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 #23.
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.”
117 E. Main Street, J. Feldman Building, Date: 1879–“Contributing”
Description: This is a two-story brick building with unpainted brick and limestone details. The tall storefront of the main elevation (north) is framed by end brick piers with carved limestone bases, capitals, and bands. A recessed single-light entry door with a tall transom is flanked by two display windows with matching transoms and thick bottom rails (no bulkheads.) To the east is a slightly recessed upstairs entrance, with a richly-paneled and carved wood door with a transom and paneled entry sides. Separating the window and door openings are three, round, cast iron columns with Corinthian capitals. Above the storefront is a dentiled lintel cornice with end brackets. The upper story has a central recessed plane of red brick, framed by end pilasters with stone blocks, and a flattened brick arch with a stepped corbel table. Within this plane are three rectangular window openings with incised limestone window hoods. The windows themselves are double-hung replacements with small transoms. Above the corbel table is a richly-detailed, bracketed and pedimented galvanized sheet-metal cornice with modillions, finials, and pendants. The segment top pediment has the original owner’s name (J. Feldman) in relieved sans-serif letters with the building’s date (1879) similarly executed below in the center frieze. Behind the cornice is a non-historic gable roof with an aluminum-sided front gable. The rear elevation (south) is pargeted, with horizontal aluminum siding at the parapet. Window and door openings are a mixture of historic and modern materials, infill, and utilities. The first-story windows have historic decorative wrought iron window guards.
History: This wonderful structure was built by Jacob Feldman and contained his bakery in the basement (1879-94), a first-story restaurant (City Bakery and Restaurant, 1879-91), and Feldman’s residence upstairs. Later it became a grocery (Ely & Co., 1891-93). Between 1893 and 1910, the first story was occupied by Kentfield’s Drug Store and J. H. Robertson, Jeweler. The Morrison State Bank was started here in 1911 and remained open until the Nationwide depression induced “bank holiday” on March 6, 1933. Other tenants included a tailor and an optician (1900’s), Sterling Daily Gazette (second floor, 1945-54), a couple of beauty shops (1950’s), and several barbers (Frank G. Meyer, 1934-55; DeWitt H. Mulnix, 1956-73; Dewey S. Mulnix, 1973-2000; Keith Hayenga, 2000.) More recent occupants were Kophamer Realty (2001-03), KWK Financing Consultants (2002-03), and American Express Financial Advisors (2004-06.) The current tenant is Ameriprise Financial.