The Downtown Waterville Historic District encompasses all of one block of Locust Street plus the west end of a second block and a few buildings along North and South Chelan Avenue. In all there are 17 contributing and 2 non contributing buildings in the district. All buildings are of brick, save for the Centennial Feed Building, a single story wood framed building on the west side of North Chelan. The brick for the district was manufactured locally in brick yards, first established in 1889. The oldest structure in the district, on the northeast corner of Locust Street and Chelan Avenue, is the First National Bank/Kincaid/IOOF Block, constructed in 1891.
Built at the same time as the two one storey buildings on either side, this two storey building shares important decorative touches with the two, including the brick corbeling, the highly detailed metal cornices and the large ball finials at each corner. While somewhat original, the façade has undergone alterations on the ground floor, though the original recessed entries remain, as do some of the iron lintels and columns
Today the upper story holds apartments, as, we suspect, it always has, while, on the ground floor once were two retail businesses, a drug store, floral and liquor store in the west half and an unnamed hardware store in the east side. Today it appears that the ground floor is vacant, being used to display antiquities.
Cooper Block
Building #9: Cooper Block
Address: 105-105 1/2 West Locust Street
Classification: Contributing
Date of Construction: 1903
Description: One of the largest buildings in the district, the Cooper Block is a two story brick structure with ground floor storefront bays and upper level offices. The storefronts still retain some original features including iron lintels and columns, the original configuration (with recessed central entry), and mezzanine windows (now partially obscured). A brick string course runs along the top of the first floor and a brick sill course runs beneath the second floor windows. The windows are tall and narrow with segmental arch hoods and original double-hung, one-over-one wood sash. A central stairwell (outlined by brick piers) separates the storefronts and provides access to the upper story. The building is crowned by a decorative metal cornice with brackets and finials.
History: Although Dr. Cooper died before completion of the block, R.E. Steiner oversaw construction of the imposing two story mercantile establishment (constructed simultaneously with its neighbors). The eastern bay was a general store, the western bay a drug store.
From the NRHP Registration Form![]()