Background
Newton J. Tharp was born in 1867 at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, United States.
Newton J. Tharp was born in 1867 at Mount Pleasant, Iowa, United States.
He received an early architectural training in Chicago, later traveled in Europe and studied in Paris, France. Returning to this country, Mr. Tharp worked in architectural offices in New York and Chicago, and when he was twenty-one traveled to California, subsequently settled in San Francisco. After securing a position with Edward R. Swain (successor to A. Page Brown as architect of the old Ferry Building) he continued as draftsman until the death of Mr. Swain in 1902, later succeeded to his practice.
Under his own name, Mr. Tharp designed the Grant and Sloan office buildings, Emergency Hospital in Golden Gate Park, and a number of residences in the Bay area. Following the earthquake and fire of 1906, Mr. Tharp was appointed City Architect of San Francisco, succeeding the late William T. Shea, and served in that capacity through the latter years of his life. The Hall of Justice, the most important building with which he was identified, was under construction at the time of his death in 1909.