R. H. Hunt


Reuben Harrison Hunt, also known as R. H. Hunt, was an American architect who spent most of his life in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is considered to have been one of the city's most significant early architects. He also designed major public building projects in other states. He was a principal of the R.H. Hunt and Co. firm.
He came to Chattanooga in 1882 and within four years had established a successful architectural firm. Hunt designed a number of Chattanooga's homes and public buildings, including the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium , the Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse with Shreve, Lamb and Harmon, the Hamilton County, Tennessee Courthouse, the James and Maclellan buildings, the Carnegie Library and the St. John's Hotel.
Hunt also designed churches throughout the South. This included well-known Chattanooga churches such as Second Presbyterian Church and First Baptist Church, as well as the Tabernacle in Atlanta. 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.
In 1919, Hunt's firm opened an office in the Southwestern Life Building in Dallas, Texas. This office oversaw all projects west of the Mississippi River.
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. 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.

Works

Projects credited to Hunt or his firm include :
  • 15th Avenue Baptist Church, 1318 15th Avenue, Meridian, MS
  • Alexandria Hall-Louisiana College, Louisiana College, Pineville, LA NRHP-listed
  • Alumni Hall, Mississippi College, Clinton, MS
  • Asbury United Methodist Church, 1900 Bailey Avenue, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed closed 1984
  • Austin Avenue Methodist Church, 1300 Austin Avenue, Waco, TX
  • Brainerd Junior High, 4201 Cherryton Drive, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Courthouse in Cadiz Downtown Historic District, Cadiz, KY NRHP-listed
  • Calvary Baptist Church, 1300 West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS NRHP-listed
  • Carpenter Hall, Mississippi State University, 210 Carpenter Engineering Building, Mississippi State, MS
  • Carter Building, 501 North Main Street, Hattiesburg, MS
  • Carter Hall, Covenant College, 14049 Scenic Highway, Lookout Mountain, GA NRHP-listed in 2019, built for Lookout Mountain Hotel 1927
  • Central United Methodist Church Downtown Location, 27 Church Street, Asheville, NC
  • Central United Methodist Church, 201 East Third Ave., Knoxville, TN NRHP-listed
  • Central United Methodist Church, 1004 23rd Avenue, Meridian, MS
  • Chattanooga Bank Building, 8th Street, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Chattanooga Car Barns, 301 Market Street, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Chattanooga Electric Railway, 211-241 Market St., Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Chrestman Hall, Mississippi College, Clinton, MS
  • College Hall, University of Southern Mississippi, 114 Southern Miss Drive, Hattiesburg, MS
  • Columbus City Hall, 525 Main Street, Columbus, MS
  • Columbus Hall, Mississippi University for Women, 1206 College Street, Columbus, MS
  • Court Street Baptist Church, 447 Court Street, Portsmouth, VA.
  • Dominion Outreach Worship Center, 119 29th Street, Newport News, VA NRHP-listed, built for First Baptist Church Newport News
  • Elbert County Courthouse, Courthouse Sq., Elberton, GA NRHP-listed
  • Farr Infirmary, Mississippi College, Clinton, MS
  • Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, 1135 Fifth Avenue, Huntington, WV
  • First Baptist Church Beaumont, 980 Broadway Street, Beaumont, TX closed
  • First Baptist Church Birmingham, 2201 6th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL destroyed
  • First Baptist Church Canton, 125 East Fulton Street, Canton, MS
  • First Baptist Church Clinton, 100 East College Street, Clinton, MS
  • First Baptist Church Education Building, 317 Oak Street, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • First Baptist Church Hazlehurst, 151 Caldwell Drive, Hazlehurst, MS
  • First Baptist Church Muskogee, 111 South 7th Street, Muskogee, OK
  • First Baptist Church of Durham, 414 Cleveland Street, Durham, NC
  • First Baptist Church of Laurel, 607 West 5th Street, Laurel, MS demolished 1960
  • First Baptist Church of Norfolk, 418 East Bute Street, Norfolk, VA NRHP-listed
  • First Presbyterian Church El Dorado, 300 E. Main, El Dorado, AR NRHP-listed
  • First Presbyterian Church Fordyce, AR 79B, Fordyce, AR NRHP-listed
  • First Presbyterian Church of Vicksburg, 1501 Cherry Street, Vicksburg, MS
  • First United Methodist Church Dallas, 1928 Ross Avenue, Dallas, TX
  • First United Methodist Church Fort Smith, 200 North 15th Street, Fort Smith, AR
  • First United Methodist Church Greenwood, 310 West Washington Street, Greenwood, MS NRHP-listed
  • First United Methodist Church Lenoir, 309 Church Street NW, Lenoir, NC,
  • First United Methodist Church Pontotoc, 68 South Main Street, Pontotoc, MS
  • First United Methodist Church Ranger, 417 Elm Street, Ranger, TX closed in 2018
  • Forrest County Hall, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
  • Fountain Square, 600–622 Georgia Ave. and 317 Oak Street, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Franklin Hall, Mississippi University for Women, 1400 College Street, Columbus, MS
  • Galloway United Methodist Church, 305 North Congress Street, Jackson, MS
  • Grove, E. W. Henry County High School, Grove Blvd., Paris, TN NRHP-listed
  • Hamilton County Courthouse, West 6th Street and Georgia Avenue, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Hamilton National Bank, 701 N Market St, Chattanooga, TN
  • Hasting-Simmons Hall, Mississippi University for Women, 1210 College Street, Columbus, MS
  • Hattiesburg Hall, University of Southern Mississippi, 108 East Memorial Drive, Hattiesburg, MS
  • Henderson Hall, Tennessee Technological University, Dixie Avenue, Cookeville, TN
  • Henry County Courthouse, Court Square, Paris, TN
  • Honor House, University of Southern Mississippi, 118 College Drive #5162, Hattiesburg, MS
  • Houston Carnegie Library, 105 West Madison Street, Houston, MS
  • James Building, 735 Broad Street, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse
  • Kimsey Junior College, 244 TN 68, Ducktown, TN NRHP-listed
  • Lander College Old Main Building, Stanley Avenue and Lander Street, Greenwood, SC NRHP-listed
  • Lawrence County Courthouse, North side Broad Street between Jefferson and Washington Streets., Monticello, MS NRHP-listed
  • Leflore County Courthouse, 310 West Market Street, Greenwood, MS
  • Lenoir Presbyterian Church, 1002 Kirkwood Street, Lenoir, NC
  • Lowrey Hall, Mississippi College, Clinton, MS
  • Maclellan Building, 721 Broad Street, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Main Street United Methodist Church, 712 Main Street, Hattiesburg, MS
  • McFarlin Memorial Auditorium, Southern Methodist University, 6405 Boaz Lane, Suite G38, Dallas, TX NRHP-listed
  • Medical Arts Building, McCallie Avenue, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Miller Brothers Department Store, 629 Market Street, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Mississippi Hall, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
  • Montgomery Hall, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS NRHP-listed
  • Mount Olive Cathedral C.M.E. Church, 538 Dr. M.L. King Jr. Avenue, Memphis, TN NRHP-listed, built for First Baptist Church
  • Municipal Building, E. 11th Street, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Nathan L. Bachman School, 281 Anderson Pike, Walden, TN NRHP-listed
  • North Alexander School, 313B North Alexander Avenue, Washington, GA
  • Northside Presbyterian Church, 923 Mississippi Avenue, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed, the one known Greek Revival work by Hunt in Hamilton County
  • Ogletree Alumni House, University of Southern Mississippi, 102 Alumni Drive, Hattiesburg, MS
  • Old Library Building, 200 E. 8th Street, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Polk County Courthouse, Bounded by US 411 and Ward, Commerce and Main Streets., Benton, TN NRHP-listed
  • Polk Street Methodist Church, 1401 South Polk Street, Amarillo, TX NRHP-listed
  • Ratliff Hall, Mississippi College, Clinton, MS
  • Red Bank United Methodist Church, 3800 Dayton Blvd., Chattanooga, TN
  • Second Presbyterian Church, 700 Pine Street, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Shattuck Hall, Mississippi University for Women, 302 15th Street South, Columbus, MS
  • Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Auditorium, McCallie Avenue, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Soul's Harbor Deliverance Center, 1921 Avenue G, Birmingham, AL built for First United Methodist Church of Ensley
  • Southern Hall, University of Southern Mississippi, Southern Miss Drive, Hattiesburg, MS
  • Southside Baptist Church, 1016 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL
  • Temple B'nai Sholom (Huntsville, Alabama), 103 Lincoln Street SE, Huntsville, AL NRHP-listed
  • Third Baptist Church, 527 Allen Street, Owensboro, KY 1896
  • Tivoli Theater, 709 Broad Street, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church, McCallie Avenue Chattanooga TN NRHP-listed collapsed 2011
  • Frances Willard House, 615 Lindsay Street, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • Union Presbyterian Church, 700 Fisk Avenue, Brownwood, TX
  • University Baptist Church, 102 S. Columbia Street, Chapel Hill, NC
  • Wisteria Hotel, Central Avenue, Winona, MS NRHP-listed
  • Wyatt Hall, 865 E. Third Street, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • One or more works in Missionary Ridge Historic District, N. and S. Crest Road from Delong Reservation to 700 S. Crest Road, Chattanooga, TN NRHP-listed
  • One or more works in Paris [Commercial Historic District (Paris, Tennessee)|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, TN NRHP-listed
  • One or more works in South Main Street Historic District, 200–422 S. Main Street, Pikeville, TN NRHP-listed
  • One or more works in Winona Commercial Historic District, Roughly bounded by Magnolia Street, Central Avenue, Carrollton Street and Sterling Avenue, Winona, MS NRHP-listed