The Morrison Historic Preservation Commission (MHPC) has applied 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 #40.
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.”
200 W. Main Street, Morrison Municipal Building, Date: 1976–Noncontributing
Description: This is a one-and-a-half-story corner building with unpainted red brick exterior. Main elevation (south) is asymmetrical with a raised west wing and a smaller entrance wing at the corner (east.) The west wing has three window bays with raised “Chicago” basement windows (casements instead of double-hungs), aggregate in epoxy matrix spandrels, and first-story windows (aluminum-clad), separated by brick piers. Above the windows is a projecting rectangular overhang/frieze of aggregate in epoxy matrix. To the east is a blank wall section, with an individual-letter, cast-metal sign spelling “Morrison Municipal Building.” Further to the east and setback is a smaller entrance wing with a rectangular hood over two glass and aluminum doors. A small brick planter with a limestone cap is at the corner. The entrance wing has a blank wall on side elevation (east) while above and setback from both sides is a projecting clerestory with an aggregate in epoxy matrix overhang. At the north corner is a small eastward projection of the main wing, with a small window opening and another sign. Rear elevation (north) is set back deeply from the street (Lincolnway) with a glass and aluminum entrance (sidelight, transom), two raised three-light windows, and another entrance with a tall transom and aggregate in epoxy matrix panel above, at the west corner. A landscaped parking lot is located between the building and the street.
History: Designed by architect Phil H. Feddersen from Clinton, IA, and built by Richard J. Prescott Construction Company, the Morrison Municipal Building has continuously served as “City Hal” since its construction. The building underwent a predominantly interior remodeling in 1998 (Neumann Monson PC, architect; Meyer Construction Company, contractor.)