County of district: Franklin County
Location of district: Bounded by: Front, Market, Main, Lafayette, Second, Oak, Fifth, Cedar, Main, and Olive, Washington
Another historic district is the Tibbe Historic District. This is a residential area with about 30 homes that were built in the late 19th and early 20th century, most of which remain unchanged from when they were built. This large portion of this area was developed by Henry Tibbe, whose company manufactured corn-cobb pipes. There are four more historic districts including the Downtown Washington Historic District.
Marker Text:
THE TIBBE HISTORIC DISTRICT
was listed on the NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
March 22, 1990
"Constructed between c. 1857-1941, District buildings are good representative examples of the major styles and types of Washington, Missouri's historic structures, illustrating the evolution of a 19th century German immigrant community into a small 20th century American city. Perhaps the finest residential streets in the city, Cedar and Elm are lined with large, single family houses designed in fashionable late 19th and early 20th century styles such as Queen Anne, Colonial, Revival, and Craftsman/Prairie. District buildings are unified by similar materials, scale, and set-back.
"Four houses in the Tibbe District were erected in the 1850s and 60s, eight more in the 1880s and 90s, and the majority after the turn of the century.
"The 1850s and 60s houses in the Tibbe District are characteristic of early Missouri-German vernacular houses in Washington and in othr German areas of the state. Constructed of locally made bricks, District houses exhibit modest Federal/Greek Revival forms and detailing.
"In the mid 1880s Dutch-born Henry Tibbe and his son Anton, local corn cob pipe manufacturers, began purchasing land along Cedar Street. Soon after, both erected homes there which ushered in the new stylish house designs and set a standard for the street.
"By 1887, Anton Tibbe had acquired most of the land on the west side of Cedar between third and Fremont Streets. Despite the fact that the Tibbes never platted a subdivision nor attached deed restrictions to the lots, it is clear they exerted considerable influence on development. Subsequent houses were uniformly set back and of substantial size and stylish design. By the early 20th century the street was graded, lined with trees and sidewalks, and provided with telephone and electric service furnished by companies owned by the Tibbe family."
Text credit: National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form prepared by Mary M. Stiritz - Erected by Washington Historical Society