The Guy C. Barton House was a very elaborate and expensive Victorian home in the Midtown area of Omaha, Nebraska, United States, a home and entertaining center of an industrialist and philanthropist. The house caught fire and was demolished in 1982.
It was designed by Chicago architect Henry Ives Cobb, a leader in Richardsonian Romanesque style, on commission for Barton. The mansion was built in 1899 at cost of $250,000.[3] The three-story red brick mansion was located at 3522 Farnum Street.[4]
Details in its National Register nomination include: "The main entrance, facing the south, is sided by a three-story Victorian tower on the west. The highly decorative cast-iron double doors cost $7,000 when they were first installed. The entrance hall is of solid mahogany wall panels and stanchions that are draped and tapestried in two-tone velours. On the left of the entrance hall is the music room or "Gold Room" which is decorated in Louis XV style."[3]
It was site of great parties. In its National Register nomination it was stated that the house "portrays a past era unique not only in architectural movements but also in the socio-economic development of
capitalism of America." It was deemed significant as "a perfect example of Victorian elegance at its highest. The architectural style is a romantic adaptation of Victorian and Romanesque."[3]
The property included a large carriage house with stables below.[3] This provided quarters for a coachman, horses, and "special quarters for the family cow which was kept there as late as 1915" when it was owned by H. S. Clarke, another banker.[3]
A wine cellar with capacity for 1,250 bottles was protected by a heavy door and a burglar alarm connected to Mr. Barton's bedroom.[5]
An underground passage provided access from the house to the stables.[5]
In 1982 the Security National Bank took steps towards demolition of the building; a law firm opposed that and appealed to Secretary of the InteriorJames G. Watt.
[6]
The mansion later became the Heafey & Heafey Mortuary.[7][3]
^ abUnknown. Unknown. Three pages about the house are included in a history book, copy of these pages are included in 1982 correspondence included in NARA's PDF.