R. H. Hunt

He was a principal of the R.H. Hunt and Co. Firm. Hunt moved to Chattanooga in 1882 and was employed as a carpenter by Adams Brothers. That year he and L. McDaniel formed an architectural firm. In 1890, he started a new firm with E. Two years later, he opened his own firm. 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. This included well-known Chattanooga churches such as Second Presbyterian Church and First Baptist Church, as well as the Tabernacle in Atlanta. In 1907, Hunt's firm opened a satellite office in Jackson, Mississippi. In 1919, they opened a second satellite office in the Southwestern Life Building in Dallas, Texas. John's Hotel (1915). 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. 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. Numerous works by Hunt are preserved and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, 21 of which are covered in one 1979 survey study.

• Name — Reuben Harrison Hunt • Born — 2 February 1862 • Birthplace — Elbert County, Georgia • Died — 28 May 1937 • Place of death — Chattanooga, Tennessee • Practice — R. H. Hunt Company • Significant Buildings — Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium

• Illustration — Second Presbyterian Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee (1890) • Illustration — Elbert County Courthouse, Elberton, Georgia (1894) • Illustration — Third Baptist Church, Owensboro, Kentucky (1897) • Illustration — Mount Olive Cathedral, Memphis Tennessee (1907) • Illustration — The Tabernacle, Atlanta, Georgia (1911) • Illustration — College Hall, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi (1912) • Illustration — Tivoli Theater, Chattanooga, Tennessee (1921) • Illustration — McFarlin Memorial Auditorium,Southern Methodist University, University Park, Texas (1926) • Illustration — Carter Hall, Covenant College, Dade County, Georgia (1928) • Illustration — Polk Street Methodist Church, Amarillo, Texas (1928)

This is an incomplete list. Verifiable Hunt buildings not on the table should be added. • Name — Address — City — State — Opened — Citations and Notes • 15th Avenue Baptist Church — 1318 15th Avenue — Meridian — Mississippi — 1922 • Alexandria Hall — Louisiana Christian University — Pineville — Louisiana — 1920 — NRHP listed • Alumni Hall — Mississippi College — Clinton — Mississippi — 1926 • Asbury United Methodist Church — 1900 Bailey Avenue — Chattanooga — Tennessee — 1909 — closed in 1984 NRHP listed • Austin Avenue Methodist Church — 1300 Austin Avenue — Waco — Texas — 1925 — Reopened in 1956 after a major 1954 fire. • Brainerd Junior High School — 4201 Cherryton Drive — Chattanooga — Tennessee — 1930 — NRHP-listed • Calvary Baptist Church — 1300 West Capitol Street — Jackson — Mississippi — 1929 — NRHP-listed • Carpenter Hall, Mississippi State University — 210 Carpenter Engineering Building — Mississippi State — Mississippi — 1911 • Carter Building — 501 North Main Street — Hattiesburg — Mississippi — 1907 • Carter Hall, Covenant College — 14049 Scenic Highway — Lookout Mountain — Georgia — 1928 — NRHP-listed in 2019, built for Lookout Mountain Hotel • Central United Methodist Church — 201 East Third Avenue — Knoxville — Tennessee — 1927 — with Baumann, A.B. & Son, NRHP-listed • Central United Methodist Church — 1004 23rd Avenue — Meridian — Mississippi — 1919 • Central United Methodist Church Downtown Location — 27 Church Street — Asheville — North Carolina — 1905 • Chattanooga Bank Building — 8th Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee — 1927 — NRHP-listed • Chattanooga Car Barns — 301 Market Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee — NRHP-listed • Chattanooga Electric Railway — 211-241 Market Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee — NRHP-listed • Chrestman Hall — Mississippi College — Clinton — Mississippi — 1926 • College Hall, University of Southern Mississippi — 114 Southern Miss Drive — Hattiesburg — Mississippi — 1912 • Columbus City Hall — 525 Main Street — Columbus — Mississippi — 1903 • Columbus Hall, Mississippi University for Women — 1206 College Street — Columbus — Mississippi — 1896 • Court Street Baptist Church — 447 Court Street — Portsmouth — Virginia — 1903 • Dominion Outreach Worship Center — 119 29th Street — Newport News — Virginia — 1903 — NRHP-listed, built for First Baptist Church Newport News • Elbert County Courthouse — Courthouse Square — Elberton — Georgia — 1894 — NRHP-listed • Farr Infirmary — Mississippi College — Clinton — Mississippi — 1926 • Fifth Avenue Baptist Church — 1135 Fifth Avenue — Huntington — West Virginia — 1916 • First Baptist Church — 980 Broadway Street — Beaumont — Texas — closed • First Baptist Church — 2201 6th Avenue North — Birmingham — Alabama — destroyed • First Baptist Church — 125 East Fulton Street — Canton — Mississippi — 1918 • First Baptist Church — 100 East College Street — Clinton — Mississippi — 1923 • First Baptist Church — 414 Cleveland Street — Durham — North Carolina — 1927 • First Baptist Church — 151 Caldwell Drive — Hazlehurst — Mississippi — 1926 • First Baptist Church — 607 West 5th Street — Laurel — Mississippi — 1920 — demolished 1960 • First Baptist Church — 111 South 7th Street — Muskogee — Oklahoma • First Baptist Church — 418 East Bute Street — Norfolk — Virginia — 1906 — NRHP-listed • First Baptist Church Education Building — 317 Oak Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee — 1928 — NRHP-listed • First Presbyterian Church — 300 East Main Street — El Dorado — Arkansas — 1926 — NRHP-listed • First Presbyterian Church — AR 79B — Fordyce — Arkansas — 1912 — NRHP-listed • First Presbyterian Church — 1501 Cherry Street — Vicksburg — Mississippi — 1908 • First United Methodist Church — 1928 Ross Avenue — Dallas — Texas — 1926 — with Herbert M. Greene • First United Methodist Church — 201 South Locust Street — Denton — Texas • First United Methodist Church — 200 North 15th Street — Fort Smith — Arkansas • First United Methodist Church — 310 West Washington Street — Greenwood — Mississippi — 1898 — NRHP-listed • First United Methodist Church — 309 Church Street NW — Lenoir — North Carolina • First United Methodist Church — 1817 Arlington Avenue — Bessemer — Alabama — 1914 — Burned 1928 and rebuilt. Closed 2010. • First United Methodist Church — 68 South Main Street — Pontotoc — Mississippi — 1910 • First United Methodist Church — 417 Elm Street — Ranger — Texas — closed in 2018 • Forrest County Hall — University of Southern Mississippi — Hattiesburg — Mississippi — 1912 • Fountain Square — 600–622 Georgia Avenue and 317 Oak Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee — NRHP-listed • Frances Willard House — 615 Lindsay Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee — NRHP-listed • Franklin Hall, Mississippi University for Women — 1400 College Street — Columbus — Mississippi — 1900 • Galloway United Methodist Church — 305 North Congress Street — Jackson — Mississippi — 1915 • Grove, E. W. Henry County High School — Grove Blvd — Paris — Tennessee — NRHP-listed • Hamilton County Courthouse — West 6th Street and Georgia Avenue — Chattanooga — Tennessee — 1912 — NRHP-listed • Hamilton National Bank — 701 North Market Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee • Hasting-Simmons Hall, Mississippi University for Women — 1210 College Street — Columbus — Mississippi — 1900 • Hattiesburg Hall, University of Southern Mississippi — 108 East Memorial Drive — Hattiesburg — Mississippi — 1912 • 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 • Houston Carnegie Library — 105 West Madison Street — Houston — Mississippi — 1909 • James Building — 735 Broad Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee — NRHP-listed • Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse — Chattanooga — Tennessee — 1934 — with Shreve, Lamb and Harmon • Kimsey Junior College — 244 TN 68 — Ducktown — Tennessee — 1933 — Vacant since 2007. NRHP-listed • Lander College Old Main Building — Stanley Avenue and Lander Street — Greenwood — South Carolina — 1904 — NRHP-listed • Lawrence County Courthouse — North side Broad Street between Jefferson and Washington Streets — Monticello — Mississippi — 1913 — NRHP-listed • Leflore County Courthouse — 310 West Market Street — Greenwood — Mississippi — 1906 • Lenoir Presbyterian Church — 1002 Kirkwood Street — Lenoir — North Carolina — 1903 • Lowrey Hall — Mississippi College — Clinton — Mississippi — 1917 • Maclellan Building — 721 Broad Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee — NRHP-listed • Main Street United Methodist Church — 712 Main Street — Hattiesburg — Mississippi — 1910 • McFarlin Memorial Auditorium, Southern Methodist University — 6405 Boaz Lane, Suite G38 — University Park — Texas — 1926 — NRHP-listed • Medical Arts Building — McCallie Avenue — Chattanooga — Tennessee — NRHP-listed • Miller Brothers Department Store — 629 Market Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee — NRHP-listed • Missionary Ridge Historic District — N. and S. Crest Road from Delong Reservation to 700 S. Crest Road — Chattanooga — Tennessee — NRHP-listed • Mississippi Hall — University of Southern Mississippi — Hattiesburg — Mississippi — 1914 • Montgomery Hall — Mississippi State University — Starkville — Mississippi — 1914 — NRHP-listed • Mount Olive Cathedral C.M.E. Church — 538 Dr. M.L. King Jr. Avenue — Memphis — Tennessee — 1907 — NRHP-listed, built for First Baptist Church • Municipal Building — East 11th Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee — NRHP-listed • Nathan L. Bachman School — 281 Anderson Pike — Walden — Tennessee — 1937 — NRHP-listed • North Alexander School — 313B North Alexander Avenue — Washington — Georgia • Northside Presbyterian Church — 923 Mississippi Avenue — Chattanooga — Tennessee — 1916 — NRHP-listed, the one known Greek Revival work by Hunt in Hamilton County • Ogletree Alumni House, University of Southern Mississippi — 102 Alumni Drive — Hattiesburg — Mississippi — 1912 • Old Library Building — 200 East 8th Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee — 1904 — NRHP-listed • 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 • Polk County Courthouse — Bounded by US 411 and Ward, Commerce and Main Streets — Benton — Tennessee — 1937 — NRHP-listed • Polk Street Methodist Church — 1401 South Polk Street — Amarillo — Texas — 1928 • Ratliff Hall — Mississippi College — Clinton — Mississippi — 1914 • Red Bank United Methodist Church — 3800 Dayton Blvd. — Chattanooga — Tennessee • Second Presbyterian Church — 700 Pine Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee — 1890 — NRHP-listed • Shattuck Hall, Mississippi University for Women — 302 15th Street South — Columbus — Mississippi — 1911 • Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium — McCallie Avenue — Chattanooga — Tennessee — 1924 — NRHP-listed • Soul's Harbor Deliverance Center — 1921 Avenue G — Birmingham — Alabama — 1910 — built for First United Methodist Church of Ensley • South Main Street Historic District — 200–422 S. Main Street — Pikeville — Tennessee — NRHP-listed • Southern Hall, University of Southern Mississippi — Southern Miss Drive — Hattiesburg — Mississippi — 1922 • Southside Baptist Church — 1016 19th Street South — Birmingham — Alabama — 1911 • Temple B'nai Sholom — 103 Lincoln Street SE — Huntsville — Alabama — 1899 — NRHP-listed • Third Baptist Church — 527 Allen Street — Owensboro — Kentucky — 1897 • Tivoli Theater — 709 Broad Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee — 1921 — NRHP-listed • Trigg County Courthouse — Cadiz — Kentucky — NRHP-listed • Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church — McCallie Avenue — Chattanooga — Tennessee — 1899 — NRHP-listed collapsed 2011 • Union Presbyterian Church — 700 Fisk Avenue — Brownwood — Texas • University Baptist Church — 102 South Columbia Street — Chapel Hill — North Carolina • Winona Commercial Historic District — Roughly bounded by Magnolia Street, Central Avenue, Carrollton Street and Sterling Avenue — Winona — Mississippi — NRHP-listed • Wisteria Hotel — Central Avenue — Winona — Mississippi — 1910 — NRHP-listed • Wyatt Hall — 865 East Third Street — Chattanooga — Tennessee — 1921 — NRHP-listed