Copyright © 2021 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
H. C. Barrows was a scenic artist, salesman and architect. He worked for the Sosman & Landis Company from 1883-1886. Projects that Barrows completed for Sosman & Landis included Scheurman’s Opera House in Griffin, Georgia; the Taylor Opera House in Jefferson,Texas; Ghio’s Opera Hall in Texarkana, Texas; the Capital Opera House in Little Rock, Arkansas; Pine Bluff Opera House in Pine Bluff, Arkansas; the Fort Smith Academy of Music in Fort Smith Amrkansas; the Van Buren Theater in Arkansas, a School Hall stage in Salem, Illinois; a City Hall stage in Frederick, Maryland; Springer Opera House in Columbus, Georgia and the Opera House in Vicksburg, Mississippi.
I have located precious little information about Barrow beyond newspaper notifications that announced his arrival in town and stage work. Fortunately, one article provided a first name – Henry. Unfortunately, there were quite a few Henry C. Barrows over the course of a century.
The H. C. Barrow that I am tracking often cited his permanent residence as Chicago, yet he is not listed in the city directories. This is puzzling for me, as I am frequently able to find scenic artists and architects in at least one directory. I also found it interesting that by 1884, Burrows becomes identified as a “scenic agent.” This is the first time I have encountered the term “scenic agent,” although it makes sense for someone selling stage scenery. It was not a common nineteenth-century term.
The earliest mention of Burrows in any newspaper that I have located is from 1881. This is before he began representing Sosman & Landis in 1883. On Dec. 2, 1881, H. C. Barrow was working with J. G. Reynolds at the Opera House in Americus, Georgia. The “Americus Weekly Sumter Republican” reported, “Work is progressing rapidly in this edifice. The ceiling overhead is being raised some ten to fifteen feet so as to perfect acoustics. Messrs. J. G. Reynolds and H. C. Barrow of Chicago, have the job for painting the scenery, curtains, &c., and are now in the city and at work. Mr. Reynolds, the artist, uses his brushes and pencils with ease and rapidly and is producing some splendid work. He painted the scenery for De Give’s Atlanta, and many other Opera houses, and has the reputation of being the best scenic painter in the country. When his work is finished it will be a treat for the lovers of good pictures to look at it” (page 3). This phrasing of this article is common for the time when crediting a scenic artist and his assistant. In this case, Barrow is the assistant to Reynolds. By 1882, Barrows was on his own and credited as a scenic artist with experience.
On July 8, 1882, “The Times” in Thomasville, Georgia, reported, “We are to have a respectable stage, fixtures, scenery &c. in the City Hall. Mr. H. C. Barrows a scenic artist of large experience in matters of this kind, has been given the contract by the council. This will be most welcome news to every citizen in the town” (Page 5).
On October 11, 1882, The Atlanta Constitution announced, “Mr. H. C. Barrows, representing Sosman & Landis, scenic artists of Chicago, put in Scheurman’s opera house a new and beautiful advertising drop curtain. The work on this curtain is nicely executed and presents a fine appearance. In the centre is a very handsome southern landscape scene, and around the border is decorated with 14 nicely arranged business cards representing different firms in the city. This curtain does not interfere with the regular drop curtain, but can be used as a change at intervals during entertainment. Its cost is about one hundred and fifty or seventy-five dollars and may be classed strictly as both useful and ornamental” (p. 2).
By 1883 Barrow represented the firm of Sosman & Landis, This was the same year that Harry J. Buhler was also working as a scenic artist in the studio. By the end of the year, Moses returned and brought Lemuel L. Graham with him.
On March 6, 1883, the “Tri-Weekly Herald” in Marshall, Texas, reported, “Mr. H. C. Barrow with Sosman & Landis’s scenic studio, of Chicago, Ill., is here and will soon refit our opera house with a full set of scenery and a new drop curtain with the advertisements of our leading business firms painted thereon” (page 3). Two months later, the work was completed by Barrows and the town was thrilled with the quality of the scenery. On May 1, 1883, the “Tri-Weekly Herald” in Marshall, Texas, reported “Mr. H. C. Barrow, scenic artist from Chicago, has just completed for the Taylor Opera House, in Jefferson, one of the handsomest stages and stage scenery to be found in Texas. There are fifteen fitted scenes in all, embracing two beautiful curtains, ten regular scenes, and a garden wall, balustrades, &c. Mr. B. has also done some beautiful frescoing on the Proscenium front. In company with a number of Jefferson gentlemen we visited the Taylor hall yesterday morning, all of whom were delighted with the work. It cannot be excelled in artistic finish, completeness, and excellence of prospective, equaling the best scenery in the large cities. Mr. Barrow has just completed Ghio’s Opera Hall, at Texarkana, and is likely to capture every place he goes to where stage scenery is required. We repeat: there has been nothing like it in Texas before Mr. B’s advent” (page 2). It was reprinted in the Marshall Messenger on May 1.
By Aug. 12, 1883, Little Rock’s “Daily Arkansas Gazette” reported, “The Capital Opera House is to have a new drop curtain immediately. The scene represented upon it is that grand old conception of the Roman chariot race, and when completed will be one of the finest in the state. H. C. Barrow, representing Sosman & Landis, of Chicago, at whose studio the work is being done, is in the city, and states that he also has orders for the curtain for the Pine Bluff Opera House, the Fort Smith Academy of Music, the Van Buren theater and Ghio’s at Texarkana.” For context, Hyde’s Capital Opera House in Little Rock began as Torrey’s Opera House, changing its name that May. The building underwent renovation throughout the month of June and opened in July, hence the need for new scenery.
By 1880, Barrow transitioned from solely working as a scenic artist and installer to scenic agent and architect.
On May 19, 1884, the “Fort Worth Daily Gazette” reported, “Messrs. Henry C. Barrow, opera house architect and contractor, of Dallas and B. A. Aldrich, stage agent of the Rock Island Plow company, of the same city, were in the Fort last night and paid the GAZETTE a pleasant visit” (page 8). On June 3, 1884, the “Galveston Daily News” announced, “H. C. Barrow, scenic agent of Chicago, is in the city, and gave THE NEWS a call yesterday. He comes to put in a bid for refitting the opera house.” On August 20, 1884, the “Dallas Herald” announced, “Henry C. Barrow, scenic agent and opera-house architect and contractor, is in the city” (page 4).
Barrows was still representing Sosman & Landis, but possibly as a regional affiliate with his own studio. In 1884, Lem L. Graham became the regional representative in Kansas City, Missouri and another regional branch was opened in New York. Having a third regional branch would have been brilliant.
On July 10, 1884, “The Vicksburg Herald” in Mississippi, reported, “Mr. Henry C. Barrow, scenic artist, representing the big scenery house of Sosman & Landis, of Cincinnati, arrived here yesterday, to contract with Messrs. Piazza & Botto, proprietors of the opera-house, for a new set of scenery for that building. That year the Dallas City Directory listed Barrow as a scenic agent, residing at 845 San Jacinto cor Leonard. On Dec. 11, 1885, the “Salem Herald-Advocate” reported, “H. C. Barrow, with Sosman & Landis, scenic artist, Chicago, was in our city Tuesday and Wednesday, looking at School Hall stage and making plans for improvements…The Chicago House will send a man here to put up the scenery up, and it will be completed by Jan. 1st. the scenery bought is very elegant, costing $300.00”
By 1886, Barrows was back in Chicago. This was the last years, that I would find anything about Barrows in the newspaper. On Aug. 11, 1886, “The News” of Frederick, Maryland, reported, “Aldermanic – Mr. H. C. Barrows of Chicago, scenic artist, will arrive in this city this evening to confer with Aldermanic committee on scenery and building in reference to the contemplated improvements at City Hall.” (page 3). Barrow stayed at the Carlin House while in town (The News, Frederick, Maryland, Aug. 11, 1886).
As I narrowed my research and looked at the various Henry C. Barrows. One caught my attention. Born in 1849, he was working as an architect in 1910. Although his parents were born in Maryland, Barrow was born in England. His return to England may explain his sudden disappearance form US newspapers.
To be continued…
