120 North Military Street - Lawrenceburg Commercial Historic District - Lawrenceburg, TN - NRHP Historic Districts - Contributing Buildings on Waymarking.com

County of building: Lawrence County
location of building: 120 N. Military St.
Historic Occupant: Broyle's Studio
Occupant at listing: WDXE Radio
Current Occupant: Vacant
Building built: ca. 1900

"8. 120 North Military Street
WDXE Radio
Former Broyle's Studio
ca. 1900
Two-part commercial block. Two-story brick, stone foundation, stuccoed brick walls, 1/1 light segmental arched windows second floor, cornice removed, carrera glass storefront. (C)" ~ NRHP Nomination Form

"The commercial momentum created during 1900 to 1910 carried into the next decade too. The Kelly and Coffman Block, perhaps the district's most architecturally distinctive commercial block, was constructed at 38-39 Public Square in circa 1914. In 1917, the city replaced its gas lamps with electric lights around the square as well as grading and macadamizing the square road. Two years later came the Massey Dry Goods store at 40-42 Public Square.

During the 1920s and 1930s, however, commercial activity began a slow shift from the square to the axis created by the intersection of Gaines Street and North Military Street one block north of the square. This was due to the increasing importance of the Pulaski-Waynesboro Highway and of automobile traffic. Of the ten properties in the 100 block of North Military, seven were built after 1920. This commercial shift northward became even more pronounced after 1929-1930, when Gaines Street became part of the James K. Polk Highway (Tennessee Highway 15, now U. S. Highway 64). Indeed, the commercial development of the 200 block of North Military is clearly dependent on the construction of the new federal highway, with such important buildings as the 1936 Classical Revival post office at 218 North Military quickly becoming a new center of activity." ~ NRHP Nomination Form