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 #24.
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.”
119-121 E. Main Street, Nowlen & Clendenin Building, Date: 1868, altered c. 1955–“Contributing”
Description: This is a two-story brick building with Permastone exterior (imitating quarry-faced coursed ashlar) installed on the main elevation (north) c. 1955. The main elevation presents two asymmetrical storefronts. The west storefront (119 E. Main) has a deeply recessed full-glass aluminum door and transom with a large, angled, aluminum display window with a center mullion, set on a low bulkhead of pink Permastone with very thin courses. To the east of the door is a raised, rectangular display window with pink Permastone below. Above the storefront is a large shed-shaped striped fabric awning with returns and valances. The east storefront (121 E. Main) has a deeply-recessed full-glass aluminum door and transom, with a glass block sidelight and large, aluminum display windows (aluminum bulkheads.) Separating the storefronts in the center is a recessed upstairs entry door at the top of two small steps. The upper story, like the storefront piers, is clad with gray Permastone. A band of seven, rectangular, double-hung windows is delineated with concrete sill and lintel courses–with pink Permastone between the windows. The windows themselves are vinyl replacements, three to the west with applied muntin grids. The parapet cap is concrete. The rear elevation (south) is pargeted. Window and door openings are a mixture of historic and modern materials, infill, and utilities.
History: Built by Frank Clendenin and Dr. Arthur Nowlen, its early uses included a millinery (H. C. Ustick, 1868), a grocery (1880’s-90’s), a dry goods store (Chicago Bargain Store, 1890’s), a drugstore (1880’s-1900’s), a clothier (1890’s-1910’s), a jeweler (1900’s), a bank (1910’s-20’s), a dentist (Melvin Nelson, 1920’s), an insurance agent (Harley McBride, 1910’s), and a restaurant (1940’s.) The current tenant is Baked By Liz, continuing a long tradition of bakeries in the building since the 1920’s.