345 East Main Street

The Edwin L. Barnes home was one of East Main Streets early 20th century homes and is a  reflection of Rock Hill’s prosperous and strong business class.  The Rock Hill Telephone Company, now Comporium Communications, has been associated with the Barnes family for over one hundred years. Their home was a fashionable reflection of the growing importance of the telephone.

Rock Hill City Directories: 1908 – I. and Fannie Blumberg (jeweler), 1913 – E.L. and Mary H. Barnes (President-tresurer-manager of the Rock Hill Telephone Company), Erwin M. Barnes (lineman for Rock Hill Telephone Company), Frank S. Barnes (student), 1920 – E.L. and Mary H. Barnes, 1922 – E.L. and Mary H. Barnes, 1925 – E.L. and Mary H. Barnes, L.A. and Oma Barnes (manager Harley-Davidson),

This two-story home built circa 1902 has a foundation of brick at the front and brick piers with fill and raised basement at the rear.  A pedimented front gable with wood shingles and louvered attic vent with cornice in gable end, a transom and flat entry surround at principle and secondary entries within porch. Double windows at left elevation within porch, a rear gable extension with brick flue; hipped extension at left elevation with double windows, hipped projection at the right elevation, and a shed section along rear elevation with brick flue. One Bay of the porch is enclosed, with double 2/2 windows; rear porch enclosed with grouped 6/6 windows1.

This area is not included on the 1905 Sanborn map, but the house appears in the 1910 map. The 1908/09 directory shows I. Blumberg as residing at this address, but sold this house to Mr. E.L. Barnes in 19102. Mr. Blumberg continued to live in the house until his new home was completed, and by 1913 E.L. Barnes was living there. Mr. E.L. Barnes was president and manager of the Rock Hill telephone Company. In the 1926 directory, Ladson A. & Oma Barnes lived at this address; he was employed at Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company as manager. The 1936 through 1942 directories show Edwin L. Barnes, from 1946 through1989 Ladson A. Barnes, in 1990 through the present Mrs. Oma W. Barnes.  [John Misskelley Hist. Research and HRH]

Upon the death of Mrs. Barnes, in 2010, the home was sold to Comporium Communications for future development use and preservation by the Barnes family.

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Fact Sheet

Current Address: 345 East Main


First Owner: Ladson Barnes


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Barnes Home - 2011
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BRH Introduction – 2011