PELTON, Arthur Freeman (1863-1944), an architect of Halifax, Nova Scotia where he was the Head Draftsman and manager at the construction company Rhodes, Curry Co. up to 1910, and he likely acted as the staff architect for the company, overseeing the design and construction of many types of buildings located in Nova Scotia. He was born on 21 June 1863 and may have trained in Nova Scotia; in 1893 it was noted that “Mr. Pelton, architect with Rhodes, Curry & Co., went to Montreal to assist with furnishing the Bank of Nova Scotia in Amherst, N.S.”, a building which he may have designed (Evening Press [Amherst], 19 March 1893, 4). In 1895 he moved to Halifax to begin work in the office of Rhodes, Curry Co. He opened his own office as an architect in Halifax in April 1910, and it was stated that he had “....large experience in the United States and Canada as a draftsman and superintendent of construction” (Evening Mail [Halifax], 2 April 1910, 20, biog.). The lack of economic activity in the Maritimes prompted Pelton to leave within one year, and he moved to British Columbia where he opened an new office in Kelowna in 1911, and remained there until 1917, then spent one year in Detroit, Mich. before returning to the Maritimes. Pelton died in Halifax on 10 December 1944.
HALIFAX, N.S., West End Baptist Church, Quinpool Road, 1908 (Evening Mail [Halifax], 23 June 1908, 1 & 2, descrip.)
UPPER CANARD, N.S., Baptist Church, 1910 (signed dwg. at PANS, Halifax; inf. Garry Shutlak, Halifax)
PENTICTON, B.C., Gahan Block, Smith Street, a commercial block for W.H.T. Gahan, 1911 (Vernon News, 23 Feb. 1911, 10, t.c.)
PENTICTON, B.C., Town Hall, Fire Hall, Library and Auditorium, 1911 (Vancouver Daily Province, 1 April 1911, 13)
PENTICTON, B.C., Mitchell Block, Main Street, a commercial block for J.R. Mitchell, 1911 (Vernon News, 27 April 1911, 10, t.c.)
PENTICTON, B.C., Incola Hotel, Lakeshore Drive, 1911-12; demol. 1981 (C.R., xxv, 30 Aug. 1911, 63; D. Luxton, Building The West, 2003, 480, 514)
PENTICTON, B.C., Penticton Aquatic Association, new clubhouse and assembly hall, 1912 (Vernon News, 22 Aug. 1912, 8)
PENTICTON, B.C., Okanagan Telephone Co., office and exchange building, 1912 (Vernon News, 5 Sept. 1912, 1)
KELOWNA, B.C., Okanagan Telephone Co., office and exchange building, 1912 (Vernon News, 5 Sept. 1912, 1)
PENTICTON, B.C., Willits-Taylor Building, Bernard Avenue, 1913 (D. Luxton, Building The West, 2003, 480, 514)
COMPETITIONS
WOLFVILLE, N.S., Baptist Church, Main Street at Highland Avenue, 1910. Pelton was one of five architects invited to submit an entry in this competition (Evening Mail [Halifax], 16 April 1910, 13). His design was set aside and Dumaresq & Cobb of Halifax were declared the winners, but the following year, in 1911, the commission was given to Charles B. Chappell of Charlottetown, P.E.I.