Wupperman Block/I.O.O.F. Hall

The Wupperman Block/I.O.O.F. Hall is a historic building located just north of downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.[1] In 2020 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District.[2]

Wupperman Block/I.O.O.F. Hall
Wupperman Block in 2017
Location508-512 Brady St.
Davenport, Iowa
Coordinates41°31′29.7″N 90°34′28″W
Arealess than one acre
Built1859
Architectural styleRenaissance Revival
Part ofDavenport Downtown Commercial Historic District (ID100005546)
MPSDavenport MRA
NRHP reference No.83002525[1]
Added to NRHPJuly 7, 1983

History

The building dates from 1859 when Hermann A. Wupperman built it to house his grocery store. He was in partnership with William P. Hall and their business was named Wupperman and Hall.[3] The third floor was known as "Union Hall" before it was leased to Davenport Lodge No. 7 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.), who occupied the building for over one hundred years.[2][4] During the Great Depression the Odd Fellows shared their space with other fraternal organizations. The storefronts on the first floor have been occupied by various businesses over the years.

Architecture
The Wupperman Block/I.O.O.F. Hall is the first building on the left in this 1880 photograph.

The Wupperman Block is a three-story, brick building that was built on a stone foundation. It is an early attempt at Renaissance Revival architecture in Davenport, which up until this time was dominated by the Greek Revival style.[5] The structure is rectangular in shape and has a side-gable roof. The two storefronts on the first floor are largely intact.[3] The main façade of the building is divided into three sections: the storefront, the upper wall and the cornice. Although the building has been renovated it maintains its cast iron shop fronts and flanking brick piers.[4]

The upper floors of the building contain seven windows that are evenly distributed. The windows are all rectangular in shape, but each is topped with a curved cornice. The windows on the third floor are taller than the ones on the second, which gives the building a vertical orientation. At one time the windows on the third floor were stained glass and depicted symbols of the I.O.O.F. These windows have been removed.[4]

When it was built, the building had a projecting cornice that has been replaced by a cornice of corbelled brick.[4] The side-gabled roofline is unusual for a building in Iowa and suggests a European influence in its design. The building remains a good example of pre-Civil War commercial architecture.[3][4]

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. Jennifer Irsfeld James. "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District" (PDF). Downtown Davenport, Iowa. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  3. Martha Bowers; Marlys Svendsen-Roesler. "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Wupperman Block/I.O.O.F. Hall". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-04-18. with photo
  4. "Wupperman Block/I.O.O.F. Hall" (PDF). Davenport Public Library. Retrieved 2010-10-16.
  5. Svendsen, Marlys A.; Bowers, Martha H. (1982). Davenport where the Mississippi runs west: A Survey of Davenport History & Architecture. Davenport, Iowa: City of Davenport. p. 6-1.

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