Blackwater Commercial Historic District - Blackwater, MO
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 58.836 W 092° 59.432
15S E 500819 N 4314623
Late Victorian Commercial, and block commercial downtown...
Waymark Code: WM121AV
Location: Mississippi, United States
Date Posted: 01/31/2020
Views: 1
County of district: Cooper County
Location of district: 100 Blk. of Main St., except for 118, 120 and 122 Main St., Blackwater
Created: 2005
"The Blackwater Commercial Historic District encompasses most of the 100
block of Main Street, in Blackwater, Cooper County, MO. It is the intact core of the
town's century-old commercial district, which was at its height only slightly larger than
the district is today. All of the resources are commercial buildings; there are no
outbuildings or other resources within the district boundaries. All of the buildings were
built for some type of commercial use, and all or most are commercial properties today.
The oldest building in the district, the ca. 1889 Frady Hotel, is also one of the largest
buildings on the block. It was a prominent railroad hotel when new, and has recently
been fully restored and returned to service as a hotel. The other buildings of the district
are one- and two-story commercial buildings, most of which share side walls with the
neighboring buildings. Most are simple one-part commercial blocks with some sort of
ornamental brickwork along their upper facades. All of the contributing buildings are of
brick, with wood-framed storefronts. Construction dates for the contributing buildings in
the district range from ca. 1889-ca. 1920, and most have been in nearly continual
commercial use since they were built; the period of significance runs from ca. 1889 to
1950, at which time the downtown are entered a period of decline. Overall, the
buildings of the district are intact and in very good condition. Of the 15 buildings within
district boundaries, 12 are contributing. Thanks to an impressive amount of
rehabilitation and restoration which has taken place over the last few years, almost all
are in excellent physical condition. Main Street in Blackwater today looks much as it did
in the 1930s, and it strongly reflects its long history as the commercial center of
Blackwater. Missouri." ~ NRHP Nomination Form