County of house: Chariton County
Location of house: 402 S. Broadway St., Salisbury
Date: circa 1906
"1. 402 South Broadway, circa 1906.
The two-and-a-half-story Queen Anne house occupies a corner lot on the north edge of the District. The
house is an excellent example of the Free Classic decorative subtype. Cross-gables project on the north
and south sides and a small section of metal crests the ridgeline of the hipped roof. The east façade has a
gable dormer. A two-story tower in the northeast corner has a frieze ornamented with swags and a flared
metal roof with a metal finial. The tower’s first story is octagonal and the second story is round. A
rectangular porch spans most of the east façade and a curved porch projects from the north elevation.
Tuscan columns support both porches. Upper porch balustrades were removed after 1967. Most of the
double-hung windows have eight-paned star configurations in the upper sashes. The upper sashes in the
three windows of the turret’s second story are leaded glass. The house has a sandstone block foundation
and an asphalt roof. The house is vinyl sided, although all distinctive trim remains. A modern two-car
garage sits on the northwest corner of the lot. The house appears on the 1910 Sanborn map in its current
configuration." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
1. 402 South Broadway, circa 1906. P.E. Wilhite, a dentist, acquired this property in 1906 and built a
large mansion, where he lived with his wife, Ellen, for many decades. Wilhite grew up in Salisbury,
graduated from the Kansas City Dental College in 1892, and returned to his hometown to run a successful
practice." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
"The Salisbury Square Historic District encompasses nine houses located along South Broadway between 4th and 6th Streets in Salisbury, Chariton County, Missouri. Eight of the houses are on the west side of Broadway, and one house is on the east side. The District has one non-contributing house and six noncontributing garages. The District is located one block south of Salisbury’s downtown on a block platted as Salisbury Square with the founding of the town in 1867. The contributing houses include Salisbury’s most intact cluster of Victorian-era houses. These buildings illustrate the spectrum of the Queen Anne architectural style constructed between the late 1800s thru the early 1900s, as well as historically significant alterations to these dwellings. While all of the contributing houses exhibit elements of the Queen Anne style, they range from simple footprints and restrained ornament to more elaborate designs for decoration and massing. Built for Salisbury’s merchant class, the dwellings reflect building trends popular during the town’s most important era of growth.
"The houses within the District occupy city lots of various widths, all oriented toward Broadway. The grade of each lot is level with the sidewalk. Concrete front walks connect each house to the public sidewalk on each side of Broadway. Mature deciduous trees line the grass easement strips that separate the yards from Broadway. Vacated alleys run behind each property.
"The neighborhood surrounding the District grew out of land donated to the City of Salisbury by town founder Lucius Salisbury. Individuals built single-family houses in the neighborhood sporadically during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The nominated properties reflect this organic development. Nearby houses include simple vernacular dwellings, grand late-Victorians, 1920s Tudor Revivals and Bungalows, and 1950s Commercial buildings. Within these diverse surroundings, the Salisbury Square Historic District retains a distinct connection to its 1870-1916 period of development with architecture that reflects its period of significance.
"The District extends from 4th Street to 6th Street along the west side and Broadway and includes one property on the east side of the street on the northeast corner of 5th Street and Broadway. The boundaries reflect a collection of intact Queen Anne houses that remain notable in form and design." ~ NRHP Nomination Form