HomeMy WebLinkAbout52-01071_226 S Clinton_Carson&ThatcherMotorSite Inventory Form State Inventory No. 52-01071 New Supplemental
State Historical Society of Iowa Part of a district with known boundaries (enter inventory no.)
(December 1, 1999) Relationship: Contributing Noncontributing
Contributes to a potential district with yet unknown boundaries
National Register Status:(any that apply) Listed De-listed NHL DOE
9-Digit SHPO Review & Compliance Number
Non-Extant (enter year)
1. Name of Property
historic name Carson & Thatcher Motor Co.
other names/site number Beekman Motor Co., Namur Auto Co., Bashaw’s Service Supply Co., Gartner Motor Co.
2. Location
street & number 226 S. Clinton Street
city or town Iowa City vicinity, county Johnson
Legal Description: (If Rural) Township Name Township No. Range No. Section Quarter of Quarter
(If Urban) Subdivision Original Town Block(s) 82 Lot(s) see full legal
3. State/Federal Agency Certification [Skip this Section]
4. National Park Service Certification [Skip this Section]
5. Classification
Category of Property (Check only one box) Number of Resources within Property
building(s) If Non-Eligible Property If Eligible Property, enter number of:
district Enter number of: Contributing Noncontributing
site 1 buildings
buildings
structure
sites
sites
object
structures
structures
objects
objects
1 Total
Total
Name of related project report or multiple property study (Enter “N/A” if the property is not part of a multiple property examination).
Title Historical Architectural Data Base Number
Iowa City Central Business District Study - 2017 UPDATE 52-127
6. Function or Use
Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions)
02E01 COMMERCE/TRADE/auto showroom 02E COMMERCE/TRADE/specialty store
02E COMMERCE/TRADE/specialty store
7. Description
Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions) Materials (Enter categories from instructions)
09F05 COMMERCIAL/Brick Front foundation 04 STONE
walls 03 BRICK
roof 17 OTHER
other Narrative Description ( SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED)
8. Statement of Significance
Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark “x” representing your opinion of eligibility after applying relevant National Register criteria)
Yes No More Research Recommended A Property is associated with significant events.
Yes No More Research Recommended B Property is associated with the lives of significant persons.
Yes No More Research Recommended C Property has distinctive architectural characteristics.
Yes No More Research Recommended D Property yields significant information in archaeology or history.
County Johnson Address 226 S. Clinton Street Site Number 52-01071
City Iowa City District Number
Criteria Considerations
A Owned by a religious institution or used E A reconstructed building, object, or structure.
for religious purposes. F A commemorative property.
B Removed from its original location. G Less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past
C A birthplace or grave. 50 years.
D A cemetery
Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions) Significant Dates
Construction date
1905 check if circa or estimated date
Other dates
mid-1980s - storefront remodeling
Significant Person Architect/Builder
(Complete if National Register Criterion B is marked above) Architect
N/A unknown Builder
unknown
Narrative Statement of Significance ( SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED)
9. Major Bibliographical References
Bibliography See continuation sheet for citations of the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form
10. Geographic Data
UTM References (OPTIONAL)
Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing
1
2
3
4
See continuation sheet for additional UTM references or comments
11. Form Prepared By
name/title Alexa McDowell, Historian
organization AKAY Consulting date 10/2017
street & number 4252 Oakland Avenue telephone 515-491-5432
city or town Minneapolis state MN zip code 55407
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION (Submit the following items with the completed form)
FOR ALL PROPERTIES
1. Map: showing the property’s location in a town/city or township.
2. Site plan: showing position of buildings and structures on the site in relation to public road(s).
3. Photographs: representative black and white photos. If the photos are taken as part of a survey for which the Society is to be
curator of the negatives or color slides, a photo/catalog sheet needs to be included with the negatives/slides and the following
needs to be provided below on this particular inventory site:
Roll/slide sheet #
Frame/slot #
Date Taken
Roll/slide sheet #
Frame/slot #
Date Taken
Roll/slide sheet #
Frame/slot #
Date Taken
See continuation sheet or attached photo & slide catalog sheet for list of photo roll or slide entries.
Photos/illustrations without negatives are also in this site inventory file.
FOR CERTAIN KINDS OF PROPERTIES, INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AS WELL
1. Farmstead & District: (List of structures and buildings, known or estimated year built, and contributing or non-contributing status)
2. Barn:
a. A sketch of the frame/truss configuration in the form of drawing a typical middle bent of the barn.
b. A photograph of the loft showing the frame configuration along one side.
c. A sketch floor plan of the interior space arrangements along with the barn’s exterior dimensions in feet.
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Use Only Below This Line
Concur with above survey opinion on National Register eligibility: Yes No More Research Recommended
This is a locally designated property or part of a locally designated district.
Comments:
Evaluated by (name/title): Date:
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01071
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 1
Carson & Thatcher Motor Co. Johnson
Name of Property County
226 S. Clinton Street Iowa City
Address City
7. Property Description
The Carson & Thatcher Motor Co. building is a 2-story brick commercial building constructed between 1905 and
1912. A one-story building with a similar footprint first appears on fire insurance maps in 1906, indicating the
original structure may have been constructed just prior the survey for that map (the building does not appear on
the 1899 fire insurance map). In 1912 the building is recorded as a two-story building with an elevator. Given a
lack of photographic documentation of the early building, it is fair to assert the possibility that the building was
constructed in ca.1905 with a second story addition constructed before 1912. From the time of its construction,
the building has been adjoined to commercial structures on its north wall, but unconnected on the south. Today,
outdoor seating and a parking lot bound the building on the south.
Image 01. View of the building within the context of its streetscape, looking north across S. Clinton Street
(Image by AKAY Consulting, August 2017)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01071
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 2
Carson & Thatcher Motor Co. Johnson
Name of Property County
226 S. Clinton Street Iowa City
Address City
The Carson & Thatcher Motor Co. building is an example of the Commercial Brick Front building form. As
described by Svendsen, “the façade (west elevation) has a cornice with wide crown moldings and high parapets
on the north and south sides. Four window openings are evenly spaced across the upper level. The window
openings have stone sills and lintels with replacement sash configured with uneven upper and lower lights. The
storefront was substantially changed in the 1980s with salvaged building parts reused to create an eclectic design.
A metal beam separates the two levels with recessed entrances placed on each side of a central display window.
The transoms above the doors and the display window have Prairie School style stained glass designs and the
brick piers to either side of the central display window have decorative stone capitals. The building measures
approximately 25’ across the front and has a depth of 80’.”
The upper story of the south elevation reiterates the façade windows, including stone lintels and sills. A series of
stabilizing bars have been inserted along the upper wall, there use indicated by the iron stars bolted to the brick.
In 2017, no significant alteration is apparent from the earlier survey. The storefront is now occupied by Starbucks
Coffee and the second story appears to be housing.
Image 02. View of the façade (west elevation), looking east across S. Clinton Street
(Image by AKAY Consulting, August 2017)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01071
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 3
Carson & Thatcher Motor Co. Johnson
Name of Property County
226 S. Clinton Street Iowa City
Address City
Image 03. View of the secondary (south) elevation, looking north
(Image by AKAY Consulting, August 2017)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01071
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 4
Carson & Thatcher Motor Co. Johnson
Name of Property County
226 S. Clinton Street Iowa City
Address City
8. Statement of Significance
The Carson & Thatcher Motor Co. building is a moderately well-preserved example of an early 19th century
building form known as the Commercial Brick Front. As noted in the 2001 survey site form, “because of the
substantial rehabilitation of the storefront and the alteration of the upper level windows, the building is not
individually eligible for the National Register under Criteria A or C.” Further, due to a significant loss of historic
resources adjacent to the resource, no potential for an historic district exists to which the building could be
considered a contributing resource.
Historical Background
The Carson & Thatcher Motor Co. building is representative of the early era of buildings constructed in response
the rising prevalence of the automobile and the demand for products related to that industry. In a one-story form,
this building appears on fire insurance maps in 1906. In that year, the building housed a machine shop. The E.R.
Thatcher Machine Co. was located in the building at 226 S. Clinton St. in 1909 – one of only two businesses
noted in the business directory under the automobile category. Business owners, Elston R. Thatcher and Albert
Schinker are noted as the proprietors of the “garage and machine shop” (CD 1909: 246). The business ran an
advertisement in the city directory that year, noting their specialization in “Tools, Dies and Models.” The
company also sold auto and bicycle supplies in addition to new and “second-hand” automobiles (Figure 01).
By 1911, the business was known as Carson & Thatcher Motor Co. and remained located in the building at 226 S.
Clinton Street. Three additional “automobile” related businesses were noted in the directory with Carson &
Thatcher: Iowa City Auto Co. (230232 S. Dubuque), H.A. Knease & Sons (11-13 E. Washington), and Lyon Auto
Co. (231 S. Dubuque).
Regular change in ownership was commonplace in the early years of the automobile industry. Carson & Thatcher
was replaced by Beekman Motor Car Co. by 1915. In that year, the city had nine dealerships and numerous other
support service companies – some businesses serving dual functions. In 1918, the building was occupied by
Namur Auto Co., dealers for Paige Auto “the most beautiful car in America.” By the following year, Namur had
been replaced by Bashaw’s Service Supply Co. By 1926 the building housed the Gartner Motor Company and
filling stations were located immediately to the north and at the northeast corner of Burlington and Clinton streets.
The building held a number of commercial tenants in later years.
Figure 01. Advertisement for E.R. Thatcher Machine Co. – 1909
(SOURCE: Smith’s Directory of Iowa City and Johnson County, 1909.)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01071
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 5
Carson & Thatcher Motor Co. Johnson
Name of Property County
226 S. Clinton Street Iowa City
Address City
9. Major Bibliographic References (2001)
Iowa City city directories.
Property Transfer Records, Johnson County Auditor’s Office.
Tax Assessor’s Records, City of Iowa City Assessor.
Sanborn maps, 1874, 1879, 1888, 1892, 1899, 1906, 1912, 1920, 1926, 1933, and 1933 updated to 1970.
2017: References
Iowa City Public Library. Digital Photograph collection. http://history.icpl.org.
Iowa City Then & Now. Publisher unknown.
Mansheim, Gerald. Iowa City: an illustrated history. Norfolk, VA: The Donning Company, 1989.
Smith’s Directory of Iowa City and Johnson County. Rock Island, IL: Edgar Smith, Publisher, 1909.
State Historical Society of Iowa. Iowa City. Photograph Collection.
Slonneger, Marybeth. Finials: A View of Downtown Iowa City. Iowa City: Hand Press, 2015.
Svendsen, Marlys A. “Survey and Evaluation of the Central Business District.” Prepared for the Iowa City
Historic Preservation Commission, 2001.
Svendsen, Marlys A. “Coast & Sons Building: 52-01051.” Iowa Site Form, 2001.
Timeline: Carson & Thatcher Motor Co.
1899 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map: Much larger building housing “Dr. C.H. Hobby’s Private Hospital”
1906 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map: 1-story “Machine” on the south portion of the lot formerly occupied by the
private hospital (remainder of that parcel occupied by “The Republic Job Printing” building.
1909 City Directory: E.R. Thatcher Machine Co.
1911 City Directory: Carson & Thatcher Motor Co.
1912 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map: ?-story “Garage” with a wood roof and an elevator with footprint similar to
above.
1915 City Directory: Beekman Motor Co.
1918 City Directory: Namur Auto Co.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01071
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 6
Carson & Thatcher Motor Co. Johnson
Name of Property County
226 S. Clinton Street Iowa City
Address City
1919 City Directory: Bashaw’s Service Supply Co. (reverse directory)
1920 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map: 2-story “Garage” with wood roof and elevator with no change in footprint.
1926 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map: 2-story “Auto Repair” with elevator; 28-ft. frontage (appears wider than
previous footprint).
1933 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map: 2-story “Merchandise Warehouse” with elevator, concrete floors on
exposed steel; 28-ft. frontage. No change in footprint from 1926. Sub-division of interior space noted.
11. Additional Documentation
Full Legal Description: Original Town Plat, Block 82, Commencing at 42’ North of Southwest corner of Lot 5,
then North 25’, East 80’, South 25’, and West 80’ to beginning.
Assessor: PIN #1010380014
Latitude/Longitude: 41.658486/-91.534466
Parcel Map - 2017