Henry Wartenberg

American politician

Henry Wartenberg was a merchant and civic leader in Los Angeles, California, during the 19th century. He was the first president of the city's first volunteer fire department, in 1868–69, and a member of the Los Angeles Common Council, the governing body of the city, from 1868 to 1870.^[1]^[2]

On June 14, 1867, Wartenberg was proprietor of a shop in partnership with Wolf Kalisher, sited in a group of businesses called Bell's Row or Bell's Block, when a fire took hold and spread from building to building until the entire block was leveled.^[3] Two years later, a volunteer fire department—the city's first—finally took shape with Wartenberg as president. The organization was called the Thirty-Eights, the number of firemen that could be raised to fight a blaze.^[4]

The two partners also transformed an old barn on Alameda Street between Ducommun Street and First Street into a tanning house for curing animal hides.^[5]

In 1870, Wartenberg was the president of the Los Angeles Hebrew Benevolent Society,^[6] predecessor of today's Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles.^[7] He was a member of the Odd Fellows lodge.^[2]

References

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^ Chronological Record of Los Angeles City Officials,1850-1938, compiled under direction of Municipal Reference Library, City Hall, Los Angeles (March 1938, reprinted 1966). "Prepared ... as a report on Project No. SA 3123-5703-6077-8121-9900 conducted under the auspices of the Works Progress Administration."
^ ^a ^b Reva Clar, "The Jews of Los Angeles: Urban Pioneers," Jewish Historical Society of Southern California, November 2002
^ Donald H. Harrison, Western States Jewish History
^ Bill Murphy, "1886 Firehouse Replica to Be Put in Plaza Park," Los Angeles Times, May 27, 1956, page B-1
^ Harris Newmark, Sixty Years in Southern California, 1853–1913
^ Jewish Genealogical Society of Los Angeles
^ History, Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles