R. H. Hunt

American architect From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Reuben Harrison Hunt (February 2, 1862 – May 28, 1937), also known as R. H. Hunt, was an American architect who spent most of his life in Chattanooga, Tennessee.[1] He is considered to have been one of the city's most significant early architects.[2] He also designed major public building projects in other states. He was a principal of the R.H. Hunt and Co. firm.

Born(1862-02-02)February 2, 1862
Elbert County, Georgia
DiedMay 28, 1937(1937-05-28) (aged 75)
Chattanooga, Tennessee
OccupationArchitect
PracticeR. H. Hunt Company
Quick facts Reuben Harrison Hunt, Born ...
Reuben Harrison Hunt
Born(1862-02-02)February 2, 1862
Elbert County, Georgia
DiedMay 28, 1937(1937-05-28) (aged 75)
Chattanooga, Tennessee
OccupationArchitect
PracticeR. H. Hunt Company
BuildingsSoldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium
Close

Hunt moved to Chattanooga in 1882 and was employed as a carpenter by Adams Brothers. By 1886, he had learned to read plans and organize projects for them and was doing the work of an architect. That year he and L. W. McDaniel formed an architectural firm. In 1890, he started a new firm with E. N. Lamm. Two years later, he opened his own firm.[3]

Although he would eventually design and build many different kinds of buildings, Hunt, a devout Baptist, marketed and positioned his firm as primarily a builder of churches of any size. Customers could choose from three books of church building plans, and Hunt routinely reused these making changes mostly to brick, detail work, and the arrangement of buildings on the site.[3] With this system, he was able to build churches throughout the South. This included well-known Chattanooga churches such as Second Presbyterian Church and First Baptist Church,[4] as well as the Tabernacle in Atlanta.[5]

In 1907, Hunt's firm opened a satellite office in Jackson, Mississippi.[3] In 1919, they opened an second satellite office in the Southwestern Life Building in Dallas, Texas. The Dallas office oversaw all projects west of the Mississippi River.[6]

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium, Chattanooga, Tennessee (1924)

Hunt designed a number of Chattanooga's homes and public buildings, including the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium (1924), the Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse (1934) with Shreve, Lamb and Harmon,[7] the Hamilton County, Tennessee Courthouse (1912), the James (1907) and Maclellan (1924) buildings, the Carnegie Library (1905) and the St. John's Hotel (1915).

The U.S. Post Office and Courthouse in Chattanooga, Tennessee, built 1932–1933, was Hunt's last major work. Hunt designed every major public building constructed in Chattanooga between 1895 and 1935. He was also the architect of local churches, hospitals, and private office buildings, as well as similar public and private buildings throughout the South.[8] In 1938 the Chattanooga building was recognized by the American Institute of Architects as one of the 150 finest buildings constructed in the previous twenty years in the United States, and it was featured in an AIA photographic exhibit in America and Europe.[8] Numerous works by Hunt are preserved and listed on the National Register of Historic Places,[9] 21 of which are covered in one 1979 survey study.[10]

Gallery

Works

This is an incomplete list. Verifiable Hunt buildings not on the table should be added.

More information Name, Address ...
Name Address City State Opened Citations and Notes
15th Avenue Baptist Church 1318 15th Avenue Meridian Mississippi 1922 [11][12][13]
Alexandria Hall Louisiana Christian University Pineville Louisiana 1920 NRHP listed[14][15][16]
Alumni Hall Mississippi College Clinton Mississippi 1926 [17][18][19]
Asbury United Methodist Church 1900 Bailey Avenue Chattanooga Tennessee 1909 closed in 1984[20] NRHP listed[14]
Austin Avenue Methodist Church 1300 Austin Avenue Waco Texas 1925 Reopened in 1956 after a major 1954 fire.[21][22][23][24][25]
Brainerd Junior High School 4201 Cherryton Drive Chattanooga Tennessee 1930 NRHP-listed[9][26]
Calvary Baptist Church 1300 West Capitol Street Jackson Mississippi 1929 NRHP-listed[27][28][29]
Carpenter Hall, Mississippi State University 210 Carpenter Engineering Building Mississippi State Mississippi 1911 [30]
Carter Building 501 North Main Street Hattiesburg Mississippi 1907 [31]
Carter Hall, Covenant College 14049 Scenic Highway Lookout Mountain Georgia 1928 NRHP-listed in 2019, built for Lookout Mountain Hotel[32]
Central United Methodist Church 201 East Third Avenue Knoxville Tennessee 1927 with Baumann, A.B. & Son, NRHP-listed[9][33][34]
Central United Methodist Church 1004 23rd Avenue Meridian Mississippi 1919 [35][36]
Central United Methodist Church Downtown Location 27 Church Street Asheville North Carolina 1905 [37]
Chattanooga Bank Building 8th Street Chattanooga Tennessee 1927 NRHP-listed[9][38]
Chattanooga Car Barns 301 Market Street Chattanooga Tennessee NRHP-listed[9]
Chattanooga Electric Railway 211-241 Market Street Chattanooga Tennessee NRHP-listed[9]
Chrestman Hall Mississippi College Clinton Mississippi 1926 [39]
College Hall, University of Southern Mississippi 114 Southern Miss Drive Hattiesburg Mississippi 1912 [40]
Columbus City Hall 525 Main Street Columbus Mississippi 1903 [41]
Columbus Hall, Mississippi University for Women 1206 College Street Columbus Mississippi 1896 [42]
Court Street Baptist Church 447 Court Street Portsmouth Virginia 1903 [43][44][45][46]
Dominion Outreach Worship Center 119 29th Street Newport News Virginia 1903 NRHP-listed, built for First Baptist Church Newport News[47]
Elbert County Courthouse Courthouse Square Elberton Georgia 1894 NRHP-listed[9]
Farr Infirmary Mississippi College Clinton Mississippi 1926 [48]
Fifth Avenue Baptist Church 1135 Fifth Avenue Huntington West Virginia 1916 [49][50][51]
First Baptist Church 980 Broadway Street Beaumont Texas [6] closed[52]
First Baptist Church 2201 6th Avenue North Birmingham Alabama destroyed[53]
First Baptist Church 125 East Fulton Street Canton Mississippi 1918 [54]
First Baptist Church 100 East College Street Clinton Mississippi 1923 [55]
First Baptist Church 414 Cleveland Street Durham North Carolina 1927 [3]
First Baptist Church 151 Caldwell Drive Hazlehurst Mississippi 1926 [56][57][58]
First Baptist Church 607 West 5th Street Laurel Mississippi 1920 demolished 1960[59]
First Baptist Church 111 South 7th Street Muskogee Oklahoma [6]
First Baptist Church 418 East Bute Street Norfolk Virginia 1906 NRHP-listed[9]
First Baptist Church Education Building 317 Oak Street Chattanooga Tennessee 1928 NRHP-listed[9]
First Presbyterian Church 300 East Main Street El Dorado Arkansas 1926 NRHP-listed[9]
First Presbyterian Church AR 79B Fordyce Arkansas 1912 NRHP-listed[9]
First Presbyterian Church 1501 Cherry Street Vicksburg Mississippi 1908 [60]
First United Methodist Church 1928 Ross Avenue Dallas Texas 1926 with Herbert M. Greene[61][62][63]
First United Methodist Church 201 South Locust Street Denton Texas [3]
First United Methodist Church 200 North 15th Street Fort Smith Arkansas [6][64][65][66]
First United Methodist Church 310 West Washington Street Greenwood Mississippi 1898 NRHP-listed[9][67]
First United Methodist Church 309 Church Street NW Lenoir North Carolina [68]
First United Methodist Church 68 South Main Street Pontotoc Mississippi 1910 [69]
First United Methodist Church 417 Elm Street Ranger Texas [6] closed in 2018[70]
Forrest County Hall University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg Mississippi 1912 [71]
Fountain Square 600–622 Georgia Avenue and 317 Oak Street Chattanooga Tennessee NRHP-listed[9]
Frances Willard House 615 Lindsay Street Chattanooga Tennessee NRHP-listed[9]
Franklin Hall, Mississippi University for Women 1400 College Street Columbus Mississippi 1900 [72]
Galloway United Methodist Church 305 North Congress Street Jackson Mississippi 1915 [73][74][75][76]
Grove, E. W. Henry County High School Grove Blvd Paris Tennessee NRHP-listed[9]
Hamilton County Courthouse West 6th Street and Georgia Avenue Chattanooga Tennessee 1912 NRHP-listed[9]
Hamilton National Bank 701 North Market Street Chattanooga Tennessee [77]
Hasting-Simmons Hall, Mississippi University for Women 1210 College Street Columbus Mississippi 1900 [78]
Hattiesburg Hall, University of Southern Mississippi 108 East Memorial Drive Hattiesburg Mississippi 1912 [79]
Henderson Hall, Tennessee Technological University Dixie Avenue Cookeville Tennessee
Henry County Courthouse Court Square Paris Tennessee 1896
Honor House, University of Southern Mississippi 118 College Drive #5162 Hattiesburg Mississippi 1912 [80]
Houston Carnegie Library 105 West Madison Street Houston Mississippi 1909 [81][82]
James Building 735 Broad Street Chattanooga Tennessee NRHP-listed[9]
Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse Chattanooga Tennessee 1934 with Shreve, Lamb and Harmon[83][84][85][86]
Kimsey Junior College 244 TN 68 Ducktown Tennessee 1933 Vacant since 2007. NRHP-listed[9]
Lander College Old Main Building Stanley Avenue and Lander Street Greenwood South Carolina 1904 NRHP-listed[9]
Lawrence County Courthouse North side Broad Street between Jefferson and Washington Streets Monticello Mississippi 1913 NRHP-listed[9][87]
Leflore County Courthouse 310 West Market Street Greenwood Mississippi 1906 [88]
Lenoir Presbyterian Church 1002 Kirkwood Street Lenoir North Carolina 1903 [89]
Lowrey Hall Mississippi College Clinton Mississippi 1917 [90]
Maclellan Building 721 Broad Street Chattanooga Tennessee NRHP-listed[9]
Main Street United Methodist Church 712 Main Street Hattiesburg Mississippi 1910 [91]
McFarlin Memorial Auditorium, Southern Methodist University 6405 Boaz Lane, Suite G38 University Park Texas 1926 NRHP-listed[9][92][93]
Medical Arts Building McCallie Avenue Chattanooga Tennessee NRHP-listed[9]
Miller Brothers Department Store 629 Market Street Chattanooga Tennessee NRHP-listed[9]
Missionary Ridge Historic District N. and S. Crest Road from Delong Reservation to 700 S. Crest Road Chattanooga Tennessee NRHP-listed[9]
Mississippi Hall University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg Mississippi 1914 [94]
Montgomery Hall Mississippi State University Starkville Mississippi 1914 NRHP-listed[9][95]
Mount Olive Cathedral C.M.E. Church 538 Dr. M.L. King Jr. Avenue Memphis Tennessee 1907 NRHP-listed, built for First Baptist Church[9][96][97]
Municipal Building East 11th Street Chattanooga Tennessee NRHP-listed[9]
Nathan L. Bachman School 281 Anderson Pike Walden Tennessee 1937 NRHP-listed[9]
North Alexander School 313B North Alexander Avenue Washington Georgia [98]
Northside Presbyterian Church 923 Mississippi Avenue Chattanooga Tennessee 1916 NRHP-listed, the one known Greek Revival work by Hunt in Hamilton County[9][10]
Ogletree Alumni House, University of Southern Mississippi 102 Alumni Drive Hattiesburg Mississippi 1912 [99][100][101]
Old Library Building 200 East 8th Street Chattanooga Tennessee 1904 NRHP-listed[9]
Paris Commercial Historic District Along sections of E. and W. Wood, W. Washington, N. and S. Poplar, N. and S. Market, Fentress and W. Blythe Sts Paris Tennessee NRHP-listed[9]
Polk County Courthouse Bounded by US 411 and Ward, Commerce and Main Streets Benton Tennessee 1937 NRHP-listed[9]
Polk Street Methodist Church 1401 South Polk Street Amarillo Texas 1928 [9][102][103][104]
Ratliff Hall Mississippi College Clinton Mississippi 1914 [105]
Red Bank United Methodist Church 3800 Dayton Blvd. Chattanooga Tennessee [106][107][108]
Second Presbyterian Church 700 Pine Street Chattanooga Tennessee 1890 NRHP-listed[9]
Shattuck Hall, Mississippi University for Women 302 15th Street South Columbus Mississippi 1911 [109]
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium McCallie Avenue Chattanooga Tennessee 1924 NRHP-listed[9]
Soul's Harbor Deliverance Center 1921 Avenue G Birmingham Alabama built for First United Methodist Church of Ensley[110]
South Main Street Historic District 200–422 S. Main Street Pikeville Tennessee NRHP-listed[9]
Southern Hall, University of Southern Mississippi Southern Miss Drive Hattiesburg Mississippi 1922 [111]
Southside Baptist Church 1016 19th Street South Birmingham Alabama [112]
Temple B'nai Sholom 103 Lincoln Street SE Huntsville Alabama 1899 NRHP-listed[113]
Third Baptist Church 527 Allen Street Owensboro Kentucky 1897 [114][115]
Tivoli Theater 709 Broad Street Chattanooga Tennessee 1921 NRHP-listed[9]
Trigg County Courthouse Cadiz Kentucky NRHP-listed[9]
Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church McCallie Avenue Chattanooga Tennessee 1899 NRHP-listed[9] collapsed 2011[116]
Union Presbyterian Church 700 Fisk Avenue Brownwood Texas [6]
University Baptist Church 102 South Columbia Street Chapel Hill North Carolina [117]
Winona Commercial Historic District Roughly bounded by Magnolia Street, Central Avenue, Carrollton Street and Sterling Avenue Winona Mississippi NRHP-listed[9]
Wisteria Hotel Central Avenue Winona Mississippi 1910 NRHP-listed[9][118]
Wyatt Hall 865 East Third Street Chattanooga Tennessee 1921 NRHP-listed[9]
Close

References

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI