County of building: Franklin County
Location of building: Elm St., 2nd Bldg. N. of 2nd St., west side, Washington
Built: 1895
Architectural Style: Revival
Classified: C-3 & Commercial
Current Occupant: United Mutual Insurance Company
District Map
"Revival Styles, circa 1888 - 1925. Coded C.
With a few exceptions the Revival styles are
expressed principally in detailing on commercial buildings, and in plan
or roof forms in domestic structures. Frequently an ornamental pressed
brick or metal cornice is the sole Revival feature on
commercial/residential properties, the buildings otherwise maintain the
standard planar, segmentally arched brick façades. 113-15 Elm received a more elaborate treatment at the second
story, sheathed with a highly decorative galvanized steel front, and on side elevations which are covered with
the same material stamped with a brick pattern.
"Residential (c. 1849 - 1930), Coded 3
This designation denotes fifteen buildings used only for residential
purposes (all are detached, single-family except for two detached,
multi-family), as well as numerous buildings which mix residential use
with commercial and a few which are institutional/residential or
industrial/residential and are doubled coded as such.
Commercial . Coded With Black Bar
This designation indicates that historically the building (or part of
it) was used for commercial purposes. Since very few properties were
constructed exclusively for commerce, the black bar code at the of the property parcel generally refers to a first story storefront.
"Revival styles most commonly were reflected in commercial buildings
only as systems of ornament. Such is the case at 113-15 Elm which
features a highly decorative, galvanized steel front manufactured by the
Mesker Bros. Company of St. Louis" ~ NRHP Nomination Form, PDF pages 4, 5 & 17
"The 1898 Sanborn Map
shows a one story bldg. on the site occupied by a
tailor, book shop and as an office. The frame second story façade is sheathed with an ornamental galvanized steel front
illustrated in a Mesker 7 Bro. (St. Louis) catalogue, the front design
won a Gold Medal at the 1904 St. Louis world Fair. Mesker Steel brick siding
covers side elevations.
"Lot owned 1895-1900 by Julia Beckmann who operated a
book and stationery business 1885-95. The Misses Trentmann took over the
business in 1895. By 1909, John Altemueller, jeweler, owned the parcel." ~ DNR Historic Survey, phase II & II PDF pages 368-370
Plaque mounted on building:
BECKMANN BUILDING
Originally a one story structure owned by Miss Julia Beckmann; she had a stationary and book business here until 1893 when she sold the building to the Trentmann family. Miss Beckmann had tow additional "bays" which she rented to other shop keepers.
c. 1885