Elledge Arcade - 1883 - West Plains, Missouri - Dated Architectural Structures Multifarious on Waymarking.com

- Marker Text

The Famous Grocery Building, located at #28 Court Square, is a one-part commercial block. The building was originally constructed in 1888. In 1913, it was remodeled and expanded, doubling the size of the building. Originally, the Famous Grocery Building was a single storefront that was located directly on the courthouse square. However, when the building was expanded in 1913, the original facade of the building was removed and a new facade was constructed. This new facade was built approximately six feet to the north of the original facade to permit the creation of the Elledge Arcade. The facade of the Famous Grocery Building continues uninterrupted across the front of the J. L. Elledge Building, which was constructed at the same time the Famous Grocery Building was remodeled.

Only a small portion of the Famous Grocery Building's facade is actually located on the courthouse square. Most of the facade actually fronts Elledge Arcade. To the west, the Famous Grocery Building shares a party wall with the J. L. Elledge Building, a building that is similar in size, materials and design, and was constructed at the same time the Famous Grocery Building was remodeled. To the east, the Famous Grocery Building shares a party wall with the T. P. Shadburn Building, a two story brick commercial building with Victorian detailing. To the south on the other side of Elledge Arcade is the side of the Bank of America Building, a modern two story bank building. To the north of the Famous Grocery Building, an alley provides access to the basement rooms of the building.

The Famous Grocery Building has a rectangular plan which is approximately 40 feet wide and 66 feet deep. The original (east) portion of the building sits on a stone foundation; the newer portion has a concrete foundation. Both portions of the Famous Grocery Building have parapet wall roofs. However, the roof of earlier part of the building is covered with standing seam metal roofing; the roof of the 1913 part of the building is covered with rubber roofing.

The facade of the Famous Grocery Building is divided into two bays. A cast iron pilaster separates the two storefronts. Each bay has a storefront has a central door flanked by display windows. These storefronts, which were installed during the 1913 remodeling of the building, have wood framed display windows, bulkhead panels covered with white vitrolite panels, and wide transoms filled with blue pressed glass squares. The east storefront still retains its original (ca, 1913) front door which is filled with a three-quarter height glass panel. These storefronts are very much intact, but one section of the transom is missing. However, because this glass was used in transoms in other buildings in West Plains, the owner has been able to locate glass salvaged from other buildings to repair the transom. Above the storefronts, there are two attic vents which are centered in each bay. The vents are outlined by a raised brick stringcourse which runs the width of the buildings below the vents, brick dentils on the sides of the vents, and a wide brick cornice above the vents. Currently, the stringcourse, dentils and cornice are painted white.

Because the lot the building sits on is steeply sloped, the basement of the Famous Grocery Building is largely above grade on the rear elevation. As a result, the rear elevation is two stories tall. The lower portion of rear wall of older east section of the building is stone while that of the newer west section is concrete. The two sections are more clearly visible on the rear elevation. Each section has a wide door flanked by two windows on both the basement and first floor levels. The windows and door on the first floor and the windows on the basement level have segmental arched tops. All of these openings have been boarded up for many years. However, recently, as part of the rehabilitation of the building, the doorways were opened up and the original paneled wood doors were found intact in one opening.

The J. L. Elledge Building, located at #2 Elledge Arcade in downtown West Plains, Missouri is a one-story commercial building. It was constructed in 1913 as part of the creation and development of Elledge Arcade. The Elledge Building shares a party wall on the east with the Famous Grocery Building. To the west, there is a parking lot. To the south on the other side of Elledge Arcade is the side of the Bank of America Building, a modern two story bank building. To the north, an alley provides access to the basement rooms of the building.

- National Register Application

Year built or dedicated as indicated on the structure or plaque: 1883 Full Inscription (unless noted above): see long description Website (if available): [Web Link]

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