104-108 W. Main Street - Downtown Washington Historic District - Washington, MO - NRHP Historic Districts - Contributing Buildings on Waymarking.com

County of building: Franklin County
Location of building: W. Main St., 2nd Bdg. W. of Lafayette St., south side, Washington
Built: 1855
Architectural Style: Greek Revival
Classified: A-3 & commercial
Current Occupant: Vacant - Under Renovation
District Map

"Federal/Greek Revival, circa 1849 - 1895, Coded A.
This group is largely represented by vernacular interpretations of Federal and/or Greek Revival styles; it contains one of the largest single collections of buildings (about one-fourth of the total) and enjoyed the greatest longevity. All rest on stone foundations and all except two are brick. The majority are three bays wide and rise two stories with first story utilized as commercial space and -second for residential; a few are one story commercial. ... Ornamentation is restrained, generally limited to brick dentil ling, stringcourses, recessed paneling and pilasters. Several feature decorative cast iron balconies, lintsls or storefronts. While the majority of roofs are side-gabled, five feature street-front gables or shaped parapets sometimes pierced with an attic window or lunette.

"Residential (c. 1849 - 1930) . Coded 3
This designation denotes fifteen buildings used only for residential purposes (all are detached, single-family except for two detached, multi-family), as well as numerous buildings which mix residential use with commercial and a few which are institutional/residential or industrial/residential and are doubled coded as such.

"Commercial, Coded With Black Bar
This designation indicates that historically the building (or part of it) was used for commercial purposes. Since very few properties were constructed exclusively for commerce, the black bar code at the front of the property parcel generally refers to a first story storefront.

"The homes and work place of a prosperous, aspiring German merchant class, the majority of the two-story brick buildings reserved first story rooms for commercial use and upper floors as living quarters. ... One large building at 104-08 W. Main shares some family resemblance to the group with its parapeted chimneys and broad gable-end fronting the street. A similar architectural vocabulary could be found in prominent St. Louis Greek Revival or neoclassical buildings of the late 1830s, 40s and 50s, although virtually none survive. Most of the St. Louis designs were fashioned in stone, and thus were given a new expression when translated into brick masonry by Washington's skillful builders and masons. " ~ NRHP Nomination Form

"First story, storefront has been altered with new sheathine, but doorway and storefront are in original location. Slender cast, iron columns exist in first story store space. Second story rooms have simple Greek Revival pedimented windows and doors. Second story open frame porch (now enclosed) is located on east (side) elevation.

"Appears on 1869 Bird's Eye view of Washington. The bldg. was probably built 1855-60 and standing when Henry Bertelsmann bought the property in 1865 for $1,525. A deed of 1875 describes the property as "occupied by Henry Bertelsmann as a dwelling, furniture store and shop". In 1893, Frederick Schnier purchased the building. 1893 and 1898 Sanborn maps show a millinery shop in the building, probably that of K.E. Freis, in business 1885-1915. The 1900 Census lists Emma Freis, milliner, at that address. She was 36, born in Texas of German parents, and renting the building. In the same household were an adopted 21 year old daughter (a milliner) and an 18 year old female boarder (a seamtress), both born in Missouri." ~ DNR Historic urvey, Pjase II & III  PDF pages 588-592