Barker & Nourse

Barker & Nourse

Company type	Architectural firm
Industry	Architecture
Founded	March 1, 1879 (1879-03-01), Worcester, Massachusetts, United States
Founder	Albert A. Barker, Walter B. Nourse
Defunct	January 1, 1904 (1904-01-01)
Headquarters	Worcester , United States
Area served	Massachusetts
Products	Residential and educational buildings

Barker & Nourse was a Worcester, Massachusetts-based architectural practice active from 1879 until 1904.

History

Founded on March 1, 1879, by architects Albert A. Barker (1852–1905) and Walter B. Nourse (1853–1906), Barker & Nourse emerged as the successor to John E. Holman's firm—Holman having been a partner of Amos P. Cutting and previously employed Nourse. The firm focused primarily on designing residential and educational buildings, making a notable impact in the regional architectural scene. Their collaboration concluded on January 1, 1904, after which Barker maintained the practice alone. Both architects continued working independently until their deaths in 1905 and 1906, respectively.

Albert A. Barker

Born in Guadalajara in 1852, Albert Augustus Barker was the son of John Bixby Barker, who was involved in paper manufacturing, and Harriet Elizabeth Barker. Following his father's passing in 1860, the family relocated first to New Hampshire and subsequently to Worcester, where Barker completed his schooling. He gained experience under architect Elbridge Boyden before partnering with Nourse to establish their firm. Barker married Eacyetta Boyd in 1877 and fathered two sons. He passed away in Worcester at age 52.

Walter B. Nourse

Walter Bailey Nourse, born in Westborough, Massachusetts, in 1853, was the son of Benjamin Bailey Nourse, a contractor by trade. After receiving local education, he trained under architect Amos P. Cutting prior to co-founding the firm with Barker. A descendant of Rebecca Nurse, Nourse wed Emma L. McClellan and had three children. He died at the age of 52 in Worcester.

Legacy

Numerous architectural projects designed by Barker & Nourse have earned places on the United States National Register of Historic Places and contribute to various historic districts.

Barker & Nourse, 1879–1904

• 1880 – George A. Bigelow residence, 3 Loudon Street, Worcester
• 1881 – Alpha M. Cheney House, 61 Chestnut Street, Southborough (NRHP-listed)
• 1881 – Wade H. Hill residence, 114 Woodland Street, Worcester (part of Woodland Street Historic District)
• 1882 – Iver Johnson residence, 27 Catharine Street, Worcester
• 1884 – Founder's Hall at Atlantic Union College, South Lancaster (NRHP-listed)
• 1885 – Alexander Bigelow residence, 904 Main Street, Worcester
• 1885 – Freeland Street School, 12 Freeland Street, Worcester (NRHP-listed)
• 1885 – Rebecca Nurse monument, Danvers (within Salem Village Historic District)
• 1886 – Edwin H. Wood residence, 4 King Street, Worcester
• 1887 – Boynton and Windsor apartment buildings, 718 and 720 Main Street, Worcester (NRHP-listed)
• 1887 – Ellery B. Crane residence, 25 Richards Street, Worcester
• 1888 – Bliss Building, 26 Old Lincoln Street, Worcester (NRHP-listed)
• 1888 – Harrison S. Prentice apartments, 191 Pleasant Street, Worcester (contributing to Oxford–Crown Historic District)
• 1889 – Osgood Bradley residence, 21 Richards Street, Worcester
• 1890 – Quinsigamond School, 14 Blackstone River Road, Worcester
• 1891 – Former Worcester Society of Antiquity building, 39 Salisbury Street (contributing to Institutional District)
• 1892 – Ann Colton residence, 41 Cedar Street (part of Lincoln Estate–Elm Park Historic District)
• 1892 – Former English High School building, 20 Irving Street (NRHP-listed)
• 1892 – Frye Building located within Marlborough Center Historic District
• 1892 – Odd Fellows' Home in Worcester (demolished; formerly NRHP-listed)
• 1893 – Thomas B. Hamilton residence, 29 Germain Street (within Hammond Heights historic district)
• 1893 – Samuel E. Hildreth residence (demolished), Worcester
• 1893 – Bertrand W. Stone residence, 1 Germain Street
• 1894 – Former Hopkinton High School building in Hopkinton
• 1894 – Henry K. McClenning residence at 14 Germain Street
• 1894 – The Russell apartment building at 49 Austin Street (NRHP-listed)
• 1895 – George H. Heywood residence (demolished), Gardner
• 1895 – Troy School within Troy Village Historic District
• 1897 – Benjamin A. Barber residence in Worcester
• 1897 – Kingsley Laboratories at Worcester Academy (NRHP-listed)
• 1898 – Aurora Hotel at 660 Main Street, Worcester
• 1898 – Day Building located in Mechanics' Hall District
• 1898 – William Trowbridge Forbes House in Worcester (NRHP-listed)
• 1898 – Former Gardner High School within Gardner Uptown Historic District
• 1898 – Johnsonia Hotel in Fitchburg (demolished)
• 1898 – The Vendome apartments in Worcester (NRHP-listed)
• 1899 – Post Office Building in Gardner
• 1900 – Hotel Vernon located in Worcester
• 1901 – Denny Block building in Worcester
• 1903 – School Street School in Gardner
• 1903 – Shrewsbury Public Library

Albert A. Barker, 1904–1905

• 1906 – Princeton Center School, located at 18 Boylston Avenue, Princeton, Massachusetts

Walter B. Nourse, 1904–1906

• 1905 – Racicot Block, situated at 211-219 Main Street, Webster, Massachusetts

See also

• Illustrations of a Few Buildings Erected from Designs by Barker & Nourse, Architects (Worcester, 1898)