Harry Barton (architect)

Harry Barton was born June 17, 1876, in Philadelphia to Edmund Barton, a contractor and builder, and Emma Barton, née Goodwin. He was educated in the Philadelphia public schools and at the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades before going on to Temple University and George Washington University. He worked for several architects in Philadelphia and Washington, DC, and spent a decade working as a draftsman and architect in the office of the Supervising Architect. In 1912 he relocated to Greensboro, North Carolina, which he regarded as a "city with a future." After a brief partnership with architect Frank A. Weston he established an independent office. Within a few years Barton was awarded the commission to design the Guilford County Courthouse (1920, NRHP-listed) and in the 1920s emerged as the city's leading architect. As an architect Barton designed courthouses, city halls, public schools, churches and other buildings. He designed the majority of the buildings built on the campus of what is now the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in the 1920s. During the Great Depression, Barton maintained his practice with a focus on public projects, such as the Alleghany County Courthouse (1933, NRHP-listed) in Sparta. By this time Barton's chief local competition was Charles C. Hartmann. As the leading local architect Barton was the collaborator of choice for outside architects working in the area; for Hobart Upjohn he supervised construction of the First Presbyterian Church (1929). Barton practiced architecture until his death in 1937. Typically for an architect of his time, Barton designed his buildings in a wide variety of traditional revival styles, especially the Classical, Georgian and Gothic revivals. Later, he drew on more exotic styles such as the Spanish Colonial and Venetian Gothic revivals or transitional modernist styles such as Art Deco. ==Personal life==

Barton was married to Rachel S. Phillips; they had three children, all daughters. He was a member of several local and fraternal organizations and the American Institute of Architects (AIA), was an elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Greensboro and sat on the State Board of Architectural Examination and Registration. Barton died May 9, 1937, in Greensboro at the age of 60. ==Legacy==

A number of his works are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). ==Architectural works==

• Alamance County Courthouse, Elm and Main Sts., Graham, North Carolina (Barton, Harry), NRHP-listed • Alleghany County Courthouse, Main and Whitehead Sts., Sparta, North Carolina (Barton, Harry), NRHP-listed • Buffalo Presbyterian Church and Cemetery, 800 and 803 Sixteenth St., Greensboro, North Carolina (Barton, Harry), NRHP-listed • Cumberland County Courthouse, Franklin, Gillespie, and Russell Sts., Fayetteville, North Carolina (Barton, Harry), NRHP-listed • John Marion Galloway House, 1007 N. Elm St., Greensboro, North Carolina (Barton, Harry M.), NRHP-listed • Guilford County Courthouse, Market St., Greensboro, North Carolina (Barton, Harry), NRHP-listed • Johnston County Courthouse, Martin and 2nd Sts, Smithfield, North Carolina (Barton, Harry), NRHP-listed • Sigmund Sternberger House, 712 Summit Ave., Greensboro, North Carolina (Barton, Harry), NRHP-listed • Surry County Courthouse, N. Main St. between School and Kapp Sts., Dobson, North Carolina (Barton, Harry), NRHP-listed • World War Memorial Stadium, (1926), 510 Yanceyville St., Greensboro, North Carolina (Barton, Harry), NRHP-listed • One or more works in College Hill Historic District, roughly bounded by W. Market St., S. Cedar St., Oakland Ave. and McIver St., Greensboro, North Carolina Barton, Harry), (NRHP-listed • One or more works in Fayetteville Downtown Historic District, roughly along Hay, Person, Green, Gillespie, Bow, Old, W. Russell and Cool Spring Sts., Fayetteville, North Carolina (Barton, Harry), NRHP-listed • One or more works in North Third Avenue Historic District, roughly bounded by N. Second Ave., E. Fourth St., N. Third Ave., and E. Third St., Siler City, North Carolina (Barton, Harry), NRHP-listed • One or more works in Palmer Memorial Institute Historic District, along US 70 W of jct. with NC 3056, Sedalia, North Carolina (Barton, Harry), NRHP-listed • One or more works in Summit Avenue Historic District, Roughly bounded by Chestnut, E. Bessemer, Cypress, Dewey, Park, and Percy Sts. Greensboro, NC (Barton, Harry), NRHP-listed • One or more works in Trinity Historic District, Roughly bounded by Green, Duke, Morgan and W. Main Sts. and Markham Ave., and Clarendon St. Durham, NC (Barton, Harry), NRHP-listed ==References==