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 #13.
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.”
104 E. Main Street, Date: 1865–“Contributing”
Description: This is a three-story brick building with red brick exterior. The storefront of the main elevation (south) is asymmetrical with a glass and aluminum storefront (recessed entrance to the east, two display windows with a center mullion, pargeted bulkheads.) To the east is the upstairs entrance (non-historic, steel, one light), separated from the storefront by a pier clad in black porcelain enameled steel. The transom zone is covered with vertical aluminum moldings. A shed-shaped, striped fabric awning with returns and valances spans the storefront. Both also span the adjacent storefront at 106 E. Main. The upper stories are of unpainted red brick with four segmental arch window openings per floor; the second story openings have been made smaller with brick infill. The windows are non-historic double-hung (vinyl) with limestone sills. Brick parapet is missing its historic wood cornice. Rear elevation (north) has a deep setback and is pargeted brick with a one-story wing, with a single door closer to the street and upper stories with segmental arch openings and non-historic windows to the south.
History: The structure was erected by Marcellus and Cochran and housed a restaurant (T. Marcellus Eating House.) In 1866, lodging was added, and it was renamed the American House. Later uses included a tailor (F. Mattern, 1873-1880’s); grocery store (J. A. Fisher, 1873-1890’s); again a restaurant (1900’s-1910’s.) The most prominent function was the lodge of the International Order of Odd Fellows, Grove Lodge #257 (1882-1989), which continued on the third floor, even when the order had moved to occupy two full floors at the adjacent and connected 106 E. Main. Current tenant is Lincoln Highway Gifts.