Here you will find all things related to the architecture and artistic taste created by American architect, George F. Barber (1854-1915). Mr. Barber just might be America's most prolific architect, due to the thousands of homes built from his plans and the designs he published.
This site is currently undergoing extensive renovations and upgrades to bring you more extensive and customized content. The site will soon feature two "Premium" pages that will provide subscribers with tools to find and visualize content based upon criteria they provide. Please visit often to check on the progress of these improvements as these features will be coming online periodically over the coming months.
This site and all the data it provides is intended to be used for enjoyment, public awareness and for reference for those lucky homeowners who own one of these important homes. It is also intended to be a social network for those who enjoy Barber's architecture, are renovating or restoring a historic home, and otherwise appreciate American architectural heritage. Many pages offer a place to comment on what you see, so please feel free to join our community and create an account that you can use to interact with what you see here and the many other visitors of this resource. We hope you enjoy your time with us and thanks for visiting.
Click here to see where we showcase the extensive portfolio of homes that can be attributed to the Barber architectural firm. All the homes displayed on these pages are still extant, located throughout North America.
Click here to see just some of the many buildings, other than residences, that Barber designed throughout his career.
This will be a new feature of Cottage Souvenirs, showing you the current extent of the research that has been done, documenting Barber designed homes. This map is intended to be interactive in that it can be filtered to show you the data you want to see, and the thousands of pins will provide navigation directions so you can see these gems in person. Stay tuned . . . This feature will require a "Premium" subscription for access.
These pages will be where we showcase the painful collection of homes lost to the ravages of time! Many of these gems were lost before anyone had uncovered that they were homes designed by the Barber architectural firm. This collection is also part of the "Premium Content" offering that will soon be available from the Store linked above.
Years of research and documentation by two architectural historians have culminated in the publication of "Architectural Ragtime". This book is a must have for anyone who loves historic architecture or follows the Barber architectural firm.
See how modern technology can be used to digitally restore historic artifacts of Barber's work. Blueprints, linen drawings, contracts & specifications, photos, etc. can all be digitally restored when the originals permit.
Click "Play" below to see a short video that illustrates George Barber's influence on America's architectural heritage.
My name is Chris DiMattei and I am an architect and historian dedicated to the preservation and restoration of America's architectural heritage. My particular love is with the architectural accomplishments of the Victorian era, roughly 1870-1910. With that, I have spent many years researching and documenting the work of George F. Barber (1854-1915) an architect I became aware of while attending architecture school in Knoxville, Tennessee. And in that pursuit, I have amassed a plethora of data that deserves to be shared with the public. I alone am responsible for this website and all the content it contains. This also means that I alone bear the costs of such an endeavor. So when you come to areas of this site that are only available to those who have paid for the access, perhaps you will consider a subscription that will provide you with full access while helping me offset the costs of this public service. If you do engage in purchasing a subscription, I thank you. If you don't, that is OK too and I still thank you for visiting, participating and perhaps spreading the word.
Regarding the content of this website, I make no guarantees about the accuracy of it, but I stand behind all that is presented here. Much of what you will see on this website is subjective in that, many of the attributions made linking an example home to the Barber architectural firm, is subject to interpretation. This is because, generally speaking, very little evidence survives linking a building to the architect who created it's design or the builder who constructed it. So with that, please bear in mind that while attributions are important, the purpose of this site is to raise awareness, create a community of persons who enjoy and appreciate the work of the Barber architectural firm, and to promote the saving, restoration and preservation of these important homes. The impressive numbers and reach of the Barber firm support his recognition as one of America's most influential architects.
If you have an issue with something you see on this site, please bring it to my attention, and I will address it as promptly as possible. Simply email me using the "Contact Us" link below, with the specifics of your issue.
Thank you and we hope you enjoy your time at Cottage Souvenirs.
Email us at cottagesouvenirs@gmail.com
Your interaction with this site is a privilege, not a right. As such, I will refuse to post or delete any comment that I find objectionable in any way, or that violates the Code of Conduct documented here. I also reserve the right to revoke any subscriber's subscription to this site (without refund) for any reason whatsoever, if I feel they are not behaving in accordance with this Code of Conduct. As a visitor and or subscriber of this site, you agree to treat those responsible for the content and comments contained herein, with the utmost respect and courtesy. The information provided on this site, along with the plethora of photos and illustrations, have been voluntarily published here for your education and enjoyment. None of what you see on this website is available for you to copy, or for electronic capture by any means or method. All photographs contained on this site, unless otherwise noted, are copyright of the author, Christopher R. DiMattei. Standard copyright laws apply so no photographs or illustrations may be used, under any circumstances, without first obtaining written permission from the author or copyright holder. Also, please remember that the homes and buildings displayed on this site, are in most cases privately owned, so please respect the homeowners property and their privacy, at all times. Be your best self and we will get along perfectly. Thank you.