The Grothaus Building - Washington, MO
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member YoSam.
N 38° 33.624 W 091° 00.744
15S E 673177 N 4269868
Todau this building houses a candy store and a coffee shop.
Waymark Code: WM14PM8
Location: Missouri, United States
Date Posted: 08/07/2021
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Geo Ferret
Views: 0

County of building: Franklin County
Location of building: W. Main St. & Oak St., NW corner, Washington
Built: 1870
Architectural Style: Missouri-German
Classified: A-3 & commercial
Current Occupant: Scudder & Co. Coffee shop & Kims Candy Buffet
District Map

Marker Text:

THE GROTHAUS BUILDING
John D. Grothaus and John G. Droege operated a general merchandise store at this location from 1867 until Grothaus's death in 1876. The Grothaus family has since leased the property to various businesses.
c.1866

History of Mark:
"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. Five District buildings, distinguished by a hallmark street front gable or high shaped parapet, are among a group of eleven surviving in the city which Charles van Ravenswaay's study of Missouri-German architecture cites as unique in the state. The group includes ... and John D. Grothaus's establishment at 201 Main Street." ~ NRHP Nomination Form, PDF pages 4-6 & 14


"Built: circa 1870
First foot store front altered, new window openings and shingled awning. Stepped parapet with corbelled brick cornice directly below caps. A half sphere attic window is in place under center parapet. The façade of this building is in the same style as that of 300-02 Jefferson.

"1893 building was occupied by a grocer on the first floor and a tailor on the second floor. Part of a 118' frontage on Main Street purchased by J. D. Grothaus from Droege in 1876.

"1893 Sanborn snows use a warehouse Addition; second story masonry, rear elevation open frame porch attached." ~ DNR Historic Survey, phase II & III  PDF pages 613-615



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