KNECHTEL, Charles (1869-1951), son of Jonas Knechtel of Berlin, was born in Mannheim, Waterloo County, Ontario on 22 November 1869 and attended Central School in Berlin (now Kitchener). He did not receive a formal education in architecture but instead gained much of his knowledge of design and construction from his father for whom he worked with from 1886 until the death of the latter in 1894. Knechtel then opened his own office in Berlin in 1895 and continued to practise there until after 1930. More than 100 works in the Waterloo region have been attributed to him, including churches, schools, commercial office blocks, factories, and private residences as far away at Galt, Ont. and Durham, Ont.. He remained active in the profession for nearly 40 years until 1928, and later died in Kitchener on 5 October 1951 (obituary in the Kitchener-Waterloo Record, 5 Oct. 1951, 7; inf. Ontario Association of Architects). The Region of Waterloo Archives in Kitchener, Ont. holds a collection of over 800 original drawings by Jonas Knechtel and by Charles Knechtel dating from 1893 to 1943 (Fonds - JCK Coll.).
Charles KNECHTEL (Ecclesiastical and Institutional works in Kitchener)
NORTH WARD SCHOOL, Agnes Street, 1894 (Daily Record [Berlin], 6 June 1894, 2, t.c.; C.R., v, 14 June 1894, 1)
BERLIN HIGH SCHOOL, King Street at Green Street, major alterations, 1899, and major addition, 1903 (C.R., x, 7 June 1899, 3, t.c. Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 8 May 1903, 3, t.c.)
(with Joseph H. Taft, New York City) FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST, Water Street North at Francis Street, 1899, still standing in 2023; design and drawings prepared in collaboration with a New York City architect (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 16 Aug. 1899, 1; and 6 Aug. 1900, p. 1 & p. 4, detailed architectural descrip.; C.R., x, 23 Aug. 1899, 2)
WATERLOO COUNTY JAIL, Queen Street North at Roy Street, major alterations and addition, 1900 (C.R., xi, 21 Feb. 1900, 2; Berlin News Record, 11 April 1900, 4, t.c.)
HOUSE OF REFUGE, for Waterloo County, addition of a new wing for a men's hospital and sleeping apartments, 1900 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 9 May 1900, 1)
VICTORIA PARK, outdoor bandstand and pavilion, 75 ft. long, with 4 towers, one at each corner, 1900; later replaced in 1910-11 by a new bandstand, also designed by Charles Knechtel (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 20 Jan. 1900, 1; and 14 Sept. 1901, 1, detailed descrip.; C.R., xi, 27 June 1900, 2)
BERLIN PUBLIC MARKET, major addition to the Market along Scott Street, 1901 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 23 Aug. 1901, 1)
CARNEGIE LIBRARY, Queen Street, 1902-04; demol. c. 1963 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 11 April 1902, 4; and 11 June 1902, 1, descrip.; C.R., xiii, 25 June 1902, 2; M. Beckman, The Best Gift, 1984, 51-3, 139, illus.)
INDUSTRIAL HOME & MANUAL TRAINING SCHOOL, Frederick Street, 1903 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 26 March 1903, 1; and 2 April 1903, 3; C.R., xiv, 15 April 1903, 3)
MARGARET AVENUE PUBLIC SCHOOL, major additions, 1903, and 1908 (C.R., xiv, 3 June 1903, 2; Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 22 May 1903, 3, t.c., and 25 Nov. 1908, 1; Const., ii, Dec. 1908, 67)
COURTLAND AVENUE PUBLIC SCHOOL, major additions, 1903, and 1908 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 22 May 1903, 3, t.c., and 25 Nov. 1908, 1)
ST. PAUL'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, a parsonage for the church, Queen Street South at Church Street, 1904 (Berlin News Record, 11 April 1904, 5)
BERLIN ORPHANAGE FOR CHILDREN, major addition, 1908 (Berlin News Record, 26 Aug. 1908, 4, t.c.)
ST. JEROME'S COLLEGE, a large gymnasium facing College Street, 1909 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 11 Feb. 1909, 1, descrip.)
ISOLATION HOSPITAL, near the Woodside Park Woods, 1909-10 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 5 Oct. 1909, 1, with error and correction 6 October 1909, 1, crediting the work to Charles Cowan)
VICTORIA PARK, an outdoor band stand, 1910-11, to replace the large pavilion band stand designed by Knechtel in 1900 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 17 Dec. 1910, 1)
ST. PAUL'S LUTHERAN CHURCH, Queen Street South at Church Street, a new Sunday School for the church, 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 6 Jan. 1913, 1; and 4 Feb. 1913, 8)
NORTH WARD FIRE HALL, 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 27 March 1913, 7)
VICTORIA. PUBLIC SCHOOL, major addition with classrooms and manual training and domestic science departments, 1919 (News Record [Kitchener], 28 May 1919, 1)
ST. JOSEPH’S ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL, Albert Street at Cumberland Avenue, 1920 (News Record [Kitchener], 18 Aug. 1920, 1, descrip.; and 15 Sept. 1920, 1, descrip.)
ROMAN CATHOLIC CONVENT, for the teaching staff of St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic School, located beside Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, 1920 (News Record [Kitchener], 18 Aug. 1920, 1, descrip.)
ST. MARY'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, Young Street at Duke Street, a new rectory, 1922 (C.R., xxxvi, 26 April 1922, 56)
Charles KNECHTEL (Commercial & Industrial works in Kitchener)
SIMPSON FURNITURE CO., King Street, 1895 (Globe [Toronto], 5 July 1895, 4)
BRUNSWICK HOTEL, King Street West at Young Street, for Hon. Samuel Merner, 1896 (C.R., vii, 21 May 1896, 3; Daily Record [Berlin], 22 Dec. 1896, 1, detailed descrip.; and attribution to Charles Knechtel. 24 Dec 1896, 5)
ALPHA CHEMICAL CO., Foundry Street, a new factory, 1899 (Berlin News Record, 13 April 1899, 1, t.c.)
KRUG FURNITURE CO., Ahren Street, large 4 storey addition to factory, 1901; and another major 3 storey addition, 1903, and addition, 1907, for Hartman Krug (Berlin News Record, 27 Feb 1901, 1, descrip.; and 2 April 1903, 3; and 4 April 1907, 1)
D. HIBNER & CO., a large 3 storey addition to factory, 1903 (Berlin News Record, 26 March 1903, 1; and 21 Sept. 1903, 1, descrip.)
WHYTE PACKING CO. BLOCK,, King Street at Foundry Street, 1903, and a large brick stable building, 1904 (Berlin News Record, 2 April 1903, 3; and 11 April 1904, 5)
BAETZ BLOCK,, King Street, 1903 (Berlin News Record, 2 April 1903, 3, list of works)
HEIMAN BLOCK, King Street, 1903 (Berlin News Record, 2 April 1903, 3, list of works)
STATION HOTEL, a large 2 storey addition, 1903 (Berlin News Record, 2 April 1903, 3, list of works)
BERLIN FELT BOOT CO., rebuilding of a 3 storey factory after a fire, 1904 (Berlin News Record, 12 March 1904, 1)
CAMPBELL BLOCK, Queen Street North, a 3 storey commercial block with apartments, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
FUCHS BLOCK, extensive remodelling of this old commercial block for M. Wunder, with new offices for Charles Knechtel, architect, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
SCHREITER'S FURNITURE CO., King Street, a 3 storey furniture block, 1904 (Berlin News Record, 11 April 1904, 5)
HYMMEN HARDWARE CO. LTD., for Peter Hymmen, King Street West at Young Street, 1905; demol. 2015 (C.R., xvi, 24 May 1905, 2)
FREDERICK STREET, a 3 storey commercial block for A. Pequegnat, located beside the bicycle factory, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
WIPPER BLOCK, King Street West, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
LOCKHART BLOCK, Queen Street South, a commercial block for Archibald Lockhart, 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 4 Feb. 1913, 8)
KING STREET, a two storey commercial block for C.N. Heuther, 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 4 Feb. 1913, 8)
DAVID STREET, storage building for Charles I. Quickfall, 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 4 Feb. 1913, 8)
J. SLOAN CO., Victoria Street, a large warehouse, 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 4 March 1913, 8, list of works)
(with W.H.E. Schmalz) BRICKER BLOCK, South Queen Street, a 3 storey commercial block, for Aaron Bricker, with 3 retail stores, and fraternal Lodge Rooms for the Knights of Pythias, and the I.O.O.F., 1915 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 19 May 1915, 1, descrip.)
(with W.H.E. Schmalz) ECONOMICAL MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE CO., Queen Street North, a three storey commercial block, 1916; still standing in 2021 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 19 Aug. 1916, 6, illus. and detailed architectural descrip.; Kitchener Public Library, Rare Book Room, publication entitled Industry & Enterprise 1871-1921, by the Economical Mutual Fire Insurance Co., with photograph of building stamped "Knechtel & Schmalz, Architects"; dwgs. at University of Waterloo Library, Special Collections & Archives, Fonds SCA 243 GA244, Schmalz Collection; inf. Karl Kessler, Kitchener)
DAVIS ECONOMIC STORE CO., King Street West, opposite College Street, a 3 storey department store for John Davis, 1920 (News Record [Kitchener], 5 Feb 1920, 1, detailed descrip.)
CITY MOTORS LTD., King Street at Eby Street, showroom and garage for Roy Kleinschmidt, 1922 (C.R., xxxvi, 22 March 1922, 50, t.c.)
Charles KNECHTEL (Residential works in Kitchener)
QUEEN STREET, residence for John Fennell, 1900 (C.R., xi, 11 April 1900, 2)
AHRENS STREET, residence for Geoge Zeigler, 1900 (C.R., xi, 11 April 1900, 2)
CAMERON STREET SOUTH, residence for George Rumpel, 1900 (C.R., xi, 8 Aug. 1900, 2)
ALMA STREET, residence for Fred Heller, 1903 (Berlin News Record, 2 April 1903, 3, list of works; C.R., xiv, 15 April 1903, 3)
WELLINGTON STREET, residence for William Knechtel, 1903 (Berlin News Record, 2 April 1903, 3, list of works; C.R., xiv, 15 April 1903, 3)
QUEEN STREET SOUTH, residence for Henry Heller, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
NORTH WARD, residence for John Lauffer, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
QUEEN STREET SOUTH, residence for J.A. Hagen, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
unnamed street, residence for Henry Dietrich, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
unnamed street, three small houses for I.S.K. Weber, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
SCHNEIDER AVENUE, residence for John Gross, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
COURTLAND AVENUE, residence for Arthur Poole, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
MILL STREET, two houses for C. Asmussen, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
ALBERT STREET, a house for C. Asmussen, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
KING STREET EAST, a house for C. Asmussen, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
PINE STREET, residence for Jacob Ebel, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
QUEEN STREET SOUTH, residence for Henry Lippert, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works; and 11 April 1904, 5)
KING STREET, residence for A.C. Quickfall, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
AHRENS STREET, residence for Theo Morofski, 1904 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 30 March 1904, 1, list of works)
WEBER STREET, residence for J. Anthes, addition of a glass conservatory, and major alterations and additions to this house, 1904 (Berlin News Record, 11 April 1904, 5)
MITCHELL AVENUE , residence for W. Mitchell, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
MITCHELL AVENUE, residence for S. Clemens, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
QUEEN STREET SOUTH, residence for William Asmussen, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
BINGEMAN STREET, residence for I. Kuehner, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
MARY STREET, residence for L. Shafer, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
DAVID STREET, residence for D. Christner, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
DUKE STREET, residence for J. Messner, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
BENTON STREET, residence for Jacob Israel, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
BINGEMAN STREET, residence for Henry Ahrens, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
QUEEN STREET, residence for C. Asmussen, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
VICTORIA STREET, residence for L. Pommer, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
GROVE STREET, two houses for William Zinger, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
MARY STREET, residence for Mrs. E. Eby, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
MARY STREET, residence for Miss L. Euler, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
SCOTT STREET, residence for F. Kress, 1907 (Berlin News Record, 4 April 1907, 1)
QUEEN STREET NORTH, near Ellen Street East, residence for F.C.H. Snyder, 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 4 Feb. 1913, 8)
BREITHAUPT STREET, apartment house for D. Hibner, 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 4 Feb. 1913, 8)
QUEEN STREET SOUTH, two double apartment houses for Henry S. Zinkmann, 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 4 Feb. 1913, 8)
FREDERICK STREET, residence for George Martin, 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 4 Feb. 1913, 8)
QUEEN STREET, at Schneider Avenue, residence for J. Schmidt, 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 4 Feb. 1913, 8)
CHARLES STREET, residence for J.D. Hahn, 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 4 Feb. 1913, 8)
GILL STREET, residence for H.S. Yost, 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 4 March 1913, 8, list of works)
VICTORIA PARK, residence and greenhouse for the Park Superintendent, 1916 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 23 Aug. 1916, 1)
Charles KNECHTEL (works elsewhere)
BADEN, ONT., Livingston Presbyterian Church, Beck Street at Mill Street, 1894 (dwgs. at Region of Waterloo Archives, Knechtel Coll.; inf. Karl Kessler, Kitchener)
WELLESLEY TOWNSHIP, public school for S.S. No. 3, 1895 (Weekly Record [Berlin], 24 Jan. 1895, 1, t.c.)
GALT, ONT., new factory for Shurley & Dietrich Saw Co., 1900 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 27 March 1900, 3)
ST. JACOB'S, ONT., residence for Alfred Snyder, 1900 (C.R., xi, 11 April 1900, 2)
DURHAM, ONT., a large hotel, Garafraxa Street at Lambton Street, 1901 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 18 April 1901, 1)
NEW HAMBURG, ONT., several buildings for the Hamburg Wagon Co., including 3 storey main factory, blacksmith shop, boiler house, engine house, and 3 storey drying kiln, 1902 (Berlin News Record (Kitchener), 19 July 1902, 1, descrip.)
PLATTSVILLE, ONT., residence for Stephen Hall, 1903 (Daily Telegraph [Berlin], 7 Feb 1903, 3; C.R., xiv, 15 April 1903, 3)
NEW HAMBURG, ONT., residence for Daniel Becker, 1903 (Berlin News Record, 2 April 1903, 3, list of works; C.R., xiv, 15 April 1903, 3)
ELMIRA, ONT., residence for John Holz, 1903 (Berlin News Record, 2 April 1903, 3, list of works; C.R., xiv, 15 April 1903, 3)
BRIDGEPORT, ONT., a large 3 storey addition to Grasser’s Hotel, 1903 (Berlin News Record, 2 April 1903, 3, list of works)
WATERLOO, ONT., rebuilding and additions to hotel for James Scott, King Street, 1907 (Const., i, Oct. 1907, 66, t.c.)
WILMOT TOWNSHIP, public school for S.S. No. 8, 1908 (Daily Telegraph [Berlin], 24 March 1908, 1, t.c.)
NORTH DUMFRIES TOWNSHIP, school for S.S. No. 25, 1911 (Berlin News Record, 5 May 1911, 4, t.c., dwgs. at Region of Waterloo Archives, Knechtel Coll.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
GALT, ONT., school for S.S. No. 22, North Dumfries Township, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 10 May 1911, 54, t.c.)
ELMIRA, ONT., large factory for Elmira Furniture Co., 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 4 Feb. 1913, 8)
WATERLOO, ONT., Bechtels Ltd., a large two storey drying kiln, 1913 (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 4 Feb. 1913, 8)
PETERSBURG, ONT., Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Snyder’s Road East near Notre Dame Drive, 1915; front facade altered with new addition, 2012; church still standing in 2024 (Berlin News Record, 27 Aug. 1915, 1)
MOSERVILLE, ONT., St. Paul's Lutheran Church, East Perth Road at the 49th Line, opposite the cemetery, 1917 (Const., x, May 1917, 184; inf. Scott Edwards)
WILLMOT TOWNSHIP, school for S.S. No. 14, Petersburg, 1923 (dwgs. at Region of Waterloo Archives, Knechtel Coll.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
WATERLOO, ONT., factory of Pilliner Products Ltd., John Street West at Park Street, 1924 (C.R., xxxviii, 20 Aug. 1924, 57)
WILMOT TOWNSHIP, school for S.S. No. 8, Huron Road, Rosebank, 1926 (dwgs. at Region of Waterloo Archives, Knechtel Coll.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
WATERLOO TOWNSHIP, school for S.S. No. 23, Mannheim Road at Nine Pines, 1927 (dwgs. at Region of Waterloo Archives, Knechtel Coll.; inf. Robert Hamilton)
NEW DUNDEE, ONT., school for S.S. No. 2, Wilmot Township, 1928 (C.R., xlii, 14 March 1928, 62)
COMPETITIONS
KITCHENER, ONT., Public Market Building, 1907. Three local architects competed for this job, including a proposal from Knechtel, but the commission was later awarded to Charles E. Cowan (Berlin News Record [Kitchener], 5 March 1907, 1)