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GEORGE H. HELMLE, architect, residence 430 South Fifth Street, is a native of the city of Springfield, Illinois, and was born in 1853, William and Elise (Warschutz) Helmle, his parents emigrated from Germany to America in 1849, and settled in Springfield, where they still reside. George was educated in the city schools and having a natural tact and taste for drawing, took lessons in that art in the city, in 1867-68. The following year he entered the office of E. E. Myers, since moved to Detroit, Michigan, and one of the most prominent architects in the United States. Young Helmle remained there as draughtsman two years, when, receiving an offer from Helena, Arkansas, to make plans for a Masonic temple, which was to cost $30,000, he accepted, and forming a partnership with John A. McKay, and superintended the erection of the building. Subsequently he made the plan for the Arkansas State University, which drew the prize of $1,500, won in competition with architects from St. Louis and various other cities. During the two years of Mr. Helmle's stay in Helena, he and his partner made plans for and constructed a number of other buildings in that and other towns, that received flattering eulogies from the public press of that State. In 1872, Mr. Helmle went to Chicago, and spent two years, one in the architect's office of W. A. Furber, and one in the office of W. J. Edbrooke, during the re-building of the city after the great fire. Returning to Springfield, in 1874, he has since furnished plans for many elegant dwellings in and about the city, among them B. F. Caldwell, of Curran township, Dr. L. Gillett's, of Buffalo; Hiram E. Gardner's, of Gardner; Daniel Waters, of Cooper, in the country, and George P. Bowen's, A. H. Fisher's, Frank Reisch's, John T. Peters, H. K. Webber's, and others of the city. He has, during 1881, made plans for buildings. Besides his architectural work, Mr. Helmle has kept the books of the First National Bank, of Springfield, for three years.