County of building: Saint Charles County
Location of structure: Washington St., 2nd house E of N 6th St., S side, St. Charles
Built: 1881
Architect/Builder: Unknown
Architectural Style: Gothic Revival influence
Original Occupant: Mary A. Mowatt
Map
"Many of the graduates of the college are filling important positions as missionaries and teachers, not only in this country, but in Persia, India and Japan.
The course of study is complete and thorough -- especially adapted to the broad and liberal education of women.
"Miss Mowatt has for many years past conducted a private school, which is still in operation." ~ St Charles MoGenWeb
"449. 557 Washington Street, Mary A. Mowatt House and School; Gothic Revival influence; 1881; Contributing
Situated on an elevated lot, this 1½-story, front-gabled, 7-course common bond brick building has a coursed rock-faced stone foundation. The gable end is trimmed with scalloped bargeboard with a drop pendant at the peak and a brick chimney straddles the roof ridge. In the western bay of the 3-bay façade is a half-glazed door with 9 lights over 2 vertical panels, while 1/1 windows are in the other 2 bays. The
2 windows are set in low segmental arched openings and have what appear to be painted wood lug sills and lintels. The 1-bay stoop is protected by a shed awning supported by knee braces (likely added in the 1920s or 1930s). In the upper half story is a pair of 1/1 windows set within a flat-topped opening, and these windows share a brick sill. The house was built in 1881 for Miss Mary A. Mowatt, who lived on the first floor and operated a private school for boys and girls on the second floor until her death in 1904.
a. Garage; Noncontributing
The 2-car, front-gabled frame garage has walls finished with vertical-board siding. Two paneled-and-glazed overhead doors are on the east façade. The garage appears to be less than 50 years old." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
"Built: 1881
Style/Design: Gothic Revival influence/Gable Front
According McElhiney’s Guidebook, this house was built in 1881 for Miss Mary A. Mowatt, who was originally from England. She lived on the first floor and operated a private school for boys and girls on the second floor until her death in 1904. Based on deed research, Mary A. Mowatt purchased the lot from Ezra Overall on March 16, 1881 (Deed Book 29, page 192) for $900. This lot is part of a larger parcel that was purchased by Overall from the St. Charles Building Co. at public auction on June 16, 1875 (Deed Book 20, p. 267). There apparently were no structures on the lot at that time. The house is not shown on the 1869 Bird’s Eye View of the city or on Brink’s 1875 Illustrated Atlas Map, but it is shown on the 1905 plat map of the city and labeled as "Mowat."
"After Miss Mowatt’s death in 1904, the building was reportedly used for classrooms by the St. Charles Public School District in 1905 (McElhiney’s Guidebook and Bradbury), but this has not been verified.
Miss Mowatt’s estate was sold in 1906 to Adele C. Knapel for $1,550 (Deed Book 91, page 369). The house apparently served as rental property from that time until 1916. In 1908-09 it was occupied by Walter and Pearl Grotwiel, and he was employed by the International Shoe Co. In 1910, G. Oscar and Nellie Strathman, Oscar and Meta Daniel and F. William and Olive Bach were listed as the occupants; all three men were employed by the American Car and Foundry Co. (ACF). Bailey A. and Margaret Choate had purchased the house by 1916 and lived there until at least 1922. Mr. Choate was employed by ACF. By 1925-26 the property had been purchased by Lawrence and Josephine Ernst, who lived there through 1961, when research ended. Ernst was employed by the St. Charles Gas Co. The Ernsts took in boarders part of the time.
According to a newspaper article, the Ernsts lived on the first floor and rented out the upper half story, but the house had only one bathroom shared by all (Bradbury). Lloyd and Inez Cregger lived there from 1925-1928, and Mr. Cregger was employed by the International Shoe Co. In 1929-30 the boarders were Gilbert and Ethel
Schwendemann, and he was employed at ACF. By 1934 Ernst had become a foreman at the St. Charles Gas Co., and that year Walter Stevenson, a dredge operator, and his wife Margaret boarded with the Ernsts. From 1938-1945 the Ernst family occupied the entire house, but by 1950 they were once again renting to boarders. From 1950-1961 Lurline Wightman, who was a teacher at St. Charles High School, boarded there.
"Located on an elevated lot, this one-and-one-half story, front-gabled building rests on a coursed, rock-faced stone foundation and the walls are finished with bricks laid in a seven-course common bond. The front gable end is trimmed with scalloped bargeboard with a drop pendant at the peak, and a brick chimney straddles the roof ridge near the rear.
The entrance is in the western bay of the three-bay main façade, while 1/1 windows are in the other two bays. The two windows are set in low segmental arched openings, and they have what appear to be painted wood lug sills and lintels. The door, which is a half-glazed door with nine lights over two vertical panels, opens onto a one-bay stoop with wrought iron railing. The door is protected by a shed awning supported by knee braces, and the awning was likely added in the 1920s or 1930s. In the upper half story is a pair of 1/1
windows set within a flat-topped opening, and these windows share a brick sill. The west elevation has a small transom-type, three-light window and two 6/6 windows set in low segmental-arched openings, and there are no window openings in the east elevation. An original one-story, brick ell extends from the rear, and the porch along its east elevation has been enclosed with lapped siding and bands of 6/6 windows. A small one-story, frame, gabled addition is located at the southeast corner of the one-and-one-half story portion of the house, and according to the Sanborn maps, it was built between 1893 and 1900. However, the vertical board siding appears to be modern. The house was originally rectangular in plan but the addition gives it a T-shape. A
6/6 window is in the north wall of this addition.
"An ornamental concrete block retaining wall spans the front of this elevated property. A public sidewalk extends along the front lot line and an alley is along the rear, and a concrete sidewalk with six steps leads to the stoop. The lot, which is 48’ wide by 169’ deep, has small front and side yards that are shaded by mature trees. In the west side yard, near the front of the property, is a bell on a wooden pole. A two-car, front-gabled, frame garage is at the rear of the property. The front of the garage faces east onto a gravel driveway that leads to the alley. The walls are finished with vertical-board siding, and two paneled-and-glazed overhead doors are on the east façade but there are no openings on the south elevation. The garage appears to be less than 50 years old and is noncontributing." ~ St. Charles Historic Survey Phase III, PDF pages 810-815