Carnegie Library is among the handsome creations of architect R.H. Hunt.
Some of Chattanooga's most interesting and elaborate buildings are the works of architect Reuben Harrison Hunt.
Hunt, who came to Chattanooga in 1882 at the age of 20 from his native Elbert County, Ga., also designed a variety of handsome buildings all over the South.
Ken Hays, a collector of Chattanooga memorabilia, recently came upon a listing of R.H. Hunt "references."
It is not a complete list of his works and does not include the later ones. But it is a valuable listing of Hunt buildings.
Here is the Chattanooga grouping:
Churches
First Baptist (Torn down except for the Sunday School portion on Oak Street which is now called the MLK Building and owned by the county. The church was in the Romanesque style of pink sandstone and included a 140-foot tower. It stood on Georgia Avenue at Oak across from the County Courthouse. Hunt attended First Baptist.)
Second Baptist (This should probably say Second Presbyterian. One of Hunt's most artful creations still stands at Seventh and Pine.)
Central Baptist (Torn down)
Hotels
None listed
Hunt designed the Patten Hotel, which still stands at 11th and Market.
He also designed the Park Hotel, now remodeled and occupied by the county on Seventh Street.
Hunt designed the Ellis Hotel on South Market at King, which was recently restored after almost being torn down.
He designed the Lookout Mountain Hotel, which is now Covenant College.
Schools
Montgomery Avenue School (Torn down. Montgomery Avenue was the old name for Main Street.)
Courthouse
James County Courthouse (Still standing though James County went out of business.)
Hamilton County Courthouse that opened in 1913 was designed by Hunt. It was recently restored.
One of Hunt's last productions and his most modern was the Federal Building and Post Office on Georgia Avenue, which still stands.
City Buildings
Central Fire Station (Torn down)
Hunt designed the Carnegie Library, which still stands at Eighth and Georgia Avenue.
R.H. Hunt also designed Memorial Auditorium on McCallie Avenue.
He designed the Frances Willard Hotel that still stands on Lindsay Street.
He was the architect for the old YMCA on Georgia Avenue, that was torn down.
Business Houses
Miller Brothers (Still standing downtown and now occupied by BlueCross BlueShield.)
Merriam Block (Built for I.B. Merriam, wholesale grocer, banker and one-time mayor, who also attended First Baptist.)
Silva and Abbott Building (734 Market Street)
Chattanooga News Building (Torn down. This was the Pound Building on Eleventh Street at Lindsay. It was eight stories high and was the city's tallest building at the time. Hunt moved his offices to this building.)
Not listed is the Provident Building, handsome 12-story building at 721 Broad. It is now called the Maclellan Building.
Also not listed is the Medical Arts Building on McCallie Avenue. It is now a part of the adjacent First Presbyterian Church.
Not listed is the First National Bank Building, which was torn down, and the Sears Building downtown, which was remodeled.
Not listed is the James Building, which still stands downtown as well as the Hamilton National Bank Building, still downtown but with a modern facade.
Elsewhere:
Churches
Second Baptist, Atlanta, Ga.
Broadway Methodist, Louisville, Ky.
First Baptist, Birmingham, Ala.
Central Methodist, Asheville, N.C.
Court Street Baptist, Portsmouth, Va.
State Street Methodist, Bowling Green, Ky.
Third Baptist, Owensboro, Ky.
First Baptist, Newport News, Va.
First Methodist, Gadsden, Ala.
Baptist, Fayetteville, Tn.
First Presbyterian, Jackson, Miss.
Methodist, Cleveland, Tn.
Baptist, Cedartown, Ga.
Second Baptist, Knoxville
First Presbyterian, Selma, Ala.
First Baptist, Paris, Tex.
Methodist, Millersburg, Ky.
Baptist, Hazelhurst, Miss.
First Christian, Georgetown, Ky.
First Baptist, Athens, Ga.
Methodist, Monroe, La.
Presbyterian, Monroe, La.
Baptist, Humboldt, Tn.
Methodist, Laurens, S.C.
Baptist, Elberton, Ga.
Baptist, Madison, Fla.
St. Barnabas Episcopal, Yazoo City, Miss.
Baptist, Murfreesboro, Tn.
Presbyterian, Greenwood, S.C.
Baptist, Russellville, Ky.
Methodist, Greenwood, Miss.
First Baptist, Meridian, Miss.
Methodist, Winona, Miss.
First Baptist, Natchez, Miss.
Baptist, Winchester, Tn.
Methodist, New Decatur, Ala.
First Baptist, Pine Buff, Ark.
Presbyterian, Florence, Ala.
Baptist, Harrodsburg, Ky.
Perry Street Methodist, Montgomery, Ala.
Baptist, Laredo, Tex.
Jewish Synagogue, Huntsville, Ala.
Jewish Synagogue, Pine Bluff, Ark.
Hotels
Tate Springs, Tn.
Hotel Dalton, Dalton, Ga.
New Hotel, Monteagle, Tn.
The Wellington, Georgetown, Ky.
Schools
Terrill College, Decherd, Tn.
Millsaps College, Jackson, Ms.
Winchester Normal School, Winchester, Tn.
Sweetwater Seminary, Sweetwater, Tn.
Rucker Hall, Georgetown College, Georgetown, Ky.
Columbus Hall, I.I.&C, Columbus, Miss.
Columbus Annex, I.I.&C, Columbus, Miss.
Infirmary, I.I.&C., Columbus, Miss.
Industrial Hall, I.I.&C, Columbus, Miss.
Graded School, Bainbridge, Ga.
Graded School, Scottsboro, Ala.
Graded School, Washington, Ga.
Graded School, Spartanburg, S.C.
Graded Schools, Columbus, Miss.
Graded School, Greenwood, Miss.
Science Building, A&M College of Miss.
Dormitory Annex, A&M College of Miss.
State Normal College, Florence, Ala.
Courthouses
Cleveland, Tn.
Winchester, Tn.
Elberton, Ga.
Sparta, Tn.
Paris, Tn.
McMinnville, Tn.
Greenwood, S.C.
Starkville, Miss.
Columbus, Miss.
City Buildings
City Hall, Columbus, Miss.
Central Fire Station, Columbus, Miss.
Business Houses
Vanvalkingburg Block, Huntsville, Ala.
Duncan Block, Spartanburg, S.C.
Tate Block, Elberton, Ga.
Jones Block, Elberton, Ga.
Brittain Bros. Building, South Pittsburg, Tn.
Lann & Carter Building, Aberdeen, Miss.
Masonic Temple, Pensacola, Fla.
Masonic Temple, Columbus, Miss.
Cannon Building, Dalton, Ga.
Kirkman New Store and Office Building, Nashville, Tn.
Elks Home and Opera House, Pine Bluff, Ark.
Frances Willard Home