McKee Coins - Oskaloosa, Ia. - Coin Shops on Waymarking.com

This coin shop is one branch of two for McKee Coins. The other is located in Ottumwa. McKee Coins not only sells coins, but they buy. They also have mail auctions. The coin shop is in an historic building. Details of the building are below.

Date of Construction: 1896

Information taken from page 16 of the pdf for Type IV buildings and pages 131 & 132 of the pdf on the specific building.

Type IV Building - Type IV buildings belong to the transitional years, 1890 to 1910. Bold departures stylistically from their Victorian predecessors, Type IV buildings are an evolutionary link between nineteenth century commercial Victorian architecture and the simplified commercial architecture of the twentieth century. The scales of these buildings is larger and produces a heavier, more massive less vertical appearance than earlier types. The detailing is less ornate, with cornices, window arches, and banding generally executed in brick rather than wood, metal, or stone. Based upon information from Sanborn Insurance maps of the district, the five year period between 1891 and 1896 was the busiest of all periods between 1885 and 1927 for new construction and remodel work. These were the first years for Type IV buildings; of the 11 buildings built in the district from this period, 6 were of the new Type IV. One remodeling project was also a Type IV.

Of the total 16 known Type IV buildings or blocks built within the district boundary, 12 currently exist substantially intact, 2 are intrusive due to contemporary alterations which could be removed, 1 has been permanently altered, and 1 has been completely replaced.

Type IV buildings were built as single bays or as larger blocks. The single bay buildings are two-stories tall with a front facade characterized by a large, segmental, second story arch spanning over an expansive Chicago style window or projecting bay. The large second story arch often spans the full width of the facade. The windows beneath are double-hung with large single pane sashes. Projecting bays are three sided. Type IV blocks were either two or three bays wide (40' - 60') with central emphasis, or were built more simply as repeating bays or as multiple bays without central emphasis. Of both single bays and blocks, common features include: the standard commercial box form with load-bearing brick walls, rectangular plan and elevation, and flat roof behind a cornice parapet; the use of smooth bricks for the front facade with contrasting rough faced bricks for arches; banding, cornices, pilasters, and ground level piers and side walls; and the use of a darker brick and, in some examples, the use of contrasting colors as well as textures of brick. Large, dark, and heavy, the influence of the Richardson Romanesque style which was popular in the United States between 1870 and 1890 is apparent in these buildings. Storefronts were generally exposed cast iron; only the cast iron posts of building #94 are still visible.

Specific to building - Architect is unknown. Bay window removed, some cornice tin missing, mostly intact, rebuilt after fire (1896) - originally similar to building to the east.

Rebuilt after a fire in 1896, this building is an example of Type IV or Chicago School design. The large scale bay window (since removed) featured a pair of garlands above each of the three window sashes. These sashes (double hung) had large, single panes of glass. The bay represented one of the patterns that emerged in the 1890s (see also sites with map references #11, 78, 6, 49, 100). The use of monochromatic, multitextured, brownish brick also typify Type IV.

History of the building tenants:
1889 - Green & Bentley Drugs; Upper - Blanchard & Preston, Attorneys 1902 - Green & Bentley Drugs; Upper - L.C. Blanchard, Attorney
1911 - Green & Bentley Drug
1925 - Green & Bentley Drug Co.
1936 - Green & Bentley Drug Co.
1954 - Green & Bentley Rexall Drug Store

- National Register Application

City, State/Providence: Oskaloosa, Ia. Phone Number: (641) 672-2763 Business Hours: Mon-Fri 9am - 5pm Website: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   06/11/2016 wildernessmama visited it