County of building: St. Charles County
Location of building: Watson St. & Kingshighway, NE corner, St. Charles
Built: 1909
Architect/Builder: Unknown
Architectural Style: Craftsman Bungalow
Original Occupant: Julius C. and Irene Willbrand
Historic District Map
"69. 1500 Watson Street; Craftsman; 1909; Contributing
The foundation and first floor of this Craftsman style house are finished with coursed rock-faced limestone and the basement level has 3-light wood windows topped by stone jack arches. The second floor and the upper half story were originally finished with shingles but they have been covered with vinyl siding, except for the gable ends, which are still shingled. The medium-pitched, side-gabled asphalt roof has wide overhanging eaves and cornice returns, and an interior end brick chimney is on the east end of the front slope and an exterior end brick chimney is on the west elevation at the rear slope.
On the front slope is a gabled dormer with cornice returns, vinyl walls, shingled gable end and 2 double-hung vinyl windows with single-light lower sash and upper sash with diamond-shaped panes (the pattern matches the historic windows). In the west bay of the façade is a glazed door (that appears to be a replacement) flanked by leaded glass sidelights, and to the east is a double-hung vinyl window matching those of the dormer. Two matching windows are on the second floor. The door opens onto a ¾-width, 1-story gallery with stone piers and stone half-wall railing that extend to the ground. The gallery has a concrete deck and stairway, a gabled roof with cornice returns, and the gable end is finished with shingles. Each side elevation is highlighted by a gabled (with cornice returns) hanging box bay that
flares outward at the bottom, and the walls are finished with vinyl but the gable ends retain their shingles. The one on the east is on the first floor while the one on the west appears to be between the
first and second floors. The eastern box bay has a tripartite window, with the central window matching the previously described double-hung sash, and to each side is a sidelight with diamond-patterned muntins. To the south is a window matching those on the façade; on the second floor are three; and in the upper half story are two. On the west elevation is a half-glazed wood door at ground level and the bottom of the hanging box bay provides cover for the doorway. The box bay on this elevation has paired windows, and there are two windows matching the others on the first, second and upper half stories. Despite the vinyl siding and replacement windows, this house retains its overall historic character.
a. Garage; Contributing
At the rear of the lot is a 1-story, frame 2-car garage. The front-gabled asphalt roof has exposed rafter tails in the eaves. The foundation is concrete and the walls are shiplap wood siding. Two
paneled-and-glazed wood overhead doors are on the north façade and in each side elevation is a 6-light wood window. The garage is more than 60 years old.
b. Carport; Noncontributing Structure
To the southeast of the garage is a 1-car carport with plain posts supporting a shed roof. The carport appears to be less than 60 years old and is, therefore, noncontributing." ~ NRHP Nomination Form
"Built: 1909
Style/Design: Craftsman/BUngalow
According to the County’s tax parcels database, this house w as built in 1908; how ever, the address is not listed in the 1908-09 city
directory. The 1910 directory indicates that the home was owned by Julius C. and Irene Willbrand. At that time he was a cashier at Central Bank, but he eventually became the Vice President and Treasurer. In 1931 the Willbrands sold the house to Herman and
Gretchen Braufman. They owned Braufman’s Ladies Coats, Dresses and Millinery Shop. By 1939 Mrs. Braufman was a widow, but she continued to live in the house and own Braufman’s and eventually Hunings Department Store. From 1950-1954 Dr. Landon and Mary E. McIntire owned the house, and he was a physician. By 1955 Dr. Walter Rugh, a physician at the St. Charles Clinic on Fifth Street, resided here with his wife Elizabeth. In 1957 and 1958 Joseph T. and Mary L. Hepp were the occupants, and he was employed as an engineer at Wagner Electric. In 1959-60 Rev. Keith Kreitner, the rector at Trinity Episcopal Church, and his wife Dorothy lived here. The house was vacant in 1961-62 but by 1963 it was occupied by Larry Gibbons, a chemist at Universal Match Co. in St. Louis, and his wife Ann. From 1964-1967 the home was owned by Elmer H. and Nannie Cooke, and he was a supervisor at McDonnell Aircraft. By 1970 the occupant was Gary H. Quehl, and he was dean at Lindenwood College. The historic name of the house is given as the Willbrand-Braufman House since each family owned the house for about 20 years.
"The foundation and first floor of this Craftsman style house are finished with coursed rock-faced limestone and the basement level has
3-light wood windows topped by stone jack arches. The second floor and the upper half story w ere originally finished with shingles but they have been covered with vinyl siding, except for the gable ends, which are still shingled. The medium-pitched, side-gabled asphalt roof has wide overhanging eaves and cornice returns, and an interior end brick chimney is on the east end of the front slope and an exterior end brick chimney is on the west elevation at the rear slope. On the front slope is a gabled dormer with cornice returns, vinyl walls, shingled gable end and two double-hung vinyl windows with single-light lower sash and upper sash with diamond-shaped panes (the pattern matches the historic windows). In the west bay of the façade is a glazed door (that appears to be a replacement) flanked by leaded glass sidelights, and to the east is a double-hung vinyl window matching those of the dormer. Two matching windows are on the second floor. The door opens onto a 3/4-width, 1-story gallery with stone piers and stone half-wall railing that extend to the ground.
The gallery has a concrete deck and stairway, a gabled roof with cornice returns, and the gable end is finished with shingles. Each side elevation is highlighted by a gabled (with cornice returns) hanging box bay that flares outward at the bottom, and the walls are finished with vinyl but the gable ends retain their shingles. The one on the east is on the first floor while the one on the west appears to be between the first and second floors. The eastern box bay has a tripartite window, with the central window matching the previously
described double-hung sash and to each side is a sidelight with diamond-patterned muntins. To the south is a window matching those
on the façade; on the second floor are three; and in the upper half story are two. On the west elevation is a half-glazed wood door at
ground level and the bottom of the hanging box bay provides cover for the doorway. The box bay on this elevation has paired windows, and there are two windows matching the others on the first, second and upper half stories. Despite the vinyl siding and replacement windows, this house retains its overall historic character and is considered contributing.
"Located at the northeast corner of Watson Street and Kingshighway, this property is 0.21 acres in size. Public sidewalks extend along
both street frontages and an alley is along the rear. A sidewalk leads from Watson Street to the gallery, where it then turns left to wrap
around the west side of the house, and another sidewalk leads from Kingshighway to the rear yard, which is partially enclosed by a chain link fence. Mature trees shade the yard and a large hedge row is between the house and Kingshighway. At the rear of the lot is a 1-story, frame, 2-car garage. The front-gabled asphalt roof has exposed rafter tails in the eaves. The foundation is concrete and the walls are shiplap wood siding. Two paneled-and-glazed wood overhead doors are on the north façade and in each side elevation is a 6-light wood window. The garage is more than 50 years old and is contributing. To the southeast of the garage is a 1-car carport with plain posts supporting a shed roof. The carport appears to be less than 50 years old and is noncontributing." ~ Lindenwood Historic Survey PDF pages 361-365
"Identifying features include low-pitched, gabled roofs with wide, unenclosed eave overhangs that often have exposed rafter tails that may be cut into decorative shapes; knee braces under the gables; and porches with the roofs supported by tapered or battered square columns that often rest upon more massive piers or a solid balustrade. These columns, piers and balustrades often begin at ground level and extend well above the porch floor, and a variety of materials were used alone or in combination, including stone, clapboards, shingles, bricks,
concrete blocks and stucco. The most common wall material is wood clapboard, but wood shingles, stone, brick, concrete block and stucco were also used. The house at 1500 Watson Street is the only Craftsman style house in the survey area, and it was built in 1909.
The foundation and first floor are finished with coursed rock-faced limestone and the second floor and the upper half story were originally finished with shingles, but they have been covered with vinyl siding, except for the gable ends, which are still shingled. The ¾-width gallery has stone piers and stone half-wall railing that extend to the ground." ~ Final Report, Lindenwood District Page 38