John Henry Felt

John Henry Felt, a Hancock County native and a classmate of James Whitcomb Riley, studied at the International Correspondence School. He was working at a lumber factory when he began studying architecture through correspondence courses and became a self-taught architect who took advantage of Greenfield's gas boom. He designed at least 30 homes in Greenfield and Hancock County as well as the old City Building on West North Street, Greenfield Christian Church on North East Street and the former Columbia Hotel. Mr. Felt utilized the services of Will Vawter, famed for his sketches of Riley poems, to draw many of his designs for publishing in area newspapers. When the Gas Boom waned in the 1890's and building activity declined, Mr. Felt pulled up stakes and moved west to Missouri., Mr. Charles Barr a prominent businessman, who had private business interest with Greenfield Banking Company, hired John Felt to build his home located on Walnut St. There was a brick Italianate home on the home site which was removed and the Barr house built using its brick foundation in 1893. Mr. Felt designed the beautiful home using an unusual combination of architectural styles that incorporated stick architecture elements along with the Queen Anne elements of repeating fan designs, fish scales and wraparound porch with conical-roofed veranda. The home has a steep gable roof. The interior was furnished with chandeliers, polished wood ceiling medallions, bay windows and wooden shutters. When the house was completed the announcement in the newspaper stated that the home was the "best money could buy". The Charles Barr House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.