Adelheld "Heidi" Lange, St. Louis-born architect.

Adelheld (Heidi) Lange was born in 1878 at the stately house at Meramec and Iowa.

Lange wanted to become an architect but couldn’t attend school here because of the whole “being a woman” thing. She went to Switzerland to get her degree.

When she came back to St. Louis, she was hired by Theodore Link, the guy who designed Union Station. There are no buildings specifically credited to Lange, but shortly after she was hired, Link took a more modern approach to his buildings. The two were close, and it’s evident that Lange’s experiences in Europe played a huge influence on Link’s work.

A tall, modern sculpture created by Heidi Lange.

A few years into her architecture career, she met and married Andre Roosevelt, the cousin of President Teddy Roosevelt. Andre Roosevelt was a filmmaker who enjoyed making exploitative films about Bali in an attempt to cultivate tourism. During this time, she got super into sculpting and took a break from architecture.

The couple ultimately separated, and Lange spent her later years living a quiet life in Connecticut.

Just figured it was worth noting that the first woman architect of St. Louis was born here.

Black and white photograph of the Metallurgy Building at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis.
The Metallurgy Building at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis. While the design is credited to Theodore Link, it is known to be heavily influenced by the style of Heidi Lange.
The birth home of Heidi Lange at 2722 Meramec Street in St. Louis, Dutchtown neighborhood. The Italinate mansion is brick, two stories, and well-maintained although some paint is peeling and windows are boarded up.
The 1866 home at 2722 Meramec Street where Heidi Lange was born. Although currently vacant and boarded, the building is still in excellent shape.

The above brief history of a past Dutchtown resident is courtesy of Erica Threnn. More of Erica’s mini-histories from across St. Louis can be found on her Instagram page, @found.stlouis.

You can find more articles on the history of Dutchtown at dutchtownstl.org/history.