HomeMy WebLinkAbout52-01944_211 Iowa_COD SteamLaundrySite Inventory Form State Inventory No. 52-01944 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 C.O.D. Steam Laundry Building
other names/site number Athens Press; New Process Laundry
2. Location
street & number 211 E. Iowa Avenue
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) 66 Lot(s) see full description
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)
02A08 COMMERCE/TRADE/business/laundry 02G02 COMMERCE/TRADE/restaurant/bar
01B02 DOMESTIC/apartment
7. Description
Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions) Materials (Enter categories from instructions)
09F05 COMMERCIAL/Brick Front foundation 04 STONE
walls 03 BRICK
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 211 E. Iowa Avenue Site Number 52-01944
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
05 COMMERCE 1895 check if circa or estimated date
Other dates
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 52-01944
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 1
C.O.D. Steam Laundry Building Johnson
Name of Property County
211 E. Iowa Avenue Iowa City
Address City
7. Narrative Description
This two-story, brick, freestanding mid-block commercial building replaced an earlier two-story frame dwelling
on this site. As originally constructed, the building had a late Victorian design with a massive pressed metal
cornice complete with brackets, modillions, finials, dentils and decorative moldings. A crown molding (likely
metal) with dentils and end brackets separated the upper level from the storefront, which featured a recessed
entrance centered between cast iron columns and flanked by large plate glass windows (Image 03). These
elements have been removed in later remodelings.
The current front façade has a plain brick cornice with the upper level fenestration consisting of three segmental
arched openings (three courses of headers) containing a combination of original mullions and replacement sash.
The three-part center opening has stylized pilasters serving as mullions with the center section boarded over and
6-light sash to either side replacing the original 1/1 double-hung windows. Single windows located to either side
of the three-part opening are framed by similar pilasters with 6-light sash also replacing the original 1/1 double-
hung windows. A narrow cast stone beltcourse separates the upper level from the brick storefront. A recessed
central entrance is flanked by horizontal shop windows that contain 12 square lights. Portions of the original
pilasters that framed the storefront suggest the original dimensions for the height of the shop windows and the
location of the narrow signboard.
In 2017 the building remains as previously described. The storefront is currently occupied by the Blue Moose bar
and apartments are located on the second floor.
Image 01. View looking southeast across Iowa Avenue
(Image by AKAY Consulting, August 2017)
This block of Iowa Avenue has seen considerable change in the last decade, with only two of the five historic buildings once
located on the block retained. The C.O.D. Steam Laundry is at right.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01944
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 2
C.O.D. Steam Laundry Building Johnson
Name of Property County
211 E. Iowa Avenue Iowa City
Address City
Image 02. View looking south across Iowa Avenue
(Image by AKAY Consulting, August 2017)
8. Statement of Significance
This building is located on Iowa Avenue one block east of Old Capitol, a National Historic Landmark, and the
Pentacrest, a National Register historic district. Its façade has been substantially modified and as a result the
building is not individually eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. However, the building retains its
historic form without additions, the character defining fenestration of the upper story is retained, and it has a
raised degree of importance due to the increasing rarity of historic buildings on this block of Iowa Avenue.
Further, the building has a significant association with the history of commerce in the Iowa City downtown,
specifically as a representative of a laundry business, of which there were once a number located in proximity to
the University. As a result, the C.O.D. Steam Laundry is considered a contributing resource to a potential historic
district.
Historic Background
As originally laid out, Iowa Avenue provided a wide corridor extending to the east from Capitol Square and the
Iowa Territorial Capitol. Its 120-ft. width made Iowa Avenue the widest thoroughfare in the Original Town Plat.
In later years after Capitol Square became part of the campus of the State University of Iowa, the campus was
extended along the north side of Iowa Avenue. The north half of Block 66 was shown on the Original Town Plat
as set aside for churches facing a city park north of Iowa Avenue. However, the commercial buildings facing S.
Dubuque Street and several of the residences built in the 200 block of Iowa Avenue broke with this plan. The
only church constructed was the Christian Chapel (non-extant) at 217 Iowa Avenue (Svendsen, 2001).
An interpretation of Sanborn Company fire insurance maps, property transfer records and city directory listings
indicates that this building was constructed in ca.1895. The property was owned by Sarah Kenyon who with her
husband Louis Kenyon, were responsible for its construction. Kenyon operated the C.O.D. Laundry from the first
floor and leased the upper level to the Iowa City Public Library from ca.1897 through ca.1903. A bowling alley
appears in the basement on the 1899 fire insurance map and on the 1906 map a dance hall appears on the second
floor (Svendsen, 2001).
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01944
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 3
C.O.D. Steam Laundry Building Johnson
Name of Property County
211 E. Iowa Avenue Iowa City
Address City
Image 03. Historic Image – 1897
(Source: Finials: A View of Downtown Iowa City.)
The C.O.D. Laundry had its start under the proprietorship of A.T. Calkins who operated the business from a
building at the southeast corner of Iowa Avenue and S. Linn Street beginning in the 1880s. In 1893 the business
had grown to include a branch for drop-offs and pick-ups at 6-8 S. Clinton Street. It is not clear exactly when
Kenyon took over operation of the C.O.D. Laundry but it is likely that it was concurrent with the acquisition of
the property at 211 Iowa Avenue in 1895 and the subsequent construction of the new laundry building a short
time later. By the turn-of-the 20th century Iowa Avenue was the location of several downtown laundries including
Kee Lung’s laundry at 117 Iowa Avenue, the Peoples Steam Laundry at the southeast corner of Linn and Iowa,
and the New Process Laundry at 114-116 Iowa Avenue as well as Kenyon’s operation. In later years several
pantoriums, dye houses, and dry cleaning businesses located in the 100 block of Iowa Avenue as well. Proximity
to the University of Iowa campus’ student population likely contributed to the location of both laundries and other
apparel maintenance establishments along the north edge of the business district. It is not clear whether or not the
State University of Iowa Hospital (former Mercy Hospital) or the Osteopathic Hospital located along the north
side of Iowa Avenue in the 200 block used the nearby private laundries or maintained their own operations.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01944
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 4
C.O.D. Steam Laundry Building Johnson
Name of Property County
211 E. Iowa Avenue Iowa City
Address City
Research in residential neighborhoods in Iowa City shows that dozens of young women, including many
Bohemians, found employment in these laundries before and after World War I (Svendsen, 2001).
By 1915 the New Process Laundry Co. had either merged or acquired the C.O.D. Laundry consolidating their
operations at 211 Iowa Avenue. A dance hall continued to occupy the upper level. After World War I, the
business operated under the style “New Process Laundry and Cleaning Co.” with Frank Russell as secretary-
treasurer for the corporation. By 1931 the laundry was discontinued and the space was being used as a temporary
location for the U.S. Post Office, which was undergoing a major expansion and remodeling at the time. In 1933
the location housed the Athens Printing Shop. Louis Kenyon retained ownership of the building until 1936 when
it was sold to John Kurtz who transferred the property to Earl and Angela Kurtz the following year. The “Athens
Press” continued at this location into the 1950s with a series of bars occupying the space in later years. One bar
known as the “C.O.D.” claimed to be the state’s number one beer seller during the late 1970s. Incomplete
property transfer records make it difficult to trace ownership after the Kurtz acquisition until the early 1980s when
Frank and Mary Jo Eicher owned the property d.b.a. the Seville Corporation (Svendsen, 2001).
9. Major Bibliographic References
Iowa City city directories.
Property Transfer Records, Johnson County Auditor’s Office.
Tax Assessor’s Records, City of Iowa City Assessor.
Summary Sheet, 211 East Iowa Avenue, 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 5. Iowa City, Iowa: Iowa City Lions Club, 1989, pp. 17-20.
2017: References
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. “C.O.D. Steam Laundry: 52-01944.” Iowa Site Form, 2001.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-01944
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 5
C.O.D. Steam Laundry Building Johnson
Name of Property County
211 E. Iowa Avenue Iowa City
Address City
11. Additional Documentation
Legal Description: Original Town, Block 66, beginning 100 East of Northwest corner, East 40’, South 150’ (to
alley), West 40’, and North 150’ to point of beginning.
Assessor PIN: 002+10103122007
Latitude/Longitude: 41.661276/-91.532541
Parcel Map - 2017
LINN202-214
24-26
20-22
14
DUBUQUEWA SHINGTON
IOWA
2577211213
21624510
6 2191312
2202
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