User:JPRiley/Barrows

Gridley Barrows
Born	(1912-01-29)January 29, 1912 Brooklyn
Died	March 13, 1999(1999-03-13) (aged 87) Lewiston, Maine
Nationality	United States
Occupation	Architect
Awards	Fellow, American Institute of Architects (1982)

Parsons Hall of the University of New Hampshire in Durham, designed by Alonzo J. Harriman Associates and completed in 1966.

The Science Building of the University of Southern Maine in Portland, completed in 1969.

Gridley Barrows FAIA (January 29, 1912 – March 13, 1999) was an American architect in practice in Auburn, Maine, from 1956 until his retirement in 1978. From 1961 until his retirement he was chief designer for the firm now known as Harriman, one of the oldest architectural firms in the United States.

Life and career

Gridley Barrows was born January 29, 1912, in Brooklyn. He was educated at Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard University, graduating in 1934. After two additional years at the Harvard Graduate School of Design he withdrew to pursue painting, and returned to New York City. There, he worked on WPA mural projects with artists including Stuart Davis, Philip Guston and Rico Lebrun. Beginning in 1939 he assisted in managing a school for war refugee children from England and Europe in Virginia, but in 1942 he enlisted in the Navy, serving in the Pacific.

After World War II he resumed his architecture career, working for Voorhees, Walker, Foley & Smith and taking night courses at Columbia University. In 1950 he returned to Boston, working for Shepley, Bulfinch, Richardson & Abbott and completing his education, earning a BArch from Harvard in 1955. After his graduation he joined the Boston office of Maine architect Alonzo J. Harriman, transferring to the Auburn headquarters in 1956. Harriman employed him as a designer, and was chief designer from 1961. He was made an associate in 1965, but was never made a principal. Major works completed by Barrows for Harriman included Nutting Hall of the University of Maine in Orono, the Schaeffer Theatre of Bates College in Lewiston and the Edmund S. Muskie Federal Building and the residence of Jon A. Lund in Augusta. He retired from practice in 1978.

After his retirement, Barrows focused on public service, and gave his time to the Lewiston Historic Preservation Review Board, Greater Portland Landmarks, Maine Citizens for Historic Preservation and the Maine Arts Festival at Bowdoin College, amongst other organizations. In 1964 he joined the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as a member of the Maine chapter. He served as chapter vice president for the year 1969–70, and New England regional director for 1977–79. In 1982 he was elected a Fellow.

Personal life

Barrows was married twice. He was married first in 1950 to Mary Sue LaHeist of Boston. She died in 1957, and Barrows was married second in 1960 to Jean Bradford Stocker, née Davis, of Fort Worth, Texas. He had no children of his own, but had a stepson through his second wife.

Barrows was a devout Christian Scientist. He was both architect and First Reader of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Auburn. He died March 13, 1999, at the age of 87. According to his religious beliefs there was no public notice, and there was no wider knowledge of his death until later that year, when his stepson donated his large collection of photographs, both historical and his own, to the Lewiston Public Library.