Realtor Henry Trent Olmsted Had Spacious Home Near The Top Of West Sixth Street

Henry Trent Olmsted made his way to Chattanooga via Hartford, Conn., and Dunlap, Iowa, and had a spacious home next to Tomlinson Fort's three-story beauty on West Sixth Street on Cameron Hill.

Olmsted was born in 1847 in Hartford. His parents moved to Dunlap when he was 10. From there he made his way to Chattanooga in 1883. He had married Mary Seymour of Newington, Conn., in 1875.

Olmstead became a principal in both a lumber plant and a company that built chairs. He was a partner with John M. Stivers and W.B. Seymour in the lumber yard. He was secretary-treasurer of the Chattanooga Chair Company.

As Chattanooga real estate headed for a Boom period, H.T. Olmsted switched to that prosperous field, joining with Sam Divine and C.V. Brown. He afterward was president of the Southern Loan & Land Company. Later, when his three sons were older, he formed H.T. Olmsted & Sons. He accumulated a number of valuable real estate parcels. After he retired in 1907, the firm became H.T. Olmsted's Sons. Later it was just Olmsted's when the sons were no longer involved. Harry Olmsted died before his father. Roland Olmsted remained in Chattanooga, while George C. Olmsted lived in Minneapolis. A daughter, Mrs. W.R. Butler, was in Chicago.

The Olmsteds lived for many years near the top of Cameron Hill. The house was at 607 W. Sixth St. in the block between Pleasant (later part of Cypress) and Magazine (later part of East Terrace).

Around 1904, Henry T. Olmsted built a fine home on Vine Street in Fort Wood.

He remained a staunch member of Second Presbyterian Church, which was just down from West Sixth.

The Olmsteds were still on Vine Street when he died in 1917.  

Roland Olmsted had a fine home with manicured grounds on Manchester Avenue in Riverview. He was president of Fidelity Trust Co.

The house at 607 W. Sixth St. was occupied by Patrick F. Fitzgibbons, vice president of McLean Lumber Company. Later the Austin A. Greens lived there for many years.

By 1955 as its end neared, the big Olmsted home was divided into six apartments.