The Morrison Historic Preservation Commission (MHPC) is applying to nominate an appropriate portion of the community’s commercial district to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. With the assistance of our consultants, the MHPC has spent months researching and writing the substance of our application. In the hopes that the community will find the information contained therein both interesting and informative, we will be running, one at a time, in no particular order, over the next year, the architectural and historical description of each building included. We hope you enjoy installment #25.
Note: The National Register of Historic Places is literally a listing of spaces, structures or areas recognized to be of National historic, cultural or architectural importance. It is kept by the United States Department of Interior, but the program is largely administered by an individual state’s preservation authority. In Illinois, this is the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The term “contributing” means that the structure lies within an historic district and adds to the architectural or historic significance of the same as a whole. If it is within the boundaries of the district, but does not so supplement, it is deemed “non-contributing.”
123 E. Main Street, Date: 1891, altered c. 1960–“Contributing”
Description: This is a two-story brick building with brick veneer. The main elevation (north) was modernized c. 1960. The storefront is asymmetrical with a deeply recessed full-glass aluminum door and transom, flanked by two large, aluminum display windows with center mullion to the west, and a small raised display window to the east. The bulkheads are quarry-faced, random-coursed ashlar. To the east of the storefront is a slightly recessed upstairs entry door, wood with aluminum frame and transom. Above the storefront is a continuous aluminum awning cowl. The upper story is tan brick laid in Flemish bond, with four rectangular vinyl double-hung windows and a concrete sill course. The parapet has a concrete cap. The rear elevation (south) is covered with horizontal vinyl siding. Window and door openings are a mixture of historic and modern materials, infill, and utilities.
History: The building was constructed by George Milne to replace an earlier post office building, a function it served for about a year, before moving to 129-131 E. Main. Other early uses included a clothing store (1891-1900’s), a seamstress (Mrs. Lenhart), a tailor (E. Kool), a barber (George Leigh), and a printing shop (1890’s). Later the building housed a pool hall in the basement (1900’s), a Justice of the Peace (Albert Baird, 1915), a restaurant (Lottie Kelly, 1920), a tea and coffee shop (Great American & Tea Company, 1925-30), a hardware store (Stralow, 1932-73), pizza joints (1974-87), and the Morrison Chamber of Commerce (1991.) The current tenant is Original Tacos Restaurant.