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 #2..
Whiteside Hotel, Date: 1865–“Contributing”
Description: Large three-story corner brick building with painted brick exterior. The west storefront (129 E. Main) of the main elevation (north) has been altered with two recessed entry doors (first story and upstairs) and aluminum display window with a mullion. The recessed entry and display window openings have chamfered top corners, and the storefront is pargeted (a strip of black structural glass separates the doors). The storefront sill is covered with square, checkered, black and white tile. The east storefront (131 E. Main) is historic, with three semicircular openings (one door and two windows) with segment top transoms, wood display windows, glass and wood door, and recessed brick bulkheads (pargeted). The upper facade features six segmental arch window openings per story. All but one segment top, wood, double-hung window are rectangular replacements. A deeply projecting wood cornice with scrollwork brackets and a dentil band spans the width of the parapet and wraps around the corner onto the side and rear elevations. The side elevation (east) features five first-story windows and two door openings. One door and window openings have been infilled with brick, while the second door opening at the southeast corner was altered and made smaller than original. The upper facade has five window openings per story. The openings and windows match those of the main elevation. The rear elevation (south) likewise has segmental arch window openings on each floor, which have been mostly preserved with some minor alterations and infill. At the west end of the first story are three historic semicircular arch openings, with segment top wood transoms and wood double-hung windows.
History: The 50-room hotel was built by Worthington, Paley, and Baker. Originally called the Worthington House, it became the Revere House by 1869 and later the
Whiteside Hotel, with a 200-person lodging capacity in the 1890’s. In the 1890s, the basement housed Vogel’s barbershop and later a liquor store. After it ceased being a hotel in 1966, the building was occupied by a hardware store until 2012 (first as Coast to Coast, then as Morrison True Value.) The building is connected to 126 E. Main Street. The current tenant is Old Hotel Antiques.
130 E. Main Street
Description: Large freestanding three-story corner building with unpainted
brick exterior. The non-original asymmetrical storefront of the main
elevation (south) consists of a recessed glass and aluminum double-door
entrance (Kawneer), aluminum display windows, and brick veneer. A
retractable fabric awning is immediately above the storefront with the
transom area covered with vertical aluminum siding (the siding continues
along the side elevation). The upper facade features five segmental arch
window openings per story. The second story windows are rectangular
replacements while the third story windows are historic segment top wood
double-hungs. A deeply projecting wood cornice with scrollwork brackets
spans the width of the parapet and wraps around the corner onto the side and
rear elevations. The long side elevation (east) lacks first story openings
instead featuring a non-historic painted mural which spans the entire length
of the side wall. The upper facade has eleven window openings per story,
with replacement second story windows and four-over-four segment top wood
double-hung windows above. The rear elevation (north) is similar to the side
but with three window openings per story (one at second story is a door).
There is also a non-historic loading dock and rear entrance. A three story
concrete block elevator shaft is near the northwest corner.
History: The 50-room hotel was built by Worthington, Paley and Baker.
Originally the
Worthington House, it became the Revere House by 1869 and later the
Whiteside Hotel with
a 200-person lodging capacity (1890s). In the 1890s, the basement
housed a barbershop
(Vogel’s) and later a liquor store. After it ceased being a hotel in
1966, the building was
occupied by a hardware store until 2012 (Coast to Coast, then Morrison
True Value;
connected to 126 East Main). Current tenant is Hotel Antiques.