Historic barnes home
345 East Main Street
Architect: Unknown
Builder: Julian Starr (Attributed)
Built: 1902
The Herald reported on Aug. 9, 1902 - "Mr. I. Blumberg and family are now occupying their new home on East Main Street. It is an elegant structure with twelve rooms. The walls are adorned with oil painting, the work of Mr. Blumberg's brother of New York."
It was the Blumberg family of Rock Hill, Mr. and Mrs. Isadore Blumberg who constructed this fine dwelling, not the Barnes family, who for decades called it home. Mr. Blumberg, a prosperous jeweler – optician, in downtown built the house to showcase his financial success and art collections. However, by 1910 he sold the dwelling to Ladson A. Barnes who, as late as 1925-26, was listed as the Manager of the Harley - Davidson Motorcycle Dealership.
Mr. Barnes had not always been interested in entrepreneurism, rather in education, having arrived in Rock Hill as a teacher with years of experience. Yet, he quickly became involved in new business activities including the motorcycle franchise which he owned for York, Chester and Lancaster counties. He had also wisely purchased the Rock Hill Telephone Company and would see that it too succeeded.
Members of the Barnes family resided here for nearly one-hundred years, and only recently was the residence transformed into a new purpose, the headquarters of the Comporium Foundation.