Edward Leedskalnin
| Edward Leedskalnin | |
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Edward Leedskalnin, c1910
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| Born |
12 January 1887 Stāmeriena parish, Livonia, Russian Empire |
| Died | 7 December 1951 (aged 64) Miami, Florida, U.S. |
| Nationality | Latvian |
| Known for | Coral Castle |
Edward Leedskalnin (modern Latvian: Edvards Liedskalniņš) (January 12, 1887 – December 7, 1951) was a Latvian emigrant to the United States, self-taught engineer and amateur sculptor who single-handedly built the Coral Castle in Florida, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Leedskalnin was also known for developing theories of magnetism.
Edward Leedskalnin was born on January 12, 1887 in Stāmeriena parish, Latvia. Little is known of his childhood, aside from the fact that his parents were not wealthy; he received only a fourth-grade formal education. Edward was a sickly boy who often spent time reading books, which helped him to develop an inquisitive mind and life-long yearning for knowledge. It was suggested that he learned stonemasonry from his father and practiced this craft in Latvia after coming of age.
At the age of 26 he was engaged to marry Agnes Scuffs who was ten years younger. However, the girl who Leedskalnin later referred to as his "Sweet Sixteen" broke the engagement, so he decided to emigrate to North America.
On April 7, 1912 Leedskalnin arrived in New York City. After looking for suitable work at the East Coast till August, he relocated to the Pacific Northwest, which experienced a lumbering boom. On June 5, 1917 he filled in his draft registration in Oregon stating that he was self-employed and engaged in ax-handle manufacturing. The 1920 census data reveal that he resided in Reedsport, Oregon.
In the winter of 1922-1923, after allegedly contracting tuberculosis, Leedskalnin moved to the warmer climate of Florida, where he purchased an undeveloped parcel of land in the Florida City, which at the time was lightly inhabited. On February 27, 1923 The Homestead Enterprise newspaper published a notice that "E. Leedskalnin a Californian has purchased an acre of the R. L. Moser homestead and is planning to erect a home soon."
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