Gordon's Jewelry - Boonville, MO - Victorian Style Architecture on Waymarking.com

County of building: Cooper County
Location of building: Main St., S of Spring St., east side, N. of alley, Boonville
Built: 1870's
Architect/Builder: Dr. John Fetzer
Architectural Style: Italianate
Original/Historic occupant: Harness Shop
Current Occupant: Video Transfer

"64. Gordon's Jewelry, 408 Main Street, 1870's. A two-story brick structure, it is Italianate in style with a projecting cornice. The first story has been altered." ~ NRHP Nomination Form

"Built: 1870's
Style/Design: Italianate
The 2nd story of the primary façade (W) was sandblasted and "restored" in 1976. It is capped by a heavy projecting cornice with brackets and modillions, which is painted white. The windows are inset into panels flanked by brick pilasters with capitals and a corbelled brick course between them. The windows are 2- over-2 and have rowlock segmentally arched lintels and stone sills. The 1st story has been sheathed with metal panels and is capped by a metal awning. The entrance is inset. N & S façades are common walls. The E façade's original openings had double rowlock segmentally arched pent roofed open frame porch and frame steps. There is visible from the rear façade.

"The structure housed a harness shop in 1885. In 1892, the Pacific Express Company was located in this building. Changing business several times, the building served as a c1gar factory 1n 1900, a Pool Hall in 1910, and became the Huber Jewelry Store in 1915. E.J. Huber, proprietor and founder of the Huber Jewelry Co., was born in Boonville in 1858, the son of Karl F. and Anna (Walz) Huber, natives of Germany ..Karl F. Huber came to Boonv111e in 1857 and conducted a saloon business here unti1 his death in 1873. In 1873, E.J. Huber was apprenticed to Jacob Gmelich the pioneer jeweler and watchmaker of Boonville. After spending a 4 year apprenticeship with Mr. Gmelich he was then employed by Gmelich for another 3 years. From 1882 to 1893 he was a partner in the business, which was conducted under the firm name of Gmelich and Huber Jewelry Co. In 1906 Mr. Huber sold his interest to Mr. Schmidt and after a period of resting for a few years, he spent seven years in business in Blackwater, Mo. He returned to Boonville in 1915 and established Huber Jewelry at this location. It remained Huber Jewelry until 1946 when it became Grover Jewelry. In 1958 it became Esser Jewelry. The present owner took over in 1965 and since that time it has been known as Gordon's Jewelry. This building, as well as the two buildings immediately to the S now occupied (and severely altered) by the National Bank of Boonville, were built by Dr. John Fetzer, a Civil War surgeon who at one time resided in a brick dwelling on the site of the present Foster's Drug Store (406 Main).

"The structure faces W onto Main. There are no outbuildings A small yard and fence are to the E." ~ Boonville Historic Survey  PDF pages 1882-1885