The Morrison Historic Preservation Commission (MHPC) has applied 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 #63.
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.”
105-107 W. Main Street, Date: 1857-58—“Contributing”
Description: This is yet another three-story brick building with painted brick exterior. The first story of the main elevation (north) has two symmetrical three-bay storefronts, separated by a modern residential-style upstairs entry door. The east storefront (105 W. Main Street) has a limestone sill, recessed full-glass aluminum door with matching sidelights (Kawneer), display windows with porcelain enameled steel bulkhead and transom panels (painted), and intermediate vertical supports wrapped in aluminum. The west storefront (107 W. Main) has a cast iron sill (maker’s mark reads “Vierling, McDowell & Co., Chicago”), wood sash and transoms, slender, cast iron columns with decorative capitals, and a large iron lintel with decorative rosettes. The entrance was replaced with another display window system, while the bulkheads and two of the transoms are covered with plywood. The seven-bay upper story is divided by brick pilasters into three-bay sections and a center bay with a single window between stories. The original segmental arch window openings have been infilled with brick and smaller, rectangular, double-hung windows. The arches and stone sills remain visible. The parapet features a corbel table with semi-circular arches and is capped with terra cotta coping. The rear elevation (south) is very similar to the main elevation, except it lacks the storefronts and center dividing bay. Six bays are separated by continuous pilasters. Window and door openings are a mixture of historic and modern materials, infill, and utilities.
History: Part of the “Brick Block,” 105 and 107 W. Main Street are the first brick buildings in Morrison and are the signature of what became a prosperous and successful community. The east part (105) was built by Dr. W. L. Coe. Fitzgerald Drug Store operated under various owners in the building from 1903 to 1990. In 1992, the building was sold to Hope Buikema. In 1993, a consignment shop was operated by Betty Stralow, and from 2001 to 2006, Jennifer’s Dance Center was located in the building. The west part (107) was begun slightly later in 1858 by S. W. Robinson for the Robinson Brothers hardware store. The second story was office space, and the third story was a meeting hall.