County of structure: Cooper County
Location of building: 6th St., 2nd house S of Locust St., W side, Boonville
Built: 1871
Architect: Anthony Haynes
Architectural Style: Italianate
Original Occupant: Cooper Institute
Current Occupant: Apartments
District Map
"8. Bechtold-Reed Residence, 711 6th Street, 1871. Built on the 2/3rds plan, this Italianate structure is brick, two stories, and has ornate hoodmolds. The porch has been altered." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
"Built: 1872
Style/Design: Italianate
The elongated structure is built on a 2/3rd plan with the entrance on the N bay of the E facade. Because of the slope of the lot the 1st story is raised and there is a walkout basement on this facade. The 2nd story has projecting straight-side arched hoodmolds and corbel labels over the 2/2 windows. The N & S facades echo each other: 1st and 2nd stories have the ornate hood molds, basement level has segmentally arched soldier course headers. Change in brickwork indicates several alterations in openings along the S facade especially. On the W facade openings have only a segmentally arched, soldier course header. The E facade has brackets which resemble consoles at the eaves.
"The Cooper Institute, a seminary , was founded in 1863 by Rev. X.X. Buckner, a minister of the Baptist Church. In 1865, it was sold to Q.W. Marston who had charge of it till 1868. It ceased operation till 1870 when Professor Anthony Haynes became owner and headmaster and moved its operation to a suite of rooms above the Stephens Opera House (Thespian Hall). In 1871 Haynes had the Cooper Institute building constructed, to which he moved the school in 1873. It remained in operation till at least 1896 maintaining an average attendance of 75 students in its high school curriculum. By 1883 over 1,000 students had graduated many of which "entered the best eastern colleges, also our State University". Coursework included Arithmetic, (mental & Practical), Grammar, History, World Analysis, American & English Literature, Latin, Geology, Moral Science, Astronomy, Physics, Rhetoric, Botony, Physchology, Zoology, Civil Government, Algebra, Logic and music. In 1900 the structure housed Dr. Smiley's Sanitarium and in 1910 it became known as the Boonville Sanitarium. By 1917 the structure was converted into a rooming house and in 1919 was known as the Quinley apartments. Its current usage is as an apartment house.
Local historical significance is attached to this structure due to its connection with the early educational system in Boonville. It also gives a unity to the streetscape.
"The structure sits close to the front of the property, which rises to an alley on the W. On the SW corner of the lot is a large gabled barn shared with 715 6th St. At the rear, along the alley is an independent structure. It faces E, has a gable roof and is a 1 story brick structure. There is a chimney to the N. where a small window has been bricked-in. The entrance with its small pent porch and the small window to the S have segmentally arched rowlock headers. The W facade has 2 rectangular windows with corbelled brick sills." ~ Boonville Historic Survey PDF pages 789-793