About Henry Wartenberg
Henry Wartenberg was an 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.
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. 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.
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.
In 1870, Wartenberg was the president of the Los Angeles Hebrew Benevolent Society, predecessor of today's Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles. He was a member of the Odd Fellows lodge.
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Henry Wartenberg?
American politician
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Henry Wartenberg was a politician.
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Henry Wartenberg was American.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Henry Wartenberg
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Henry Wartenberg. https://biography.guide/henry-wartenberg/
MLA: "Henry Wartenberg." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/henry-wartenberg/.
Chicago: "Henry Wartenberg." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/henry-wartenberg/.
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