HomeMy WebLinkAbout52-01557_17 S Dubuque_StachSaloonSite Inventory Form State Inventory No. 52-01557 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 J.J. Stach Saloon
other names/site number
2. Location
street & number 17 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 Lots 7 & 8
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
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)
05B LATE VICTORIAN/Italianate foundation 04 STONE
walls 03 BRICK; 05 METAL
roof
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 17 S. Dubuque Street Site Number 52-01557
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
02 ARCHITECTURE 1876 check if circa or estimated date
Other dates
05 COMMERCE
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
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 52-01557
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 1
J.J. Stach Saloon Johnson
Name of Property County
17 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
7. Property Description
This two-story commercial building represents the north third of the original three-bay building that extended
from 17- 21 S. Dubuque Street. Built at different times, a unifying cornice may have been installed when the
building’s two halves were completed. The south third was newly in place on the 1874 fire insurance map and the
north two-thirds were completed sometime between 1874 and 1879. An examination of property transfer records
indicates that the three storefront sections had separate owners as follows: #21 in 1874, #19 in 1876, and #17 in
1877. This confirms the earlier construction of the south bay and the likelihood that the combined building was in
place by 1879 as shown on fire insurance maps with each third under separate ownership (Svendsen, 2001).
Today 17 S. Dubuque St. remains under separate ownership from 19-21 S. Dubuque Street.
This mid-block commercial building has a Late Victorian Italianate style design with a continuous metal cornice
connecting the three-bay building. The cornice pattern consists of semi-circular arches, keystones, and brackets.
Given the fact that a noted Iowa City metal fabricating firm, Maresh & Holubar, owned the south bay of the
building and had their tin shop located here by 1875, it is possible that they were responsible for the cornicework.
The walls are clad in a tan facing brick installed at an unknown date. The semi-circular brick window arch design
was preserved but the 2/1 sash present in a 1981 photo of the building were replaced with flat topped 1/1 sash and
wood panels above. The storefront was modified to include a brick arched signboard area centered above a plate
glass display window. Entrances to the building and upper level are to either side of the display window and a
fixed awning is located beneath the arched signboard space. At the time the façade changes were made the
storefront had been modified to include a recessed central entrance between solid plate glass display windows and
wood signboard beneath a narrow molding separating the levels. The building has a stone foundation with
masonry walls constructed of tan brick. Changes include storefront modifications, window changes, and front
façade brick replacement completed at unknown dates (Svendsen, 2001).
In 2017 alterations of the façade subsequent to the 2001 survey are apparent. The storefront has been faced in flat
metal panels allowed to rust. The new material covers the sign board area and continues down the south side of
the storefront. The entrance is located on the left side of the storefront with a second entrance to the upper story
apartments. The second story brick has been has been painted in a dark grey and that extends from the storefront
cornice to the upper cornice. The upper story windows are retained as described in 2001 – 1/1 double-hung sash
with round window head infilled. The windows retain stone sills. The first story is currently occupied by Pullman
Bar. An outdoor seating area has been added adjacent to the street.
Image 01. View of the façade (east elevation), looking west from S. Dubuque Street.
(Image by AKAY Consulting, August 2017)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01557
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 2
J.J. Stach Saloon Johnson
Name of Property County
17 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
Image 02. View of the façade (east elevation), looking west from S. Dubuque Street.
(Image by AKAY Consulting, August 2017)
8. Statement of Significance
The J.J. Stach Saloon represents one third of the original building, which has been highly modified through the
years. As a result of integrity issues, the building is not considered individually eligible for the National Register.
The building does retain sufficient integrity to be considered a contributing structure in a potential downtown
historic district. Although visually and functionally autonomous from the adjacent building to which it has a
shared history, the building remains an important component to that building – either building would be
significantly impacted by the loss of the other. Further, the Stach Saloon building retains many of the character-
defining features of the upper story including the unusual and elegantly composed cornice – the monochromatic
paint scheme diminishes but does not erase its beauty. Although the upper story windows have been replaced with
inappropriate sash, the round head is retained. Loss of elaborate window hoods is unfortunate. The current
storefront, although contemporary in materials and design, does not significantly detract from the overriding
historic character of the façade. With these considerations in mind, the building is counted as a contributing
resource, significant under Criterion A in association with the history of Iowa City commerce and under Criterion
C as a early example of commercial architecture representative of the Late Victorian era Italianate style.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01557
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 3
J.J. Stach Saloon Johnson
Name of Property County
17 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
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 1877
when John R. VanFleet owned the lot or immediately after he sold it to Joseph Stach in 1877. The south third (21)
of the three-bay building first appears on fire insurance maps in 1874 and the north two-thirds ( 17 and 19) in
1879. As was noted above, the cornice may have been a product of Maresh and Holubar, the tin shop that was
located in the (21) storefront by 1875 (Svendsen, 2001).
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.)
Fire insurance maps show 17 S. Dubuque occupied by a variety of retail use beginning with a saloon in 1879.
This block of S. Dubuque Street was a popular location for saloons as early as 1868 when eight were located
between Iowa Avenue and E. Washington Street. City directories show J.J. Stach operated a saloon from this
location by 1878 but he apparently changed his business to boots and shoes sometime between 1883 and 1888
with the 1890 city directory confirming this new retail use. The passing of the Stach Saloon reflected the shift
away from saloon keeping as all such establishments had disappeared by 1901 from this block. It appears that the
shoe trade was taking on a new style during this period with Stach’s store listed as one of nine dealing in boot and
shoe sales in 1890. Another eight firms were listed as “manufacturers” while in previous years the two groups
were combined in a single list. Irving Weber writes that the Stach family’s shoe store continued from this location
with Phil and Joe assisting their father until after World War I although the 1915 city directory shows Carl Stach
with offices for his electrical contracting business at this location. The Stach family continued to own the building
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01557
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 4
J.J. Stach Saloon Johnson
Name of Property County
17 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
through World War II selling it to Lawrence Short and Kenneth Belle in 1947. The building had a number of
tenants after the shoe store closed including Frederick McChesney’s sporting goods store in 1930 and later, Ann
Stach’s ladies ready-to-wear shop (1951). Retail tenants changed frequently in the second half of the 20th century
but the descendents of the Short family continue to own the property in 2000. The upper level was leased as
office space for a number of doctors at one time.
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.)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01557
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 5
J.J. Stach Saloon Johnson
Name of Property County
17 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, 17 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.
Weber, Irving. Irving Weber's Iowa City - Volume 1. Iowa City, Iowa: Iowa City Lions Club, 1976, pp. 87-89.
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. “J.J. Stach Saloon; 52-01557.” Iowa Site Form, 2001.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01557
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 6
J.J. Stach Saloon Johnson
Name of Property County
17 S. Dubuque Street Iowa City
Address City
11. Additional Documentation
Legal Description: Original Town, Block 80, North 20’ of Lot 8 and North 20’ of East 20’ of Lot 7.
Assessor: 009+1010311038
Latitude/Longitude: 41.660903, -91.533424
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
±