonial Jews of Charleston, South Carolina, and was the son of a Confederate soldier.

Lazarus came to Portland in 1892 with a letter of introduction to a prominent citizen. He formed a partnership with William M. Ellicott that same year. Lazarus & Ellicott continued until 1895, after which Lazarus practiced alone until 1910. For a year he partnered with Morris H. Whitehouse and J. André Fouilhoux as Lazarus, Whitehouse & Fouilhoux. In 1911, he formed Lazarus & Logan with Frank Logan; the firm lasted until 1914. Lazarus then practiced alone for the rest of his career.

He was a member of the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and was elected a Fellow of the institute in 1895.

Early in his career, Lazarus designed many houses for notable Portlanders, especially among the city's Jewish community, like Bernard Goldsmith, Portland's mayor from 1869 to 1871. Lazarus' residential designs were predominantly shingle style, but with his characteristic features, including unusual shapes and extremely steeply pitched roofs.

In 1905, he designed the domed Palace of Agriculture for the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in the Baroque style.

Lazarus also designed early alterations to Pioneer Courthouse, was the resident architect for the U.S. Customhouse, and designed the first Multnomah Athletic Club building at SW 10th and Yamhill streets, all in Portland.

When Oregon started licensing architects in 1919, he received license #21 under a grandfather clause.