County of building: Franklin County
Location of building: W. Main St. & Oak St., NW corner, Washington
Built: 1870
Architectural Style: Missouri-German
Classified: A-3 & commercial
Current Occupant: Scudder & Co. Coffee shop & Kims Candy Buffet
District Map
"Federal/Greek Revival, circa 1849 - 1895, Coded A.
This group is largely represented by vernacular interpretations
of Federal and/or Greek Revival styles; it contains one of the largest
single collections of buildings (about one-fourth of the total) and
enjoyed the greatest longevity. All rest on stone foundations and all
except two are brick. The majority are three bays wide and rise two
stories with first story utilized as commercial space and -second for
residential; a few are one story commercial. ... Ornamentation is restrained, generally
limited to brick dentil ling, stringcourses, recessed paneling and
pilasters. Several feature decorative cast iron balconies, lintsls or
storefronts. While the majority of roofs are side-gabled, five feature
street-front gables or shaped parapets sometimes pierced with an attic
window or lunette.
"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 front of the property parcel generally refers to a first story storefront.
"The homes and work place of a prosperous, aspiring German merchant
class, the majority of the two-story brick buildings reserved first
story rooms for commercial use and upper floors as living quarters.
Five District buildings, distinguished by a hallmark street front gable
or high shaped parapet, are among a group of eleven surviving in the
city which Charles van Ravenswaay's study of Missouri-German
architecture cites as unique in the state. The group includes
... and John D. Grothaus's establishment at 201 Main
Street." ~ NRHP Nomination Form, PDF pages 4-6 & 14
"Built: circa 1870
First foot store front altered, new window openings and shingled awning. Stepped parapet with corbelled brick cornice directly below caps. A half sphere attic window is in place under center parapet.
The façade of this building is in the same style as that of 300-02 Jefferson.
"1893 building was occupied by a grocer on the first
floor and a tailor on the second floor. Part of a 118' frontage on Main
Street purchased by J. D. Grothaus from Droege in 1876.
"1893 Sanborn snows use a warehouse
Addition; second story
masonry, rear elevation open frame porch attached." ~ DNR Historic Survey, phase II & III PDF pages 613-615
Plaque Mounted on Outside Wall:
THE GROTHAUS BUILDING
John D. Grothaus and John G. Droege operated a general merchandise store at this location from 1867 until Grothaus's death in 1876. The Grothaus family has since leased the property to various businesses.
c.1866