HomeMy WebLinkAbout52-01551_9 S Dubuque_PattersonBlkSite Inventory Form State Inventory No. 52-01551 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 Patterson Block (north half of north half)
other names/site number
2. Location
street & number 9 S. Dubuque 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) 80 Lot(s) part of Lots1 & 2
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
buildings 1
buildings
structure
sites
sites
object
structures
structures
objects
objects
Total 1
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)
02E COMMERCE/TRADE/specialty store 02E COMMERCE/TRADE/Specialty Store
02B COMMERCE/TRADE/professional (upper level) 01B DOMESTIC/multiple dwelling (upper floor)
01B DOMESTIC/multiple dwelling (upper floor)
7. Description
Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions) Materials (Enter categories from instructions)
05H LATE VICTORIAN/Renaissance 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 9 S. Dubuque Street Site Number 52-01551
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
01 ARCHITECTURE 1879 check if circa or estimated date
Other dates
05 COMMERCE 1899/1982
Significant Person Architect/Builder
(Complete if National Register Criterion B is marked above) Architect
Builder
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, Architectural 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 52-01551
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 1
Patterson Block (north half of north half) Johnson
Name of Property County
9 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
7. Property Description
This 2-story commercial building represents the north bay of the original four-bay Patterson Block that extended
from 9-15 S. Dubuque Streets. Built at different times, a unifying cornice (and likely the façade) was installed
when the name/date plate was in installed in 1899 (Image 03). An analysis of fire insurance maps indicates it is
likely that the south sections (13 and 15) were built prior to 1874 when they appear on the map in that year. The
north bays (9 and 11) were in place by 1879. According to property transfer records, the same owner held the
entire parcel during this period (Svendsen, 2001). Today the buildings (9 and 11) have separate property owners.
This bay of the Patterson Block has plain brick pilasters at the outer edges with a projecting metal cornice with a
simple molding and dentil bands. The three windows on the upper level are divided by plain brick pilasters set
beneath a metal lintel decorated with embossed garlands. The 1/1 double-hung sash and transoms in place in 1899
have been replaced by reduced size windows. A beltcourse and a simple decorative wood molding separate the
levels. On the left side of the storefront, a pair of recessed doors accesses 1) the interior staircase to the upper
level, and 2) the ground level storefront. A large display window stretches the width of the building from the
entrances to the north wall. The name “Patterson” survives in the floor tile at the entrances. A fixed awning covers
the signboard area. The building has a stone foundation with masonry walls constructed of tan brick. The front
measures 20-feet with a depth of 45-feet (Svendsen, 2001).
In 2017, the building appears without significant alteration from the 2001 description.
Image 01. Historic Image: View looking south along S. Dubuque Street from Iowa Avenue – ca.1960
(Image courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City.)
In this ca.1960 image, the four-bay Patterson Block remained intact (marked). A fire in December of 1982 resulted in the loss
of the south two bays, leaving the two bays at 9 and 11 S. Dubuque Street (highlighted) to stand on their own. The individual
character of these two facades, highlighted by the loss of the south two bays, provides a sense of autonomy that supports a
good level of integrity despite the significant loss structure and materials.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01551
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 2
Patterson Block (north half of north half) Johnson
Name of Property County
9 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
Image 02. View of the façade (east elevation), looking northwest from S. Dubuque Street.
(Image by AKAY Consulting, August 2017)
8. Statement of Significance
Although this building represents only one-quarter of the original Patterson Block, it survives as a relatively well-
preserved example of the Late Victorian Renaissance commercial style – a type that is increasingly rare in the
Iowa City downtown. The fact that half of the block was destroyed by fire and that the other extant bay is more
altered, increases the importance of this surviving section of the original building. The building is significant
under Criterion A in association with the history of Iowa City commerce and under Criterion C as a example of
the Late Victorian Renaissance in a commercial building. The building is considered a contributing resource in a
potential downtown historic district.
Historical Background
As originally laid out, Dubuque Street was a major north-south street entering the central business district from
the north. However, this fact was in conflict with the configuration of lots in the east half of Block 80, which were
oriented towards Iowa Avenue. The strong pull of the Dubuque Street corridor won out, with buildings erected on
lots reconfigured for east-west orientations. This building likely dates from sometime between 1874 and 1879
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01551
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 3
Patterson Block (north half of north half) Johnson
Name of Property County
9 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
when L.B. Patterson owned the lot. The south half of the four-bay commercial block appears on fire insurance
maps beginning in 1874 and the north half containing 9 S. Dubuque in 1879. As was noted above, the name/date
block contained in the cornice dates the building at 1899 leading one to suspect that the four building sections
received a unifying remodeling in that year. The following image supports that assertion.
Image 03. Historic Image: View looking north along S. Dubuque Street toward Iowa Avenue – ca.1893
(Image courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City.)
This ca.1893 image pre-dates the 1899 unification of the Patterson Block which included alterations of the façade.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01551
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 4
Patterson Block (north half of north half) Johnson
Name of Property County
9 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
Image 04. Historic Image: View looking south along S. Dubuque Street from Iowa Avenue – 1929
(Image courtesy of State Historical Society of Iowa, Iowa City.)
The Patterson Block, with its 1899 unified and renovated façade, is seen at right (parapet building plate).
Sanborn maps show this bay containing a boot and shoe shop (post-1874), jewelry store (1879), a restaurant
(1883-1892), and a photo studio (1899-1920). City directories list three possible boot and shoe dealers who could
have rented this space in 1874-75. By 1878-79 Joseph Barborka, one of only four jewelers listed in the business
section, was likely occupying the storefront. By 1891 Harry Buckingham operated a restaurant from this space
and two years later Mrs. Susan Schooley had a similar business from this spot. Like many downtown business
operators, she resided in the apartment over the restaurant. By 1901, with the building having gone through a
major remodeling, city directories show W.H. Graff as proprietor of Graff Pharmacy from this location. Several
doctors were listed with offices on the second floor. In 1904 this bay of the Patterson Block was occupied by
Luscombe’s Studio with James Luscombe as proprietor. Luscombe continued to maintain his business at this site
for a number of years. Scharf Studio succeeded him in the 1950s.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01551
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 5
Patterson Block (north half of north half) Johnson
Name of Property County
9 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
Figure 01. Fire Insurance Map – 1899
(SOURCE: Sanborn Fire Insurance Company, 1874.)
The darker highlighting indicates 9 S. Dubuque within the larger, four bay Patterson Block (pink).
A major fire that began late on Friday night, December 3, 1982 resulted in damage requiring the demolition of the
south two bays of the Patterson Block. Although damaged, the north two bays could be saved. By late 1983, a
new, two-story building was under construction to replace the lost section of the block building. Prairie Lights
Bookstore opened in 1984.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01551
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 6
Patterson Block (north half of north half) Johnson
Name of Property County
9 S. Dubuque 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.
Summary Sheet, 9 South Dubuque, Urban Revitalization Act Study Area Survey, 1981.
Sanborn maps, 1874, 1879, 1888, 1892, 1899, 1906, 1912, 1920, 1926, 1933, and 1933 updated to 1970.
Ellis, Edwin Charles, “Certain Stylistic Trends in Architecture in Iowa City,” MA Thesis, Depart of Art, State
University of Iowa, June 1947, pp. 161-162.
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.
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. “Patterson Block (north half of north half), 52-01551.” Iowa Site Form, 2001.
Newspapers
Iowa City Press-Citizen. “After the fire Most businesses say they’ll be back.” December 06, 1982.
Iowa City Press-Citizen. “Fire damage may reach reach $1 million.” December 06, 1982.
Iowa City Press-Citizen. “Retail store plan downtown moves.” September 20, 1983.
Iowa City Press-Citizen. “Just a Facade.” November 16, 1983.
Timeline: Patterson Block
1893 Historic image documents pre-“Patterson Block” appearance
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01551
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 7
Patterson Block (north half of north half) Johnson
Name of Property County
9 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
1929 Historic image documents 4 bays with “18 Patterson Block 99” building plate on raised parapet centered
over the two center bays.
c1960 Shows 4 bays with building plate intact
1982 News articles reporting the fire
1983 “The façade of the Patterson Block, a building on Dubuque Street that recently burned, was quickly
removed” (“Letters to the editor: Saving historic buildings,” Iowa City Press-Citizen, February 28, 1983:
4A).
1989 Fire photograph shows south two bays already gone
11. Additional Documentation
Full Legal Description: (Original Town) S20.3’ of N100.3’ Lot 1 Blk 80 & a triangle piece lying W of SW cor Lot 1 in Lot 2 Blk 80
Assessor: 009+1010311004
Latitude/Longitude: 41.661132, -91.533411
Parcel Map – 2017
28 120132121-12311711023
1121
12410-12-14
32
19-21
24-26
9119
17
13-15
114-11612611115
16 1138
30
5
11818-20
22
7
128-130CLINTONDUBUQUEWASHINGTON
IOWA
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