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Title: Gilbert Horton
Dates: 1915-1941
Collection Number: 00974
Quantity: 293 items
Abstract: Images of buildings designed by architect Gilbert Horton.
Provenance: The State Historical Society acquired this collection from Gilbert Horton in October 1992.
Copyrights: Copyrights to this collection remain with the donor, publisher, author, or author's heirs. Researchers should consult the 1976 Copyright Act, Public Law 94-553, Title 17, U.S. Code or an archivist at this repository if clarification of copyright requirements is needed.
Access: This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Citation: Researchers are requested to cite the collection title, collection number, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota in all footnote and bibliographic references.
Related Material:
MSS 10495 Gilbert Horton Architecture Collection
MSS 10470 Ritterbush-Van Horn Architecture Collection
30278 Board of Capitol Commissioners. Architect Selection Files
MSS 10448 State Board of Architecture. Registration files, 1924-1967, .5 ft. Documents Gilbert R. Horton's membership on the State Board of Architecture, ca. 1942 to 1955; he held the positions of president and vice-president intermittently during those years. Also contains a copy of son Gilbert E. Horton's certificate to practice architecture within the state, issued in 1951.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Gilbert R. Horton, one of four sons and three daughters of Gilbert L. and Annie B. Napier Horton, was born on November 10, 1888, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Educated in the public schools of Litchfield, Minnesota, Gilbert Horton graduated in 1908 from Litchfield High School. During the winter of 1907-1908 he also attended Schelde Vocational and Training School in the evenings. Horton's post-secondary education consisted of study at the University of Minnesota College of Engineering in 1908 and 1909 and at the University of Washington College of Engineering in 1910 and 1911.
Gilbert R. Horton married Evangelyn M. Roberts of Jamestown, North Dakota, on his twenty-fifth birthday, November 10, 1913, in Moorhead, Minnesota. They later had two children, Gilbert E. and Kent H. Arriving in Jamestown in May of 1911, Gilbert R. Horton found employment with the J. Schelde Company, general contractors, as a draftsman. In 1913 he opened his own office, Gilbert R. Horton Architects, a firm that offered personalized engineering and architectural services. Horton obtained license number 10 when North Dakota began certifying architects in 1917. The firm did well until the stock market crash of 1929; to avoid bankruptcy Horton sold his family's home and went into the chicken-raising business. He was offered the position of city engineer for Jamestown in 1932, leaving that office in 1937. From 1944-1945 he worked as an architect in Kansas and other locations for the federal government, then returned to Jamestown.
Business picked up after WWII and Horton remained active in his firm until 1980. Perhaps one of his greatest career achievements was being the first North Dakotan named a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1968. One of the AIA's highest honors, Horton received the Fellowship for his early construction technique innovations. His first, for one-room school buildings, was a basement. "Before 1910," according to Horton, "most schools were erected on a concrete slab." The basement served as a lunch and playroom; in addition, the stove was located there. In 1913 he developed a method of insulating glass, known as double glazing, which eliminated the need for storm windows. Later, in 1927, when faced with shortages of many common construction materials, Horton began to investigate the possibility of using hollow brick; he perfected the technique several years later. In 1930, Gilbert R. Horton designed a wood laminated, bolted arch which was noted for its "unusual design" at an "unusually low" cost in the May 1937 issue of The Engineering News Record. Also during the depression period Horton developed a method for using hard granite field stone as a primary construction material. He taught his construction workers the skills necessary to determine a rock's grain and to split the rock so as to make it square.
A dedicated professional, Gilbert R. Horton held memberships in a number of architectural associations. He was a charter member of the North Dakota Association of Architects founded in 1922, a member of the American Institute of Architects since 1926, a charter member of the North Dakota chapter of the AIA, and was appointed to the State Board of Architects, ca. 1942 to 1955. Horton's own philosophy concerning an architect's responsibilities reflected deep commitment to his lifework. "...the hopes, aspiration and purposes of the individual for whom it [a structure] is built..." must be captured, he believed, by the architect and incorporated into the structures design. He also believed that a building must "... contribute to the esthetic [sic] health of its surroundings." In doing so an architect fulfilled obligations to both client and community.
Gilbert R. Horton's record of service to his community included membership in the Jamestown Chamber of Commerce from 1917, charter membership in the Jamestown Rotary Club from 1921, and holding the office of alderman for three years during the 1920's. He was also involved in church activities, Grace Episcopal Church in Jamestown, and organizations like the Boy Scouts.
Gilbert R. Horton died on November 2, 1985; Evangelyn M. Horton preceded him in death, October 22, 1978. He left behind not only his firm but also hundreds of buildings, many of which are still in use. Kent Horton is still active in the firm. An abbreviated listing of structures designed by Gilbert R. Horton would include: Jamestown Hospital; Mandan High School; McElroy Park Hippodrome in Jamestown, in which Horton used his wood laminated, bolted arch; Medina Village Hall and Community Building, an example of his work using hard granite field stone; the Motion Picture Theatre in Cavalier; Rogers School Auditorium, the first structure incorporating hollow brick; and the Stutsman County Courthouse Addition in Jamestown.
Sources:
30278
Architect Selection Files (Board of Capitol Commissioners)
Jamestown Sun, May 15, 1968, p.1 +; November 4, 1985, p. 7.
30448 Registration Files (State Board of Architecture)
Smorada, James and Lois Forrest, editors. Century of Stories: Jamestown and Stutsman County, Fargo, ND: The Fort Seward Historical Society, Inc., 1983.
Who's Who in North Dakota, 1955. A compilation of short biographical sketches of selected North Dakotans.
PHOTOGRAPHS INVENTORY
00974-001 – 003 School, Braddock N.D.
00974-004 Gas Station
00974-005 School, Kulm N.D.
00974-0006 Typical One-Room School 1915
00974-007 Building dedication plate Board of Education 1915
00974-008 – 010 Public School, Montpelier N.D. 1915
00974-011 One-Room School
00974-012 Public School, Montpelier N.D. 1915
00974-013 One-Room School
00974-014 – 016 School, Ellendale N.D. 1915
00974-017 – 021 School, Woodworth N.D.
00974-022 School, Goodrich N.D. 1915
00974-023 Blaisdell Building, Medina N.D. 1915-1916
00974-024 – 025 Sundahl Residence, Jamestown N.D. 1915-1916
00974-026 – 029 Depot, Midland Continental Railroad, Jamestown N.D.
00974-033 School, Millarton N.D. 1916
00974-034 School, Mercer N.D. 1916
00974-035 Public School, Warwick N.D.
00974-036 School, Edmunds N.D. 1916
00974-037 School, McKenzie N.D. 1916
00974-038 School interior
00974-039 Movius-Wood Building, Jamestown N.D.
00974-041 – 042 Mandan High School 1916
00974-043 Gymnasium interior, High School, Mandan N.D.
00974-044 – 045 Assembly Room, Mandan High School
00974-046 Front entrance, Mandan High School
00974-047 – 049 Mandan High School 1916
00974-050 – 056 School, Coleharbor N.D.
00974-057 Bertel Building
00974-058 Interior G. H. Funk & Sons store 1917
00974-059 Funk Building, Hebron N.D. 1917
00974-060 School, Bowman N.D. 1917
00974-061 School, New Rockford N.D.
00974-063 – 064 Blue Hill School south of Ryder N.D. 1917
00974-065 School, Van Hook N.D. 1917
00974-066 School, Medina N.D. 1917
00974-067 Typical classroom, Medina N.D. 1917
00974-068 – 069 School, Medina N.D. 1917
00974-070 Workmen outside front entrance, Medina School
00974-071 – 072 School, Veblen S.D. 1958
00974-073 Veblen School Gymnasium
00974-074 – 076 Farmers Union Hall, Sterling N.D.
00974-077 – 079 Olson Building, Valley City N.D.
00974-080 Riverdale School, Oakes N.D. 1918
00974-081 School, Chaseley N.D. 1918
00974-082 – 083 Estabrook School 1918
00974-084 – 087 Eldridge School 1919
00974-088 – 095 High School, Gackle N.D.
00974-096 – 098 Construction on High School, Wishek N.D. November 1919
00974-099 – 101 Completed High School, Wishek N.D.
00974-102 Woodbury School 1919
00974-103 – 105 Adventist Church, Jamestown N.D. 1919
00974-106 Livestock Sales Pavilion, Jamestown N.D. 1920
00974-107 Salvation Army Building, Jamestown N.D. 1920
00974-109 – 111 Henry Pulscher Residence, Jamestown N.D. 1920
00974-112 – 113 Memorial Hall, Turtle Lake N.D. 1920
00974-114 Residence, Colonial Home Builders
00974-115 Ashland School 1920
00974-116 Bloomenfield School 1920
00974-117 Peterson School 1920
00974-118 Hettinger School 1920
00974-119 – 120 Deer Lake School 1920
00974-121 – 123 Crystal Springs School 1920
00974-124 Manns School 1919-1920
00974-125 – 126 Bohnsack School 1920
00974-127 Colonial Home Horton & Ganley 1920
00974-129 – 130 Greenfield School
00974-131 Glenmore School 1921
00974-132 Adrian School 1922
00974-133 Eckelson School 1922
00974-134 Glacier School
00974-135 School, Arena N.D. 1922
00974-136 Greenland Consolidated School, Barnes County N.D. 1922
00974-137 Tuttle High School 1922
00974-138 Banner School, LaMoure County N.D. 1922-1923
00974-139 Englevale School 1922-1923
00974-140 Fish Hatchery, Spiritwood Lake 1922
00974-141 Lehr School 1923
00974-142 Homer School 1922
00974-143 – 144 Hazelton School 1923
00974-145 – 146 Knights of Columbus, Jamestown N.D. 1925
00974-147 Dacotah Oil Station, Jamestown N.D. 1924
00974-149 – 150 Marion School 1923
00974-151 Melicher Garage, Kulm N.D. 1923
00974-152 – 154 Wyndmere School 1923
00974-155 – 156 Mandan High School 1923
00974-157 Walsh Residence Sigurd Grande Residence, Jamestown N.D. 1924
00974-158 – 159 Dinehart Garage 1924
00974-160 Hoffman Motors, Wahpeton N.D.
00974-161 Cox Service Station, Carrington N.D. 1925
00974-162 Hansen Brothers, Jamestown N.D.
00974-163 Fried School 1925
00974-164 Sydney School
00974-165 Schmitz Building, Jamestown N.D.
00974-166 Kulm School
00974-167 Reule Garage, Medina N.D. 1924
00974-168 Nygaard Building, Jamestown N.D. 1925
00974-169 – 171 State Hospital Dairy Barn, Jamestown N.D. 1925
00974-172 Mandan High School 1924
00974-173 Carrington School 1926
00974-174 - 178 Trinity Hospital, Jamestown N.D. 1925
00974-179 Trinity Hospital Addition 1926
00974-180 – 182 Purity Dairy, Mandan N.D. 1926
00974-183 – 184 Wolfer Residence, Jamestown N.D. 1926
00974-185 – 186 Whidden Residence, Jamestown N.D. 1926
00974-187 Fort Yates School 1926
00974-188 Hannaford School 1926
00974-190 – 191 Napoleon School 1926
00974-192 Palace Motors, Carrington N.D.
00974-193 – 194 Lyons Garage, Jamestown N.D. 1926
00974-195 Greenland-Lunde Garage, Cooperstown N.D. 1926
00974-196 Stutsman County Courthouse Addition, Jamestown N.D. 1926
00974-197 Flannery Building, Jamestown N.D. 1926
00974-198 Grant Building, Jamestown N.D. 1926
00974-199 Juanita School 1927
00974-200 School, Mildred Mont.
00974-202 – 204 Horton Residence, Jamestown N.D. 1927
00974-205 Young Garage, LaMoure N.D. 1927
00974-206 St. John’s Academy, Jamestown N.D.
00974-207 Wimbledon School 1928
00974-208 – 209 St. John’s Academy, Jamestown N.D. 1927
00974-210 Western Auto, Mandan N.D.
00974-211 Wimbledon School 1928
00974-212 – 214 City Hall, Mandan N.D. 1928
00974-215 School, Litchfield, Minn. 1931
00974-216 National Bank & Trust Co., Jamestown N.D. 1930
00974-217 – 218 City Hall, Mandan N.D. 1928
00974-219 Litchfield High School, Litchfield Minn. 1931
00974-220 – 221 Denhoff School 1929
00974-222 – 223 Amundson Residence, Jamestown N.D. 1929
00974-224 Flora School 1929
00974-225 Bordulac School 1930
00974-226 G. L. Horton Garage, Litchfield 1930
00974-227 Poindexter Residence, Jamestown N.D. 1937
00974-228 – 229 Nankin Restaurant exterior, Jamestown N.D. 1931
00974-230 Nankin Restaurant interior, Jamestown N.D. 1931
00974-231 – 233 Watson Hall Men’s Dormitory, Jamestown College 1930
00974-234 – 235 Litchfield High School, Litchfield Minn. 1931
00974-236 – 238 Hospital, Jamestown N.D.1931
00974-239 – 244 Park Auditorium, Jamestown N.D. 1934
00974-245 National Bank Alterations interio, Jamestown N.D. 1937
00974-246 Armory, Valley City N.D. 1937
00974-247 – 248 Park Auditorium, Jamestown N.D. 1934
00974-249 – 250 Lidgerwood School Auditorium 1938
00974-251 – 252 School Gymnasium, Monango N.D. 1938
00974-253 – 259 Lidgerwood School Auditorium 1938
00974-260 – 261 Congregational Church interior, New Rockford N.D. 1939
00974-262 – 266 New Rockford Hospital 1939
00974-267 – 271 St. John’s Lutheran Church, Jamestown N.D. 1939
00974-272 – 274 Dickey School Addition 1939
00974-275 Village Hall, Medina N.D. 1939
00974-276 Auditorium, New Rockford N.D. 1940
00974-277 Bus Terminal, Jamestown N.D. 1940
00974-278 Congregational Church 1940
00974-279 – 282 City Auditorium, Wishek N.D.
00974-283 H. G. Picard Jeweler, Jamestown N.D. – before
00974-284 Streifel – Pred Clothiers, Jamestown N.D. – after
00974-285 – 287 School Gymnasium exterior, Ellendale N.D. 1938
00974-288 – 289 School Gymnasium interior, Ellendale N.D. 1938
00974-290 Fire Department, Steele N.D.
00974-291 Community Building, Steele N.D.
00973-292 – 295 Crippled Children’s School, Jamestown N.D. 1941
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