Anheuser--Busch Brewing Association Building - Clinton, Missouri - U.S. National Register of Historic Places on Waymarking.com

Reflecting the Romanesque style that was popular during the late 19th century, the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association Building (today known as the Henry County Museum and Cultural Arts Center) retains its original integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association. Constructed in 1886 of brick load bearing walls set on a limestone foundation and heavy wood framing with asphalt roof, the one (partial two) story building is located on an L-shaped lot situated off the northwest corner of the courthouse square facing on Franklin Street.

Commercial buildings are located to the north, west, south, and east. The building retains original exterior features including its dramatic three stepped ascending parapet south wall topped with limestone caps, decorative ornaments, Eselohren (mule ears), stone lugsills, bands of voussoirs trimmed windows, limestone base, wood and metal bands defining the roofline and one-over-one double-hung semicircular arched windows. The general interior plan has also been retained. With its distinctive architectural style and open brick paved side courtyard (originally used for distribution and delivery service) the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association Building is a landmark in Clinton, Missouri.

The museum is constructed of red brick walls 12 inches nominal thickness; foundations are of limestone laid in cement to the base of the first story (approximately 4') above grade at the front (south location). Decorative details are of brick, stone, metal and wood; all are in red brick and limestone color with white wood doors and windows trimmed in green. Asphalt roofs are basically flat with moderate pitch to scupper, gutters and downspouts. Roofs, second story floors and the agent's office floor are constructed of wood. The other first story floors are constructed of concrete.

South Elevation: Three sets of windows and one doorway occupy the four bays of the facade elevation. Each set of windows consists of two pairs of double-hung one-over-one light windows topped by a three-light semicircle window above. A double-leaf door occupies the far right bay and is also topped by a three-light semicircle window. All fenestration is recessed within semicircular arched openings; each opening is trimmed by a limestone lugsill and brick voussoirs accented by a limestone keystone.

East Elevation: The only window opening into the agent's office match the ones on the south elevation. The loading dock, which runs along a portion of the east elevation is supported by five posts. Its shed roof extends out over the brick courtyard. Fenestration beneath the roof of the loading dock consists of a door into the agent's office, a dutch door into the cooling room and a pair of six-light double-leaf doors which provide access to the workroom/soda factory. These doors are flanked by two sets of six-light windows; both the windows and doors are topped by six-light transoms.

Second story fenestration above the cooling room consists of a dutch door flanked by a window on each side and three sets of louvered vents at the cornice line. The dock off the stables, which has been enclosed with vertical siding in recent years divided into five bays. Three of the five bays contain two pairs of six-over-six double-hung windows. A fourth bay contains a pair of double-leaf doors with a four-light transom above. The far left bay of the dock encompasses a one-story room original to the stables; its exterior wall is covered with stucco and is pierced by one small double-hung window. Fenestration on the second story of the stables consists of a window, dutch door and two louvered vents.

North Elevation: A narrow space (approximately 2 feet) separates the Anheuser-Busch Building from the building to the north. No openings are present.

West Elevation: Most of the west elevation is obscured by an adjoining building. Access between the two buildings is provided by a door cut into the workroom. Fenestration on the west elevation of the stables consists of seven multilight windows and one door.

The soda factory has a clerestory light that measures 11 feet (south to north) and 11 feet (west to east) located at the room's approximate center. Each side of the clerestory has four nine-light windows.

Low-pitched, asphalt roofing surrounded by parapet walls at three separate levels cover the entire building. The two docks have shed roofs.

A single-stack, square-shaped, brick chimney at the north center of the agent's office serves that area. Other chimneys built into exterior walls are located in the assistant agent's office at the west wall, soda factory at the west wall, and stable at the south wall.

Decorative details occur for the most part on the south facade.
They include:
1) Stone lugsills and bands of voussoirs trimming each window.
2) Limestone base from grade to the first floor line.
3) A wood and metal board defining the roofline.
4) A three-stepped ascending parapet wall from west and east topped with limestone caps and accentuated with four decorative ornaments, also Eselohren (mule ears).
5) Recessed side panels coordinated with the ascending stepped parapet walls.
6) Decorative cast iron gates and brick post enclose the side courtyard.