County of building: Cooper County
Location of building: Main St. & High St., Boonville
Built: 1882
Architect: W. J. Cochran
Architectural Style: Italianate
Original Occupant: Higbie property
Current Occupant: Vacant
"17. Higbie Property, 426-428 E. Morgan Street, 1882. This three-story brick
structure has ornate hoodmolds, a gable roof, and two cast iron
storefronts." ~ NRHP Nomination Form, PDF page 30
"The 1st story originally contained 2 storefronts. This has been altered (E to W) into an apartment and
office, and stairs leading to the upper stories, however the large
display windows and doors w1th transoms remain. The 2nd story has a frame 3 bay balcony. Bi-chromatic paint accents this balcony and
the cast iron pilasters and details of the 1st story. Windows on the 2nd story & the corner windows of the 3rd story have ornate
straight side arched hood molds. The central 3 bays of the 3rd story were originally filled with a large glass skylight; they have since been filled
in with brick and 3 rectangular windows, These have no headers, but repeat the bracketed
sills of the other windows. A brick parapet with a sawtooth pattern now caps the structure.
Originally each end bay had a mansard roof with a round arched dormer. Windows to the
Wand S are 2-over-2 with segmentally arched headers. There is a frame 2nd story balcony
to the S. The ornamental ironwork on the front façade was manufactured by J, Christopher
and Co., St, Louis, Mo.
"The structure was built in 1882 allegedly by W. J. Cochran for James C. Macurdy. Macurdy, born in 1837 in Ohio, was a well known early professional portrait and landscape photographer. During the Civil War he was engaged by the Federal Government to accompany
the army as an official photographer. In 1868 he arrived in Boonville and opened up a photography
studio on Main St. A second location during the 1870's may be on the site of the present building. Macurdy operated out of his last studio between the years 1882 to 1888. A description in 1883 relates: "Recently he has erected a handsome art gallery and photograph
building, which for size, beauty of appearance and elegance of finish is not surpassed in
the state, and will compare favorably with the finest structures of the kind in the whole
country. From its spacious and superbly appointed entrance room on the first floor to
the handsome skylight apartment above, including a suite of elegant and richly furnished
parlors, it is a perfect triumph of art, beauty and good taste. Certainly the citizens
of Boonville owe to the enterprise of Mr. Macurdy no ordinary debt of gratitude for this
handsome ornament to their city. If others would show the same degree of ability and
enterprise in their respective callings, Boonville could justly claim to be one of the most
beautiful cities in the country." Following Macurdy's mortgage default in 1888 the building was owned by numerous people through the years, none of whom were photographers. It
is believed that a Mr. Hughs operated a photography business following Macurdy, however
no record other than the finding of 'Hugh's Photography' stamped under the wallpaper of
the second floor has ever been found. In 1900 Frank Truby was utilizing the building as
his studio and shop. Truby is well known for his photographic study of Boonville's new
houses and streetscapes of Main Street published in the 1900 souvenir publication, Vine
Clad City. In 1916 William L, Tanner leased the studio for 'the Tanner Studio' which was
in existence till a fire devastated the north light photography area in 1919. Shortly
thereafter the fourth story was removed as was the north light photography area and a new
roof was added. At this time a third story apartment appeared and the second story became
the law office of Whit Draffen, A second story apartment was added in 1945 by George Reeseman as was the east first story apartment in the 1960's, Historically, the first story
has been the site of many businesses other than those related to photography, among which
have been: telegraph office, restaurants, beauty shops, alteration shop, osteopath office,
"Old Trails Antique Shop," "Corbin's Shoe Repair," "The Knot Shop. " The Historic Survey
Office is currently located in the west first story unit. The present owner purchased the
building in 1977 from Dale Reeseman and has personally renovated with sympathy all three
rental units.
"The structure faces N onto Morgan St. There are no
outbuildings." ~ Boonville Historic Survey PDF pages 2205-2208