NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

United States Department of the Interior National Park Service

National Register of Historic Places Registration Form

This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in National Register Bulletin, How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. Place additional certification comments, entries, and narrative items on continuation sheets if needed (NPS Form 10-900a).

1. Name of Property historic name Henry’s other names/site number KHRI #173-11686 Name of Multiple Property Listing N/A (Enter "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing)

2. Location street & number 124 S Street NA not for publication city or town Wichita NA vicinity state KS county Sedgwick zip code 67202

3. State/Federal Agency Certification

As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this X nomination request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property X meets does not meet the National Register Criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant at the following level(s) of significance: national statewide X local Applicable National Register Criteria: X A B C D

Signature of certifying official/Title: Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Date

State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government

In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register criteria.

Signature of commenting official Date

Title State or Federal agency/bureau or Tribal Government

4. National Park Service Certification I hereby certify that this property is:

entered in the National Register determined eligible for the National Register

determined not eligible for the National Register removed from the National Register

other (explain:)

Signature of the Keeper Date of Action

Sections 1 – 4 page 1 Department of the Interior National Park Service / National Register of Historic Places Registration Form NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 1024-0018

Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State

5. Classification

Ownership of Property Category of Property Number of Resources within Property (Check as many boxes as apply.) (Check only one box.) (Do not include previously listed resources in the count.)

Contributing Noncontributing x private x building(s) 1 0 buildings public - Local district site public - State site structure public - Federal structure object object 1 0 Total

Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register: N/A

6. Function or Use Historic Functions Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions.) (Enter categories from instructions.) COMMERCE/TRADE: Business Vacant

7. Description

Architectural Classification Materials (Enter categories from instructions.) (Enter categories from instructions.)

MODERN MOVEMENT/Art Moderne foundation: Concrete

walls: Concrete

Terracotta

roof: Synthetic

other: Stucco

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State

Narrative Description Summary Paragraph (Briefly describe the current, general characteristics of the property, such as its location, type, style, method of construction, setting, size, and significant features. Indicate whether the property has historic integrity.)

Henry’s Department Store is a former department store located in , in a dense commercial area, on a 0.29-acre site. Henry’s Department Store is a rectangular-shaped three-story building constructed in 1948 by Wichita-based architects Boucher and Overend in the Art Moderne style. The building features reinforced concrete framing with brick curtain walls clad in glazed terra-cotta paneling on the west and south elevations, utilitarian red brick on its east elevation, and composite tile and painted stucco on its north elevation. The upper floors are windowless on the primary west and south elevations. The building’s 140-foot length (east to west) is divided into 11 roughly evenly spaced bays, and the building’s 90-foot width (north to south) is divided into seven roughly evenly spaced bays. The south and west elevations are street facing, while the north and east elevations face the interior of the block. The interior of the building still largely reflects its historic function as a department store. Many of the original finishes have been stripped due to late-20th century renovations when the building was converted to a youth facility. The first floor is largely open in character with a double-height ceiling. The second floor acts as a mezzanine to the first floor, with rooms located along the east perimeter. The building contains a full basement.

______Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current physical appearance and condition of the property. Describe contributing and noncontributing resources if applicable.)

Setting: Henry’s Department Store is located in downtown Wichita. The neighborhood is a dense commercial area featuring multi-story commercial buildings, hotels, and parking garages and surface parking lots. Located one block southwest of the subject property is the former City Hall building, a Richardsonian Romanesque building constructed in 1889. Located directly to the south across East William Street is Sutton Place, a 10- story New Formalist style building constructed in 1922.

Site: Henry’s Department Store is located on a 0.30-acre rectilinear shaped property located at the southwest corner of the block bound by East William Street to the south, South Broadway to the west, East Douglas Avenue to the north, and South Topeka Street to the east. Located on the same block is the former Union National Bank Building (currently the Ambassador Hotel), northwest corner. Located to the east of the subject building is a seven-story modern parking deck. The northeast corner of the block is occupied by one-and-two- story modern buildings.

On the south and west elevations, the building is constructed to the sidewalk. The north elevation of the building fronts on a courtyard that shares a porte-cochere with the neighboring Ambassador Hotel. Other features of the courtyard include parking spaces, street trees, and a mural. The east elevation fronts a secondary alley.

Structure: Henry’s Department Store is a rectangular-shaped reinforced concrete structure with brick curtain walls that is three-stories in height. The building’s 140-foot length (east to west) is divided into 11 roughly evenly spaced bays, and the building’s 90-foot width (north to south) is divided into seven roughly evenly spaced bays. The first and third floors are roughly 12,600 square feet, while the second floor is roughly 7,000 square feet. Floor to ceiling heights are generally 12 feet in height, with the exception of the southern half of the first floor, which contains a 24-foot ceiling.

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State

Exterior:

Henry’s Department Store has two primary elevations, the west, and south, which are both clad in glazed terra cotta paneling on all floors. The first floor of both elevations features aluminum-framed storefront systems with display windows. The upper floors of these elevations have no fenestration. The north and east elevations are secondary and utilitarian in character. The north elevation was reconstructed in two phases during the latter part of the 20th century and features modern stucco and composite tile cladding. The east elevation is clad in utilitarian red brick.

West Elevation: The west elevation is one of two primary elevations for the building. All floors are clad in glazed terra cotta paneling. The first floor is divided into seven storefront systems with display windows. Each storefront system is divided by piers clad in glazed terra-cotta paneling. All of the remaining storefront systems have been covered with modern advertisements, yet retain their original openings. Each storefront system features a bulkhead clad in glazed terra cotta paneling. Located above the storefronts is a metal sign band topped with a glazed terra cotta cornice. The west elevation contains the main entrance to the building set within an aluminum-framed storefront system. The entrance features three single-leaf glazed aluminum framed doors. Located above the entrance is a large multi-light aluminum-framed window system. A concrete canopy clad in modern aluminum siding tops the entrance. Flanking the entrances are aluminum framed sidelights that are set back from the doors.

Floors two and three have no fenestration. Running vertically are evenly thin terracotta stringcourses that extend from the top of the first floor to the roofline. Overall, the terra-cotta remains in poor condition with as visible cracks and missing pieces.

South Elevation: The south elevation is similar in material and configuration to the west elevation. All floors are clad in glazed terracotta paneling. The first floor is divided into eleven storefront systems. Each storefront system is articulated by piers clad in glazed terra-cotta paneling. Located above the storefronts is a metal sign band topped with a glazed terra cotta cornice. The south elevation features a secondary entrance located just west of center at the first floor. The configuration and material of the entrance is similar to that found on the west elevation. The remaining storefronts are modern aluminum-framed, located within original storefront openings. Each storefront system features a bulkhead clad in glazed terra cotta paneling. Floors two and three are windowless. Running vertically are evenly thin terracotta piers that extend from the top of the first floor to the roofline. Overall, the terra-cotta remains in poor condition with as visible cracks and missing pieces.

North Elevation: The north elevation is utilitarian in character and clad in modern composite tiles at the second and third floors and modern painted stucco at the first floor. The north elevation abutted the building formerly located at 114 South Broadway. The north elevation features two modern entrances located at the first floor. Both entrances are set within modern aluminum-framed glazed storefronts and contain single-leaf glazed aluminum framed doors. Populated throughout the second and third floors are modern aluminum-framed storefront systems. A rooftop penthouse clad in painted stucco extends roughly ten feet beyond the roofline.

East Elevation: The east elevation is utilitarian in character and primarily clad in red brick with an exposed concrete foundation. The only decorative element found on the elevation is glazed terracotta paneling located at the southernmost edge and spanning the height of the building. The elevation features two utilitarian single-

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State leaf metal fire doors at the first floor. The southernmost entrance is recessed roughly three feet from the façade and features a small set of concrete steps leading to the entrance.

Roof: The building features a flat roof clad in a modern synthetic membrane. One brick elevator/stair penthouse is located centrally at the north perimeter of the roof. The roof contains a roughly two-foot-tall parapet, with the south, east and west perimeters clad in a terra-cotta coping, and the north perimeter clad in a modern aluminum coping.

Interior: Henry’s Department Store was built as a department store for Henry’s Inc. Today, the building lies vacant, yet continues to convey its original function as a department store.

First Floor: The first floor historically functioned as a retail floor and a loading bay. The retail floor covers roughly four-fifths of the first floor and is generally open in plan. Located along the north perimeter wall is an elevator bank that features two elevators. The southern half of the retail floor features a double-height, 24-foot ceiling with cylindrical concrete columns. The southeast corner of the floor is the former loading bay and is subdivided into rooms of varying sizes. The southeast section of the first floor is subdivided into rooms of varying sizes, all utilitarian in character as this portion of the floor was historically utilized as a service bay for the department store. The northeast corner of the floors was subdivided into rooms during a late-20th century renovation. The northeast section of the first floor was also subdivided into rooms during the late 20th century renovation. The rooms vary in size, and all feature modern finishes that include: vinyl tile floors and gypsum board walls and ceilings. Finishes within the southeast section include: vinyl tile floors, painted/exposed brick walls, gypsum board walls, and painted ceiling structure. The elevators feature metal surrounds. Historic marble paneling is located at the walls of the elevator bank. Located immediately to the east of the elevator bank is a utilitarian concrete stair.

Access to the first floor retail space is provided by three entrances located at the west elevation, south elevation, and north elevation. Finishes in the retail space are utilitarian in character with finishes that include: vinyl tile floors, gypsum board wall paneling, and flat plaster ceiling. Much of the vinyl tile has been removed, leaving large areas of exposed concrete. The entrance areas located at the west and south elevations feature marble tile flooring. In select areas, the clay tile is exposed at the perimeter walls, concentrated at the north perimeter.

Second Floor/ Mezzanine: The second floor/mezzanine features a smaller floor plate, roughly 7,000 square feet (compared to the 12,600 square foot first floor). The floor is located along the north, east, and south perimeters of the building. The former retail space is located along the east perimeter. Access to the mezzanine is provided by the two elevators and the stair located at the north perimeter.

Finishes in the mezzanine are similar to the first floor and include vinyl tile floors, plaster and gypsum board walls, and plaster ceiling. The balcony is constructed of flat plaster with wood railing.

The second-floor elevator bank has metal surrounds and marble paneling similar to the first floor.

Third Floor: The third floor was historically utilized as a retail space. The floor plan features a large open space located centrally with rooms of varying sizes located along the perimeter of the floor. Finishes at the third floor are similar to the first and second floors and include: vinyl tile floors, plaster and gypsum board walls, and suspended acoustic tile ceiling. Much of the tile has been removed from the floor, exposing the

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State concrete floor. Sections of the north perimeter wall contain exposed structure. Populated throughout the ceiling are light fixtures and ventilation units. Square columns are located throughout the floor, which are furred out with gypsum board.

The elevator bank at the third floor contains metal surrounds.

Alterations: In 1970, the top two floors of a former building located to the north, which abutted the north elevation, were demolished. The demolition of the building exposed the third floor of the north elevation, which required that portion of the elevation to be clad in a composite tile siding. In 1993, the remainder of the neighboring building to the north was demolished, further exposing the first and second floors of the north elevation. These floors were clad in a modern stucco finish. Modern aluminum-framed storefront window systems were installed throughout the north elevation. At the interior, portions of all floors were partitioned off with gypsum board when the building functioned as the Global Learning Center five years after the Henry’s vacated the building in 1984.

Integrity: Henry’s Department Store retains sufficient integrity to convey its historic values. National Register Bulletin 15 provides guidance on evaluating integrity, identifying seven aspects. It is not necessary for a resource to retain all aspects, and the weight of each aspect is tied to the significance of the resource.

Henry’s Department Store is nominated under Criterion A for Commerce. It is locally important as a flagship department store building for Henry’s Inc., which was influential in the development of the retail industry in Wichita.

Specific to the seven aspects:

Location: Henry’s Department Store is in its original location.

Association: Henry’s Department Store was the flagship store for the company from 1948 to 1993, during which time the company continued to grow and assert itself as the leading department store in Wichita. Visually, the building still looks essentially the same since its construction. As such, the building retains its direct association with the historic events for which the property is being nominated.

Feeling: To the casual observer, Henry’s Department Store looks essentially the same as when the property was built in 1948. In light of the scale of the building, exterior alterations are minimal.

Setting: The site of the building generally remains consistent with the original as the building was originally constructed to its lot lines. The building, which abutted the north elevation to the north, is no longer extant. The surrounding neighborhood has evolved over time, but the character of the setting has not changed from what it was at the endpoint of the period of significance (1969). The setting remains commercial in function.

Design: The design of the building has not been significantly altered since its construction. The exterior remains generally intact, most notably at its primary west and south elevations. At the interior, the building still reads as a department store, specifically with the retention of its 24-foot high double-height first floor, which is the focal point of the building’s interior. Secondary display rooms located at the rear (north) end of the interior have been partitioned with gypsum board walls.

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State

Materials and Workmanship: Materials and workmanship both relate to the presence of historic fabric and for the purposes of this evaluation are similar. As discussed previously, there was one major alteration, which occurred in c. mid-1990s with the recladding of the north elevation. Visually, the exterior materials and workmanship remain largely intact.

Henry’s Department Store retains sufficient integrity to convey its historic values.

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State

8. Statement of Significance Applicable National Register Criteria Areas of Significance (Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for (Enter categories from instructions.) National Register listing.) COMMERCE/TRADE: Department Store X A Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history.

B Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past.

C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents Period of Significance the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity 1948-1969 whose components lack individual distinction.

Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information D important in prehistory or history. Significant Dates

Criteria Considerations (Mark "x" in all the boxes that apply.)

Property is: Significant Person (Complete only if Criterion B is marked above.) A Owned by a religious institution or used for religious purposes.

B removed from its original location. Cultural Affiliation (if applicable)

C a birthplace or grave.

D a cemetery.

E a reconstructed building, object, or structure. Architect/Builder

F a commemorative property. Boucher and Overend (Architects)

G less than 50 years old or achieving significance Hahner and Foreman (Builder) within the past 50 years.

Period of Significance (justification) The period of significance extends from 1948 when the building was constructed to 1969 in accordance with the general guideline of 50 years. Henry’s department store owned and operated in the building until 1984. The building does not meet exceptional significance to continue further than the year 1969.

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State

Statement of Significance Statement of Significance Summary Paragraph (Provide a summary paragraph that includes level of significance, applicable criteria, justification for the period of significance, and any applicable criteria considerations).

Henry’s Department Store is locally significant under Criterion A in the area of Commerce as an important example of a department store that contributed to the commercial development of downtown Wichita. Specifically, the building was an important contributor to the department store industry in downtown Wichita, by introducing a new premier downtown department store in an era when retail was shifting to the suburbs. The building was constructed in 1948, designed by architects Boucher and Overend. The building is Art Moderne in style with a reinforced concrete frame and brick curtain walls. The period of significance extends from 1948, when the building was constructed under the supervision of the company’s owner Henry Levitt, to 1969 in accordance with the National Register 50 year guideline.

Narrative Statement of Significance (Provide at least one paragraph for each area of significance.)

Developmental History:

In 1948, Henry Levitt, owner of the retail company Henry’s Inc., contracted the architectural firm of Boucher and Overend to design a new three-story Art Moderne style department store building located at the corner of South Broadway and East William Street, across from the Innes Department Store. The site which was secured by Henry’s Inc. from the Progressive Building Company under a 99-year lease formerly housed the Union bus depot. The depot was demolished to make way for the new department store. General contractors for the new building were Haher and Foreman of Wichita.1The building was completed in 1948, as a cost of $900,000.2

The exterior of the new building featured a windowless façade, was clad in terra cotta in a color combination of dark brown and cream. The store interior was designed by Burke and Kober, an interior design firm based in Los Angeles that specialized in men’s store design. Its list of previous clients included Desmonds, Silverwoods, and Mullen and Bluett of Los Angeles and James K. Wilson of Dallas, Texas. The interior featured the latest innovations in lighting, including fluorescent and incandescent fixtures. The store was air- conditioned throughout and equipped with modern high-speed elevators for customer convenience. The design also incorporated the newest ideas in traffic flow and customer service, which were collected from an extensive study of metropolitan stores throughout the country with emphasis of Wichita’s residents' shopping habits.3

The new store retained its function as primarily a men’s clothing store, although several departments were greatly expanded. Occupying most of the main floor was men’s furnishings and accessories, shoes, hats, sportswear, and luggage, with the second floor/mezzanine devoted to men’s clothing. A ladies' ready-to-wear section was also located on the second floor/mezzanine. Also located on the second floor was a boys’ department. The basement was used to house the uniform department and the company’s general and executive offices.4

The new store was acclaimed as a masterpiece of interior design and shopping comfort by top business leaders. Additionally, the building was considered a milestone in the city’s development. The store increased Henry Inc.’s commercial retail space six-fold from its former location, located two blocks northeast. One key aspect

1 “Henry’s Streamlined Store Will Be Unveiled,” Wichita Daily Eagle (Wichita, KS), November 7, 1948. 2 “Henry’s Streamlined Store Will Be Unveiled,” Wichita Daily Eagle (Wichita, KS), November 7, 1948. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid.

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State of the store was understanding the needs of the shopper. Henry Levitt recognized male self-consciousness when buying a hat. As such, the men’s hat department was tucked away in at the rear of the store on the first floor in order to provide for the wanted privacy of the shopper. The men’s shoe shop was also specifically designed in order to create the illusion of a stand-alone shoe store. In addition, each floor was equipped with dressing rooms.

The grand opening of the store was held on November 15, 1948, with every stratum of Wichita represented, from, “the youngest newsie to the city’s most important bankers and businessmen.”5 More than 25,000 people attended the grand opening, which lasted from 7 pm to 11 pm. One attendee quoted, “It’s Hollywood east of the Rockies, it matches anything I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen the nation’s best in retail stores.”6 Henry’s continued to function as a successful department store in the following decades.

In 1970, the top two stories of the Bissantz Building, a former three-story brick office building which was located in the 100 block of South Broadway and abutted the north elevation of Henry’s Department Store, were demolished thus exposing the top two floors of Henry’s Department Store. The exposed north façade was refaced in a compatible composite concrete tile to match the existing terracotta paneling located on the street- facing west and south elevations.

In 1984, Henry’s Inc. vacated the building. For five years, the building laid vacant until the Global Learning Center, a multicultural activities resource center that promoted global understanding through the exchange of ideas and experience, occupied the building for one year in 1989.7 Since then, the building has laid vacant. In 1993, the remainder of the Bissantz Building was demolished, and the remainder the exposed north elevation was clad in a compatible painted stucco finish.

Criterion A: COMMERCE/TRADE: Business

History of Department Stores in the United States:

The development of department stores was a fortuitous event tracing its roots to the Bon Marche in Paris, which opened in 1838, and led to the establishment of the “Marble Palace” in City in 1846. Founded by Alexander Turney Stewart, the “Marble Palace” was a large marble fronted store dedicated to retail sales. This set in motion a new mode of retail which departed from small family-owned Main Street and downtown retail stores. A decade after the establishment of the “Marble Palace,” Turney Stewart built a new store on an entire city block that included 19 separate departments. At the same time, built what is considered the first true department store in Philadelphia. What distinguished these stores from competitors was an “all under one roof” model; whereas previously shoppers were forced to go from store to store, a department store offered the convenience of one-store shopping.8

The proliferation and domination of department stores in downtowns did not truly come to fruition until the decades following World War I. With an expanding middle class, the amount of consumer spending increased. This expanded middle class and disposable income coincided with technological changes in the workplace and in the home, including increased leisure time. The economy boomed with population growth, expanding

5 “Crowds View Wonderland: New Henry’s,” Wichita Daily Eagle (Wichita, KS) 16 November 1948. 6 Ibid. 7 “Notes and Notices,” The Catholic Advance (Wichita, ) 02 Mar 1989. 8 “Save One of America’s Great Stores: The Renovation of the Meier & Frank Department Store Building,” Heritage Consulting Group: September 2009. Page 4

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State manufacturing and trade. This boom created the resources for consumerism. Retailers adapted their business models to accommodate this newfound consumerism with changes like installment buying.9

The same advances in technology also enabled manufacturers to supply consumer demand. Technological change reduced prices and accelerated production. It also let to new merchandising techniques. The booming economy allowed stores to carry greater inventories. At the same time, transportation improvements facilitated the greater distribution of goods through truck, rail, and shipping. Finally, the changes in technology and financing lowered construction costs, broadened design opportunities, and fostered the rise of buildings that would be designed and built for specific uses by specific owners.10

The halcyon days of downtown department stores were relatively short lived. Following World War II, the automobile and development of the National Highway system drove residents further from the city’s core. Red-lining policies and white-flight further drove the middle-class out of downtowns. With the expanded financing options through the VHA and FHA of single-family homes came the further demise of the downtown by fostering the rise of suburban housing, which ultimately led to stores to follow consumers to the suburbs, establishing new stores in automobile-oriented shopping malls.11

Over the span of decades, department stores expanded into regional chains, only to be acquired and consolidated—with or without the original name. In some instances, ill-advised leveraged buy-outs required on-going sales to pay for acquisitions, which led to the collapse. In nearly all instances, product lines became increasingly narrow, often with a focus on apparel and growth opportunities were targeted outside of the downtown. Retail chains such as Roebuck and J.C. Penney’s abandoned downtowns entirely.12

History of Department Stores in Wichita:

The first department store in Wichita was founded in 1886 Henry Wallstein and Charles G. Cohn, Wallstein, and Cohn travelled to Wichita open the Boston Store, located at 103 East Douglas Avenue. By 1889, the Boston Store profited greatly and annexed the adjacent building at 105-109 East Douglas Avenue. The Boston Store provided Wichita with its first true department store, equipped with lines of merchandise that were divided into departments: notions, home furnishings, millinery, men’s furnishings, ladies’ furnishings, and shoes. In 1887, a second department store opened in Wichita, the Chapman and Walker Store located at 129- 133 North Main Street.13 In 1897, Walter Innes, a sales clerk for New York’s Arnold and Constable, received word that the J.J. McNamara Store was up for sale due to the death of its owner. Walter Innes was originally from Lawrence, Kansas and the offer to move back to his home state enticed him. Equipped with a loan of $10,000, Walter Innes bought the J.J. McNamara Store located at 123-127 North Main Street. The title for the new department store was the George Innes Dry Goods Company Store, named after Walter’s uncle, George Innes.14 In 1902, a fourth department store was opened by the Rorabaugh Dry Goods Company, located at 117- 119 North Main Street, only fifty feet from the George Innes Company Store. All four of the department stores were located within a half-block of one another on Main Street.15

9 Ibid. Page 5. 10 Ibid. Page 5 and 6. 11 Ibid. Page 6. 12 Ibid. Page 8. 13 William Sloan, Jr., “Wichita’s Downtown Department Stores,” Wichita Local History Series: (Wichita, Kansas). 1987. Page 1 14 Ibid. Page 2 15 Ibid. Page 2

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The development of the four department stores and their success is notable due to the economic hardships that Wichita faced during the late 19th century. These economic downturns were influenced by the stock market crisis of 1893, a time when many businesses and banks went bankrupt, and large buildings were left either unfinished or vacant.16 By 1902, the market recovered, and only two department stores survived the crisis of 1893: the Boston Store and the George Innes Dry Goods Company Store. In addition, two other department stores were founded at this time: the Henderson Cash Store, and the Noyes and Co. Store.17

In 1906, the Boston Store and the George Innes Dry Goods Company both decided it was time to relocate their businesses to larger, more modern buildings, moving their operations from their original two-story buildings to new six-story buildings. The Boston store was the first to open their new building in 1907, which was located at the intersection of Main Street and Douglas Avenue. Five months after the opening of the new Boston Store, Walter Innes’ moved his company to a new six-story building. One distinct difference between the two new buildings was that Walter Innes’ moved his operations to the intersection of Lawrence and Douglas Avenues, two blocks east of the primary shopping center for Wichita at the time. To many, this moved was deemed questionable as it was located far away from the already established concentration of successful department stores.18

On Sunday, March 29, 1908, the George Innes Dry Goods Company opened its new department store. Piece goods and men’s furnishings were located on the first floor; women’s wear on the second floor; draperies and carpeting on the third floor; furniture on the fourth and fifth floors; and a dress-making department on the fifth floor. The move to the new location in what The Wichita Eagle called “the Heart of Wichita,” proved a great benefit for the company.19

In 1915, the Boston Store was heavily indebted, forcing the company to hire Allen W. Hinkel, a Buffalo, NY- based businessman known for his ability to reorganize finance and management. In 1924, after being able to save the company from foreclosure, Hinkel bought the Boston Store and changed its name to the Hinkel Company Dry Goods Store.

On November 8, 1927, the George Innes Dry Goods Company moved locations to the corner of Lawrence Avenue and William Street, a location once again deemed as a risky location for a department store. With the opening of the new store, the city of Wichita had a department store that could rival the size of that found in most other American cities, with a total square footage of 22,500. The department store firm of Sanger Brothers opened a branch of their store in the old Innes building. However, the Sanger Brothers fell under difficult financial hardship a few years after opening due to the financial crisis in 1929. As a result, the Sanger Brothers signed an agreement with the Rorabaugh Dry Goods Company, whereby Rorabaugh’s bought the building and all of the inventory. The following year, the Rorabaugh Company moved to a new location along Lawrence Street, near the Innes’ department store. The new building was ninety thousand square feet.

In 1947, only twenty years after opening his building at the corner of Lawrence Avenue and William Street, Walter Innes of the George Innes Dry Goods Company announced plans to construct an eight-story addition to the west of the existing Innes building. At the same time, another department store, Henry’s, constructed its new headquarters, which was located across from the Innes Department store. By 1949, there were nine major department stores operating in downtown Wichita: Buck’s Department Store, Hinkel’s Department Store,

16 James E. Mason, “Wichita,” Arcadia Publishing: 2012, Page 8 17 1902 Polk City Directory for Wichita. 18 Sloan, Jr. Page 3 19 Ibid. Page 5

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State

Innes Department Store, and Co. Department Store, J.C. Penny, Sears and Roebuck Co. Department Store, Virtue W. W. Inc. Department Store, Henry’s Department Store, and Walker Bros Department Store.

Following national trends, the Post-War population growth, and economic opportunity, Wichita resulted in increased consumerism. New middle-class consumers’ desire for automobiles, new homes, and other consumer goods led to increased retail sales, but also led to an economic downturn in the city. The rise of the suburbs and subsequent shopping centers pulled retailers out of downtown and decreased the market for downtown department stores. In 1955, the Hinkel Company moved its operations from the downtown location to the Parklane Shopping Center, located in southeast Wichita, roughly three miles from downtown. Also in 1955, Sears Roebuck relocated from its downtown location to 901 George Washington Boulevard, roughly two miles southwest of downtown. By 1956, the department stores located in downtown Wichita saw a decrease of five to six million dollars a year to three million dollars of revenue. By 1960, there were only four major department stores in downtown Wichita: Buck’s Department Store, Innes Department Store, Montgomery Ward and Co. Department Store, and J.C. Penny.20

The continued growth of suburban shopping destinations occurred during the 1970s and 1980s, which resulted in the continued decline of department stores in downtown Wichita. In 1967, Buck’s Department Store closed its doors; in 1978, J.C. Penny closed its downtown store and focused its operations at its suburban location; Montgomery Ward and Co. Department Store closed its downtown store in 1969 and moved its operations to a suburban mall; Henry’s Inc. closed its downtown store in 1984, and Macy’s (formerly the Innes Department Store) closed its downtown store in 1990. By the end of 1990, there were no operating department stores in downtown Wichita.

History of Henry’s Inc.

Henry’s Inc. was founded by Henry Levitt, a Wichita-based businessman in 1923. Prior to beginning the business, Levitt attended in Wichita where he earned a business degree. After graduation, Levitt moved to and spent the next five years there working as a traveling salesmen. While in New York, Levitt learned valuable lessons in business. In the late 1910s, Levitt decided to open his own business, but the outbreak of World War I forced him to enlist in the military. In 1919, after the conclusion of the war, Levitt was offered his old sales job in New York City but instead decided to return to Wichita where he went into business with his father. His father, Bernard Levitt, operated a retail clothing store called the B.M. Levitt Clothing Company, founded in 1918. The store occupied the first floor of a three-story commercial building located at 610 East Douglas Avenue.

In 1923, Henry Levitt took the knowledge that he learned while working with his father and opened his own clothing store, called Henry’s. Levitt purchased the former Palace Clothing Company, which was located at 420 East Douglas Avenue for $35,000 and used the space to set up his operations. While the store’s location was only two blocks east of the successful B.M. Levitt Clothing Company store, the move was considered a risk. However, the move was part of a greater retail trend in downtown Wichita and added to the city’s expanding eastward market. The location for the new store was also seen as convenient for out of town shoppers entering the city by way of Union Station, located one block southwest of the store. The store was one of the first stops from Union Station when entering Wichita’s retail district.

20 1960 Polk City Directory for Wichita.

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The store provided shoppers with two departments: a men’s clothing department and a boy’s clothing department, featuring the two-pant suit. The two-pant suit was a marketing device rooted in Levitt’s observations that businessmen in Wichita did not always wear a suit coat, meaning that the coat had a longer lifespan than the pants. The two-pant suit made it possible for the buyer to own a pair of pants to match his suit coat for as long as the suit coat was worn. The success of Henry’s in its East Douglas location was a compliment to Henry Levitt as it proved that Wichita’s retail district was spreading, which for years prior was centered around the intersection of Main Street and Douglas Avenue. Throughout the 1930s, the company continuously employed 475 people with an influx to 600 during peak sales seasons. In 1929, Henry Levitt remodeled and enlarged his store by purchasing the building located adjacent at 424 East Douglas Avenue. Coinciding with the remodel was the establishment of the Wichita Henrys, an amateur basketball team that was founded and sponsored by Henry’s Clothing store. The basketball team functioned for the next four years under Henry’s sponsorship but was dissolved in 1934 when Levitt lacked the capital to support the team.

In 1947, Henry Levitt decided to move the business to a new flagship store located at the former home of the Union bus station. In 1948, he completed the new Henry’s store, an upscale department store located at the corner of South Broadway Street and East William Street, across from the Innes Department Store. Furnished with the latest equipment in retail, the new store was considered state of the art by local residents as it was. The opening of the new store also transformed the Henry’s from a men’s and boy’s clothing store to a full-fledged department store, which featured a ready-to-wear women’s department, a shoe department, and a luggage department. The interior of the store was also different than any other department store in Wichita as it featured a 24-foot high ceiling.

In 1954, due to the increased migration of residents to the suburbs, Henry’s Inc. announced plans to build a new store located at the southeast corner of East Douglas Avenue and North Oliver; however, the downtown store remained the flagship store for the company. The new suburban store was to be one-story in height and designed by architects John M. Hickman and Arthur T. Woodman. In 1956, the suburban store was expanded. In 1966, Henry’s Inc. expanded again with the opening of a new store in the Twin Lakes Shopping Center, which was located at the intersection of West 21st Street and North McLean Boulevard, roughly 3.2 miles northwest of downtown Wichita. The new store was designed by architects Feagins and Kirsch. In 1975, another Henry’s store was constructed in the new Towne East Square , and the construction of the new store replaced the one located at East Douglas and North Oliver. This was the final store constructed while under the ownership of Henry Levitt, who died in 1968. Following his death, the company was passed to his brother, Leo B. Levitt. Leo B. Levitt died three years later in 1978, and following his death, the company struggled to find a suitable replacement for president for a business that had always been family-owned. The company’s inability to find a suitable leader led to store closures beginning in 1982 with the Twin Lakes Store, followed by the flagship downtown store in 1984, and finally the Towne East Square Shopping Mall store in 1988. In 1993, the company ceased all operations.

Henry’s Department Store as a locally significant resource of a department store in Wichita:

Henry’s Department Store is a locally significant resource to the department store industry in Wichita because it exhibits the importance of the industry through its association with one of Wichita’s most prominent local department store businesses, Henry’s Inc. The construction of the department store in 1948 was integral to the continued presence of department stores in downtown Wichita as this time also marked the beginning of suburban shopping centers. The construction of the building also exemplifies the success of Henry’s from when it started within a modest two-story building. When completed, the building became the flagship store for the company.

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Henry’s Department Store is one of two department stores located in downtown Wichita from the early-to-mid 20th century that are extant, the other being the former Innes’ Department Store, which is located directly to the east across South Broadway. Today, the building still reflects its former use as a department store as its exterior has been minimally altered and its interior, while slightly altered, is still reflective of its use as a department store.

Conclusion

Henry’s Department Store is locally significant under Criterion A in the area of Commerce for its association with the commercial history of Wichita’s department stores. The period of significance for the building begins in 1948 when the subject building was constructed to 1969 in accordance with the National Register 50 year guideline. The success of Henry’s Inc. during the first half of the 20th century culminated in the construction of its new flagship department store in 1948 in downtown Wichita, which afforded downtown Wichita with a premier department store in the wake of the development of suburban shopping centers.

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9. Major Bibliographical References Bibliography (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form.)

“Crowds View Wonderland: New Henry’s,” Wichita Daily Eagle (Wichita, KS) 16 November 1948.

“Henry’s Streamlined Store Will Be Unveiled,” Wichita Daily Eagle (Wichita, KS), November 7, 1948.

“Notes and Notices,” The Catholic Advance (Wichita, Kansas) 02 Mar 1989.

“Save One of America’s Great Stores: The Renovation of the Meier & Frank Department Store Building,” Heritage Consulting Group: September 2009.

William Sloan, Jr., “Wichita’s Downtown Department Stores,” Wichita Local History Series: Wichita Public Library (Wichita, Kansas).

James E. Mason, “Wichita,” Arcadia Publishing: 2012

1902 Polk City Directory for Wichita

1960 Polk City Directory for Wichita

Previous documentation on file (NPS):

preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 67) has been requested previously listed in the National Register previously determined eligible by the National Register designated a National Historic Landmark recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey # recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # recorded by Historic American Landscape Survey #

Primary location of additional data:

State Historic Preservation Office Other State Agency Federal Agency Local Government University Other Name of repository: Advanced Learning Library in Wichita

Historic Resources Survey Number (if assigned):

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State

10. Geographical Data

Acreage of Property F 0.29 (Do not include previously listed resource acreage; enter “Less than one” if the acreage is .99 or less)

Latitude/Longitude Coordinates Datum if other than WGS84: F (enter coordinates to 6 decimal places)

1 37.685353 -97.335449 3 37.685086 -97.334962 Latitude Longitude Latitude Longitude

2 37.685081 -97.335447 4 37.685348 -97.334961 Latitude Longitude Latitude Longitude

______Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property.)

The legal boundary for the Henry’s Department Store is tax parcel ID 087125210320300800, and legal description of Lots 5-7 LAWRENCE AVE ENGLISH’S ADD.

______Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected.)

The boundary encompasses the entirety of the development using the legal property boundaries.

11. Form Prepared By name/title Cindy Hamilton date Summer 2019 organization Heritage Consulting Group telephone 215-248-1260 street & number 15 West Highland Avenue email [email protected] city or town Philadelphia state PA zip code 19127

Additional Documentation Submit the following items with the completed form:

• GIS Location Map (Google Earth or BING)

• Local Location Map

• Site Plan

• Floor Plans (As Applicable)

• Photo Location Map (Key all photographs to this map and insert immediately after the photo log and before the list of figures).

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State

Photograph from Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, c.1960

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State

Advirtisment of Henry’s Department Store from Wichita’s Polk City Directory (courtesy of Ancestry.com)

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Henry’s Department Store Sedgwick County, KS Name of Property County and State

Photographs: Submit clear and descriptive photographs under separate cover. The size of each image must be 3000x2000 pixels, at 300 ppi (pixels per inch) or larger. Key all photographs to the sketch map. Each photograph must be numbered and that number must correspond to the photograph number on the photo log. For simplicity, the name of the photographer, photo date, etc. may be listed once on the photograph log and does not need to be labeled on every photograph.

Photo Log

Name of Property: Henry’s Department Store

City or Vicinity: Wichita

County: Sedgwick County State: Kansas

Photographer: Heritage Consulting Group

Date Photographed: January 2019

Description of Photograph(s) and number, include description of view indicating direction of camera:

Photo 1 of 21: View of exterior, looking northeast at south and west elevations. Photo 2 of 21: View of exterior, looking at east at west elevation. Photo 3 of 21: View of exterior, looking at east at west elevation. Photo 4 of 21: View of exterior, looking at east at west elevation at primary entrance. Photo 5 of 21: View of exterior, looking south at north elevation. Photo 6 of 21: View of exterior, looking southwest at north and east elevations. Photo 7 of 21: View of exterior, looking southwest at north and east elevations. Photo 8 of 21: View of exterior, looking northwest at south and east elevations. Photo 9 of 21: View of exterior, looking north at south elevation. Photo 10 of 21: View of exterior, looking north at south elevation at secondary entrance. Photo 11 of 21: Interior view, first floor, looking south. Photo 12 of 21: Interior view, first floor, looking west. Photo 13 of 21: Interior view, first floor, looking northeast. Photo 14 of 21: Interior view, first floor, looking north. Photo 15 of 21: Interior view, first floor, looking east Photo 16 of 21: Interior view, second floor/mezzanine, looking west. Photo 17 of 21: Interior view, second floor/mezzanine, looking south. Photo 18 of 21: Interior view, third floor, looking north. Photo 19 of 21: Interior view, third floor, looking southwest. Photo 20 of 21: Exterior view, roof, looking east. Photo 21 of 21: Exterior view, roof, looking east.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C.460 et seq.). Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 100 hours per response including time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Office of Planning and Performance Management. U.S. Dept. of the Interior, 1849 C. Street, NW, Washington, DC.

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