Braunton, Hugh

BRAUNTON, Hugh (1871-1945) was active in Vancouver, B.C. where he first practised under his own name, and later in partnership with John Grant Leibert (1887-1949). The firm was remarkably prolific for a brief period in 1912-13 and made a specialty of designing rooming houses and apartment blocks executed in an Edwardian or classical style. By 1915 they had relocated to Seattle, Wash. (City of Seattle Directory, 1915, 433). Unable to find work in the economic downturn in the Pacific Northwest, they moved again, this time to El Paso, Texas where they opened an office in April 1915 and the firm flourished. The name of Braunton & Leibert can be linked to several major buildings in that city from 1915 to 1918. From 1918 to 1928 Braunton worked under his own name in El Paso. A list of some of their projects in Texas is included in this entry below. In early 1928 he formed a new partnership in El Paso, Texas with Percy McGhee, as Braunton & McGhee, Architects (El Paso Evening Post, 2 April 1928, 7, advert.), but their collaboration appears to have been a brief one, and they were active from 1928 to 1931.

Braunton was born in London, England on 23 May 1871 and brought to the United States as an infant in late 1871. By 1890 he was recorded as a contractor in Stockton, Calif., and his name appears there in 1899 as "carpenter & builder" (Stockton City Directory, 1898-99, 356). In 1901 he was practising as an architect in Stockton, and operated a branch office in Sonora, Calif. He later moved to Vancouver, B.C. where he lived and worked as an architect for at least 8 years before moving to Seattle, and then to El Paso, Texas. Braunton died in Orange County, Calif. on 9 November 1945 (death notice Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 1945, 17; inf. D. Luxton, Building the West: The Early Architects of British Columbia, 2003, 455, 494).

H. BRAUNTON (works in California)

SONORA, CALIF., The Hotel Victoria, 1896 (San Francisco Call, 13 April 1896, 4, illus. & extensive descrip.)
OAKDALE, CALIF., Oakdale Grammar School, 1901 (Oakdale Graphic, 26 June 1901, 5, illus. and extensive descrip.)

H. BRAUTON (works in Vancouver)

WATER STREET, a 4 storey warehouse for Thomas J. Roberts, 1911 (City of Vancouver b.p. 28 April 1911; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
MAIN STREET, stores and apartments for an A. Pausche, 1911 (C.R., xxv, 8 Nov. 1911, 64; dwgs. Vancouver City Archives; City of Vancouver b.p. 6 Nov. 1911; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
EAST CORDOVA STREET, a six storey brick hotel for W.C. Marshall, 1911 (City of Vancouver b.p. 13 July 1911; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
EAST CORDOVA STREET, block for Daniel Campbell, 1911-12 (City of Vancouver b.p. 27 Nov. 1911; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
EAST CORDOVA STREET, apartment block for F. McElroy, 1911-12 (C.R., xxv, 29 Nov. 1911, 64)
SEYMOUR STREET, apartment block for Daniel Campbell, 1911-12 (C.R., xxv, 13 Dec. 1911, 121)
ACADIA APARTMENTS, Heatley Avenue, 1911-12 (C.R., xxv, 27 Dec. 1911, 68)
POWELL STREET, a 4 storey brick store and rooming house, for John McRae, 1912 (City of Vancouver b.p. 1325, 25 Jan. 1912; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
HOTEL STRATFORD, Keefer Street at Gore Street, for Mrs. Walter Sanford, 1912 (C.R., xxvi, 7 Feb. 1912, 68; The Sun [Vancouver], 14 Feb. 1912, 1, descrip.; Province [Vancouver], 23 March 1912, 42, descrip.; 6 April 1912, 31, illus.; City of Vancouver b.p. 1481, 13 Feb. 1912; dwgs. Vancouver City Archives)

BRAUNTON & LEIBERT (works in Vancouver)

FORD MOTOR CO. LTD., office and garage, West 15th Avenue near Granville Street, for R.J. Snelgrove, 1912 (City of Vancouver b.p. 3519, 25 Sept. 1912; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
OSLER AVENUE, at Laurier Street, residence for Frank McIntyre, 1912 (Province [Vancouver], 27 April 1912, 29; 12 Oct. 1912, 23, descrip.)
VANCOUVER RESCUE MISSION [now called MISSION HOUSE], Alexander Street near Columbia Avenue, a five storey rooming house, 1912 (Province [Vancouver], 8 June 1912, 28, ilus. & descrip.; Parks Canada, Canada's Historic Places, designated 23 Sept. 1986; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
IRWINTON APARTMENTS, Burrard Street at Robson Street, for Cicero N. Davidson, 1912-13 (City of Vancouver b.p. 4103, 28 Dec. 1912; dwgs. Vancouver City Archives; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
ASHNOLA APARTMENTS, Main Street at East 6th Avenue, a 3 storey block of stores and apartments for Dr. Israel Wood Powell, 1912-13 (Province [Vancouver], 12 Oct. 1912, 23; The Sun [Vancouver], 12 Dec. 1912, 5; Vancouver Daily World, 21 Dec. 1912, 17, descrip.; dwgs. Vancouver City Archives)
ARCO HOTEL, West Pender Street at Abbott Street, stores and rooming house for J.F. Langer, 1912 (Province [Vancouver], 13 July 1912, 18, illus.; dwgs. Vancouver City Archives)
CRESCENT COURT APARTMENTS, West 14th Avenue at Granville Street, a block of stores and apartments for L.C. Marshall, 1912 (Province [Vancouver], 7 Sept. 1912, 31, descrip.; 21 Sept. 1912, 28, illus.; The Sun [Vancouver], 16 Sept. 1912, 11, descrip.; City of Vancouver b.p. 3518, 25 Sept. 1912; dwgs. Vancouver City Archives; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
MAIN STREET, near Harris Street, apartment block for Alfred E. Suckling, 1912 (Province [Vancouver], 14 Sept. 1912, 30, illus. & descrip.; Vancouver Daily World, 14 Dec. 1912, 19)
EAST HASTINGS STREET, near Hawkes Street, apartment block for R.A. Wallace, 1912 (Province [Vancouver], 14 Sept. 1912, 30; H. Kalman, Exploring Vancouver, 1993, 46, illus.)
PARKVIEW ROOMS, Harris Street near Dunlevy Avenue, a 4 storey brick rooming house, for G.W.J. Westwood, 1912 (City of Vancouver b.p. 3362, 5 Sept. 1912; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
OAKLAND ROOMS, Richards Street near Dunsmuir Street, a 4 storey frame store and office building, for Haley & Sutton, 1912 (City of Vancouver b.p. 2486, 28 May 1912; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
SHAUGHNESSY HEIGHTS, large residence for Frank McIntyre, Osler Street at Laurier Avenue, 1912 (Province [Vancouver], 12 Oct. 1912. 23. descrip.)
MAIN STREET, at East 6th Avenue, a 4 storey apartment house for Dr. Israel W. Powell, 1912-13 (Province [Vancouver], 12 Oct. 1912. 23. descrip.; City of Vancouver b.p. No. 4009, 11 Dec. 1912) STANDARD MILK CO. LTD., West 8th Avenue at Hemlock Street, a 3 storey factory, 1912-13 (Province [Vancouver], 9 Nov. 1912, 31, descrip.; and 7 Dec. 1912, 28, illus.; The Sun [Vancouver], 9 Dec. 1912, 18, descrip.; and 30 Aug. 1913, 5, illus. & descrip.; City of Vancouver b.p. 4213, 28 Jan. 1913; dwgs. Vancouver City Archives; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
ROBSON STREET, at Burrard Street, a 6 storey apartment block, with retail stores, for Cicero N. Davidson, 1913 (City of Vancouver b.p. 4103, 28 Dec. 1912; Province [Vancouver], 4 Jan. 1913, 14; The Sun [Vancouver], 8 Jan. 1913, 12, descrip.; C.R., xxvii, 22 Jan. 1913, 69; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
STANDARD TRUST & INDUSTRIAL CO., Seymour Street, a 4 storey office block, 1913 (Province [Vancouver], 4 Jan. 1913, 14, illus. & descrip.; The Sun [Vancouver], 10 Jan. 1913, 7, descrip.; C.R., xxvii, 22 Jan. 1913, 69, t.c.; 12 March 1913, 72; Yearbook of the British Columbia Society of Architects, 1913, illus.; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
STANDARD FURNITURE LTD., Granville Street at Helmcken Street, a 4 storey office and warehouse block, 1912-13 (City of Vancouver .b.p. 4106, 30 Dec. 1912; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
GRANVILLE STREET, at Helmcken Street, a 4 storey block of stores and a rooming house for James Borland, 1913 (Vancouver Sun, 7 Jan. 1913, 4, descrip.; C.R., xxvii, 19 Feb. 1913, 74; Province [Vancouver], 2 Sept. 1913, 15, illus. & descrip.)
GRANVILLE STREET, near Robson Street, stores and apartment block for R.A. Allen, 1913 (Province [Vancouver], 18 Jan. 1913, 25, illus. & descrip.; C.R., xxvii, 5 Feb. 1913, 72)
MAIN STREET, at Alexander Street, commercial building for John McDonald "...opposite the new G.T.P. dock", 1913 (Vancouver Daily World, 20 Feb. 1913, 24, descrip.)
FERRERA COURT, East Hastings Street near Jackson Street, a six storey apartment block for Morden & Thornton, 1913 (City of Vancouver b.p. 4098, 27 Dec. 1912; C.R., xxvii, 16 July 1913, 67; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
GLOBE CLOTHING STORE, West Cordova Street near Cambie Street, for Lewis & Sills, 1913 (City of Vancouver b.p. 4622, 25 March 1913; inf. Andy Coupland, Vancouver)
ALLEN BLOCK, Granville Street, 1914 (dwgs. Vancouver City Archives)
JEWISH SYNAGOGUE, Melville Street, 1914 (C.R., xxviii, 26 Aug. 1914, 63, t.c.)

BRAUNTON & LEIBERT (works in El Paso, Texas)

EAST NEVADA STREET, near the High School, a 3 storey apartment block with 12 units, 1915 (El Paso Herald, 16 Oct. 1915, 7, descrip.; El Paso Times, 17 Oct. 1915, 7, descrip.)
WEST MISSOURI STREET, between Los Angeles Street and Davis Street, a 3 storey apartment building with 5 units for E.F. Flannigan, 1915-16 (El Paso Herald, 16 Oct. 1915, 7, descrip.; and El Paso Herald, Weekend Edition, 27-28, Nov. 1915, 22, descrip.)
SOUTH STANTON STREET, a 2 storey block of retail stores and apartments, 1915 (El Paso Herald, 16 Oct. 1915, 7, descrip.; El Paso Times, 17 Oct. 1915, 7, descrip.)
MONTANA STREET, at Noble Street, a small apartment block with 3 units, for Nic Muriale, 1915-16 (El Paso Herald, 20 Nov. 1915, 7)
THE ARAGON APARTMENTS, Rio Grande Street at Kansas Street, for Manuel Aragon, 1915-16 (El Paso Herald, Weekend Edition, 27-28 Nov. 1915, 22, descrip.; and 10-11 June 1916, 13, descrip.; and 26-27 August 1916, 5)
U.S. ARMY PROVISIONS DEPOT, Mills Street at Campbell Street, an addition of 2 storeys above the warehouse block for John Mulligan and leased to the U.S. Army, 1915-16 (El Paso Herald, Weekend Edition, 27-28 Nov. 1915, 22, descrip.; and El Paso Herald, Weekend Edition, 26-27 Aug. 1916, 5)
THE MARTIN TOWER, Mills Street at Stanton Street, a 7 storey commercial block, 1915-16 (El Paso Herald Weekend Edition, 27-28 Nov. 1915, 22, descrip.; and 3 June 1916, 9, descrip.; El Paso Herald, Weekend Edition, 10-11 June 1916, 13, descrip. & illus.; and 26-27 August 1916, 5, illus. & descrip.)
GOLDOFT BUILDING, Texas Street at Kansas Street, a 3 storey block for the Goldoft Brothers, 1916 (El Paso Herald, 29 Jan. 1916, 4, descrip.)
AUSTIN TERRACE, two entrance gateways, in reinforced concrete, at the entrance to a housing complex, 1916 (El Paso Herald, Weekend Edition, 10-11 June 1916, 13, descrip.)
BEALL BLOCK, Myrtle Street at San Antonio Street, for Col. T.J. Beall, 1916 (El Paso Herald, Weekend Edition, 26-27 Aug. 1916, 5; and 27 Jan. 1917, 25, descrip.)
TURNER BLOCK, Fourth Street at El Paso Street, for Harry Turner, 1916 (El Paso Herald, Weekend Edition, 26-27 Aug. 1916, 5)
THE LANIER BUILDING, Stanton Street, 1916 (El Paso Herald, Weekend Edition, 26-27 Aug. 1916, 5)
MARR, PRIMM & ROSS, Texas Street at Florence Street, a large reinforced concrete garage building, 1916 (El Paso Herald, Weekend Edition, 26-27 Aug. 1916, 5)
OCHOA STREET, at Wyoming Street, apartment block for G. McGinnis, 1916 (El Paso Herald, Weekend Edition, 26-27 Aug. 1916, 5)
RIVER STREET, at Campbell Street, apartment block for H.O. Cain, 1916 (El Paso Herald, Weekend Edition, 26-27 Aug. 1916, 5)
ARAGON BLOCK, Montana Street at Cedar Street and Piedras Street, a five storey block for Manuel Aragon, 1917 (El Paso Herald, Weekend Edition, 10-11 Feb. 1917, 14; and 25 Aug. 1917, 13)
ELM STREET, residence for Jim Robinson, 1917 (El Paso Herald, Weekend Edition, 10-11 Feb. 1917, 14)
EAST EL PASO, Roman Catholic School for Guardian Angels Parish, Frutas Avenue near San Marcial Street, for the Sisters of Loretto, 1917 (El Paso Herald, 21 July 1917, 12, illus. & descrip.)
CENTRAL FIRE STATION, South Campbell Street at East Overland Avenue, 1917 (El Paso Herald, 25 Aug. 1917, 13; and 26 Aug. 1918, 34, detailed descrip.)
MOVIE THEATRE, for G.W. Bush, 1917 (El Paso Herald, 1 Sept. 1917, 12)
BORDERLAND AUTO SUPPLY CO., warehouse, 1917 (El Paso Herald, 29 Sept. 1917, 3)
ROLSTON DRUG STORE, Piedras Street, 1917 (El Paso Herald, 15 Dec. 1917, 23, descrip.)

BRAUNTON & LEIBERT (works elsewhere in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico)

BELEN, TEXAS, County Poor House & Hospital Buildings, 1916 (El Paso Herald, 15 Jan. 1916, 4, descrip.)
LORDSBURG, NEW MEXICO, two buildings for the Eagle Drug Mercantile Co., 1917 (El Paso Herald, 13 April 1917, 9)
LORDSBURG, NEW MEXICO, a 3 storey industrial building for The Eighty Five Mine Co., located 7 miles from Lordsburg, New Mexico,1917 (El Paso Herald, 13 April 1917, 9)
NACO, ARIZONA, warehouse for Cananea Consolidated Copper Co., 1917 (El Paso Herald, 13 April 1917, 9)
CLIFTON, ARIZONA, Presbyterian Church, Park Avenue, 1917; still standing in 2023, and converted to events venue called The Blue Door Sanctuary (El Paso Herald, 13 April 1917, 9)
DEMING, NEW MEXICO, large wholesale grocery warehouse for Murray, Layne & Co., Railroad Boulevard, 1917 (El Paso Herald, 1 Sept. 1917, 12, descrip.; and 22 Sept. 1917, 5; and 13 Oct. 1917, 3)
DEMING, NEW MEXICO, a movie theatre building, constructed of brick, 1917 (El Paso Herald, 29 Sept. 1917, 3, t.c.)
GLOBE, ARIZONA, large residence for J.C. Griffin, of the First National Bank, 1917 (El Paso Herald, 1 Sept. 1917, 12)
GLOBE, ARIZONA, 3 warehouse buildings for unnamed clients, 1917 (El Paso Herald, 1 Sept. 1917, 12)
DEMING, NEW MEXICO, Luna County Jail, South Silver Street, 1918 (El Paso Herald, 21 Feb. 1918, 10, t.c.; City of Deming Walking Tour, 2010)

BRAUNTON & McGHEE (works in El Paso, Texas unless noted)

CROSBY STREET, at Ochoa Street, residence for Sol Franklin, 1928 (El Paso Herald, 17 July 1928, 6, descrip.)
CARLSBAD, NEW MEXICO, a tourist camp and motel for Yates & Blair, with office and 22 cabins, Roswell Highway at Lovell Highway, 1928 (Carlsbad Current-Argus, 28 Aug. 1928, 1, descrip.)
HOTEL DEL NORTE, restaurant and coffee shop, on the ground floor of the hotel, 1928-29 (El Paso Times, 18 March 1929, 6-7, descrip.)
NICHOLS COPPER CO., refinery, administration buildings, and residences for senior staff, North Loop Road, 1929-30 (El Paso Evening Post, 28 Jan. 1930, 10, illus. & descrip.)
MARFA, TEXAS, Episcopal Church, Highland Street at Washington Street, 1929; still standing in 2023 (El Paso Herald, 21 Aug. 1929, 2)
MARFA, TEXAS, retail store and office building for Mrs. T.A. Childers, 1929 (El Paso Herald, 21 Aug. 1929, 2)
MARFA, TEXAS, Ford Motor Co., showroom and garage, 1929 (El Paso Herald, 21 Aug. 1929, 2)
LA CRUCES, NEW MEXICO, a Men's Residence Building at the New Mexico Agricultural & Mechanical Arts College, 1929 (El Paso Herald, 24 Aug. 1929, 19, illus. & descrip.; 29 July 1929, 9, t.c.)
CASTLE HEIGHTS, a mansion for C.H. Lockhart, 1505 Raynor Street, 1929 (El Paso Herald, 28 Sept. 1929, 1, descrip.)
WATKINS BUICK LTD., Auto Service Centre, Leon Street, 1929 (El Paso Herald, 23 Nov. 1929, 11, illus. & descrip.)
EAST SIDE HIGH SCHOOL, Byron Street at Memphis Street, 1929-30 (El Paso Herald, 28 Nov. 1929, 1, descrip.)
GOODYEAR TIRE & RUBBER CO., Texas Street at Newman Street, warehouse, 1930 (El Paso Evening Post, 23 June 1930, 2)
AUSTIN, TEXAS, new High School, 1930 (El Paso Evening Post, 12 Sept. 1930, 10, illus.)
ELKS CLUB, Myrtle Avenue at Campbell Street, 1931 (El Paso Times, 4 April 1931, 14; El Paso Herald-Post, 5 Aug. 1931, 1)
EAST CROSBY AVENUE, near North Ochoa Street, a detached fieldstone house at 708 East Crosby Avenue, for an unnamed owner, 1937; still standing in 2023 (El Paso Herald-Post, 27 Aug. 1937, 1)
NORTH PIEDRAS STREET, near Monroe Avenue, a detached fieldstone house at 4004 North Piedras St., for an unnamed owner, 1938; still standing in 2023 (El Paso Times, 16 Sept. 1938, 7)