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 #30.
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.”
201 E. Main Street, Date: c. 1863–“Non-Contributing”
Description: This is a two-story frame building with wood and aluminum siding. The main elevation (north) is a gable front with vertically wood-sided storefront (recessed door near corner, two small raised windows) and horizontally aluminum-sided upper story (two historic wood double-hung windows). Above the storefront is shed-shaped, rigid wood canopy with asphalt shingles that wraps around all elevations. To the east of the original gable is a covered stairway (later addition) with two doors (east is to adjacent building, 205 E. Main) and a half-gable roof. The side elevation (west) is side-gabled and similarly finished with one first-story window and four upper-story windows. The rear elevation (south) is similar to the main elevation with two first-story door openings and one door with non-historic wood balcony in the half-gable.
History: Originally the building was owned by Louis Langenberg and operated as an Eating House and Restaurant. It has housed a saloon for most if its existence. Current tenant is Fat Boy’s Bar & Grill.