Witt, Seibert & Halsey

Witt, Seibert & Halsey was an American architectural firm based in the twin cities of Texarkana, Arkansas and Texarkana, Texas, with a practice extending into Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. It was founded by architect Sidney Stewart, but achieved prominence under Bayard Witt and Eugene C. Seibert.

Witt, Seibert & Halsey
Practice information
PartnersSidney Stewart; Bayard Witt; Eugene C. Seibert; Fred H. Halsey; Robert Reinheimer Jr.
FoundersSidney Stewart
LocationTexarkana, Arkansas and Texas
Significant works and honors
BuildingsTexarkana Municipal Building; U. S. Post Office and Courthouse
Municipal Building, Texarkana, Arkansas. 1927.

History

Bayard Witt was born in 1880 in Witt's Foundry, Tennessee. He worked as a railroad laborer and foreman before obtaining an apprenticeship in civil engineering. In 1904 he moved to Texarkana, Arkansas, joining the office of architect Sidney Stewart,[1] who had been practicing in Texarkana since at least 1900.[2] By 1907, Witt was a partner in the firm of Stewart & Witt.[3]

Eugene Charles Seibert was born in 1878 in Berea, Ohio. He attended the Case School of Applied Science and Columbia University before entering the office of prominent Fort Worth architects Sanguinet & Staats. In 1908, he moved to Texarkana, joining Stewart & Witt. In 1909, Sidney Stewart chose to return to his native Canada.[1] The firm was then established in 1909 as Witt & Seibert.[4] Fred H. Halsey was added as partner in 1911, the firm becoming Witt, Seibert & Company. Halsey had attended Washington University in St. Louis, and had also worked in Fort Worth.[1] Halsey's name was added to the firm's in 1919.

The partnership was dissolved in 1937, when Seibert left to form his own practice.[1] Witt & Halsey continued briefly, separating in 1940. Witt continued alone until 1944, when he took Robert Reinheimer Jr. as partner in Witt & Reinheimer, which was dissolved upon Witt's death in 1947.[5]

Seibert maintained his independent practice until his death in 1941. He was also mayor of Texarkana, Arkansas from 1934 to 1939.[1] Halsey entered government service after dissolving his partnership with Witt, but later returned to architectural practice. He died in 1978.[1]

Legacy

After Bayard Witt's passing, Reinheimer continued the practice as Reinheimer & Cox and Reinheimer, Cox & Associates into the 1970s.[5]

The firm is responsible for a number of properties which have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places for their architectural significance.

Architectural works
YearBuildingAddressCityStateFirmNotesImageReference
1904Texarkana Industrial College29th St and Garland AveTexarkanaArkansasSidney StewartLater the Texarkana Baptist Orphanage. Demolished.[6]
1905First Presbyterian Church516 Pecan StTexarkanaArkansasSidney Stewart[7]
1907Little River County Courthouse351 N 2nd StAshdownArkansasSidney StewartListed on the NRHP in 1976.[8]
1908C. A. Johnston House2015 Beech StTexarkanaArkansasStewart & WittA contributing property to the Beech Street Historic District, listed on the NRHP in 2010.[9]
1910George W. Bottoms House500 Hickory StTexarkanaArkansasWitt & Seibert in association with C. D. Hill & Company of DallasListed on the NRHP in 1982.[10]
1910Dr. Henry A. Longino House317 W Main StMagnoliaArkansasWitt & SeibertListed on the NRHP in 1982.[11]
1911Arkansas High SchoolHickory and E 10th StsTexarkanaArkansasWitt, Seibert & CompanyDemolished.[12]
1911Thomas M. Dean House1520 Beach StTexarkanaArkansasWitt & SeibertListed on the NRHP in 1976.[13]
1912First National Bank Building100 Main StMount VernonTexasWitt, Seibert & CompanyAltered. Presently the Franklin County Library.[14]
1912S. S. P. Mills & Son BuildingTexarkana Ave and Main StWiltonArkansasWitt, Seibert & CompanyListed on the NRHP in 1996, but was removed in 2017 after being demolished in 2016.[15]
1912Texarkana National Bank Building100 E Broad StTexarkanaTexasWitt, Seibert & CompanyHome to the firm's offices. Now altered.[16]
1913Arnold and Greeson Stores102-104 W Main StPrescottArkansasWitt, Seibert & CompanyA contributing property to the Prescott Commercial Historic District, listed on the NRHP in 2008.[17][18]
1913Dining Hall and Caraway and McCrary HallsThird District Agricultural SchoolMagnoliaArkansasWitt, Seibert & CompanyDemolished.[19]
1913First M. E. ChurchChestnut and 4th StsLewisvilleArkansasWitt, Seibert & CompanyListed on the NRHP in 1996.[20]
1913Masonic Temple314 Main StTexarkanaTexasWitt, Seibert & Company[21]
1915Dr. G. W. Chisholm House930 E 5th St StTexarkanaArkansasWitt, Seibert & CompanyDemolished.[22]
1915Peoples Bank and Loan Company BuildingSpruce and 3rd StsLewisvilleArkansasWitt, Seibert & CompanyListed on the NRHP in 1996.[23]
1916Eugene C. Seibert House1701 Beech StTexarkanaArkansasWitt, Seibert & CompanyA contributing property to the Beech Street Historic District, listed on the NRHP in 2010.[9]
1916National Building100 E 2nd StHopeArkansasWitt, Seibert & CompanyA contributing property to the Hope Historic Commercial District, listed on the NRHP in 1995.[24]
1917Emmet M. E. Church207 S Walnut StEmmetArkansasWitt, Seibert & Company[25]
1917Leonidas Foster House420 N Spruce StHopeArkansasWitt, Seibert & CompanyListed on the NRHP in 1991.[26]
1919William C. Brown House2330 Central AveHot SpringsArkansasWitt, Seibert & HalseyListed on the NRHP in 1986.[27]
1923Buhrman-Pharr Hardware Company Building620 E 3rd StTexarkanaArkansasWitt, Seibert & HalseyA contributing property to the Buhrman–Pharr Hardware Company Historic District, listed on the NRHP in 2004.[28]
1923Planters Bank and Trust Company Building103 N Main StNashvilleArkansasWitt, Seibert & Halsey[29]
1923Sidney A. Umsted House404 Washington StCamdenArkansasWitt, Seibert & HalseyListed on the NRHP in 1995.[30]
1923Texarkana National Bank Annex100 E Broad StTexarkanaTexasWitt, Seibert & Halsey in association with Sanguinet, Staats & Hedrick of Fort WorthHome to the firm's offices. Now altered.[31]
1924Caddo Valley Academy9th and Main StsNormanArkansasWitt, Seibert & HalseyListed on the NRHP in 2002.[32]
1924Texarkana City Hall220 Texas BlvdTexarkanaTexasWitt, Seibert & Halsey in association with C. H. Page & Brother of Austin[33]
1925First M. E. Church700 S Broadway StSmackoverArkansasWitt, Seibert & HalseyA contributing property to the Smackover Historic Commercial District, listed on the NRHP in 1990. Presently the Smackover Library.[34]
1925St. John Episcopal Church117 Harrison StCamdenArkansasWitt, Seibert & HalseyListed on the NRHP in 2017.[1]
1926Saenger Theatre211 W 2nd StHopeArkansasWitt, Seibert & HalseyDemolished.[35]
1927Texarkana Junior CollegeW 16th and Pine StsTexarkanaTexasWitt, Seibert & HalseyListed on the NRHP in 2014 as part of the Texarkana Junior College and Texas High School.[36]
1927Texarkana Municipal Building216 Walnut StTexarkanaArkansasWitt, Seibert & HalseyListed on the NRHP in 2004.[37]
1928Collins Home1915 Olive StTexarkanaTexasWitt, Seibert & Halsey[38]
1928Mullins Court605 Hickory StTexarkanaArkansasWitt, Seibert & HalseyListed on the NRHP in 2007.[39]
1928Texarkana Country Club1 Country Club LnTexarkanaArkansasWitt, Seibert & Halsey[38]
1929Sevier County Courthouse115 N 3rd StDe QueenArkansasWitt, Seibert & Halsey[40]
1929Texas High School1915 Pine StTexarkanaTexasWitt, Seibert & HalseyListed on the NRHP in 2014 as part of the Texarkana Junior College and Texas High School.[36]
1930Jamison Building513-515 W 3rd StTexarkanaTexasWitt, Seibert & Halsey[41]
1931Central Christian Church903 Walnut StTexarkanaTexasWitt, Seibert & Halsey[42]
1931Pike County Courthouse1 Courthouse SqMurfreesboroArkansasWitt, Seibert & HalseyListed on the NRHP in 1986.[43]
1932U. S. Post Office and Courthouse500 N State Line AveTexarkanaArkansas and TexasWitt, Seibert & Halsey in association with Perkins, Chatten & Hammond of ChicagoListed on the NRHP in 2000.[44]
1933Trinity M. E. Church300 N Vienna StRustonLouisianaWitt, Seibert & HalseyDemolished.[45]
1938Cass County Office Building119 N Kauffman StLindenTexasWitt & Halsey[46]
1939Miller County Courthouse400 Laurel StTexarkanaArkansasEugene C. SeibertListed on the NRHP in 1998.[47]
1940Stevens Courts2220 W 15th StTexarkanaTexasWitt & Halsey in association with James N. McCammon of DallasAll demolished except for administration building.[48]

References
  1. St. John's Episcopal Church NRHP Nomination (2017)
  2. American School Board Journal, September 1900, n.p.
  3. Manufacturers' Record, January 24, 1907, 53.
  4. A number of sources indicate that Witt & Seibert was formed in 1908, but at least once source indicates that Stewart & Witt remained active into 1909. A notice in the American School Board Journal for August 1909 indicates they had been commissioned to design a school in Cookville, Texas.
  5. "Reinheimer, Robert, Jr.," Who's Who in the South and Southwest (Marquis Who's Who, 1976): 641.
  6. American School Board Journal, September 1904, 23.
  7. Realty Record and Builder, April 1905, n.p.
  8. Little River County Courthouse NRHP Nomination (1976)
  9. Beech Street Historic District NRHP Nomination (2010)
  10. Bottoms House NRHP Nomination (1982)
  11. Dr. H. A. Longino House NRHP Nomination (1982)
  12. Western Contractor, July 5, 1911, 21.
  13. Dean House NRHP Nomination (1976)
  14. Tradesman, December 19, 1912, 52.
  15. S. S. P. Mills and Son Building NRHP Nomination (1996)
  16. "$200,000 Viaduct of Texarkana," Tradesman, July 4, 1912, 33.
  17. Prescott Commercial Historic District NRHP Nomination (2008)
  18. Tradesman, March 13, 1913, 50.
  19. Tradesman, May 22, 1913, 51.
  20. First Methodist Church NRHP Nomination (1996)
  21. Tradesman, March 6, 1913, 55.
  22. American Contractor, June 5, 1915, 100.
  23. Peoples Bank and Loan NRHP Nomination (1996)
  24. Hope Commercial Historic District NRHP Nomination (1995)
  25. https://preservearkansas.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/MEP-Press-Packet-2019-compressed.pdf
  26. Foster House NRHP Nomination (1991)
  27. W. C. Brown House NRHP Nomination (1986)
  28. Buhrman–Pharr Hardware Company Historic District NRHP Nomination (2004)
  29. Manufacturers' Record, March 29, 1923, 101.
  30. Sidney A. Umsted House NRHP Nomination (1995)
  31. Manufacturers' Record, August 9, 1923, 110.
  32. Caddo Valley Academy Complex NRHP Nomination (2002)
  33. William L. Lebovich, America's City Halls (Preservation Press, 1984): 141.
  34. Smackover Historic Commercial District NRHP Nomination (1990)
  35. Moving Picture World, November 20, 1926, 156.
  36. Texarkana Junior College and Texas High School NRHP Nomination (2014)
  37. Texarkana, Arkansas, Municipal Building NRHP Nomination (2004)
  38. Manufacturers' Record, 1928.
  39. Mullins Court NRHP Nomination (2007)
  40. Manufacturers' Record, May 16, 1929, 81.
  41. https://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/Details/5037009488
  42. http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMQQ2Z_1931_Central_Christian_Church_Texarkana_TX
  43. Pike County Courthouse NRHP Nomination (1986)
  44. Texarkana U. S. Post Office and Federal Building NRHP Nomination (2000)
  45. Ruston Daily Leader, October 14, 1933, 1.
  46. http://www.courthouses.co/us-states/o-u/texas/cass-county/
  47. Miller County Courthouse NRHP Nomination (1998)
  48. Bridgemen's Magazine, 1940, 147.
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