Architectural and Historical Survey and Evaluation of the Downtown Commercial District, Muscatine, Iowa July 28, 2005 Prepared for: Muscatine Historic Preservation Commission CLG Grant #04-05 Submitted by: Rebecca Lawin McCarley SPARK Consulting Davenport, IA Architectural and Historical Survey and Evaluation of the Downtown Commercial District, Muscatine, Iowa CLG Grant #04-05 July 28, 2005 Rebecca Lawin McCarley SPARK Consulting 1138 Oneida Avenue Davenport, IA 52803 www.octaspark.com Acknowledgements: City of Muscatine: Richard O’Brien, Mayor; A.J. Johnson, City Administrator City Council: Scott Day, Philip Fitzgerald, Jerry Lange, Anne Lesnet, Jerry Root, Osama Shihadeh, William Trent Project Director: Jim Rudisill, Community Development Muscatine Historic Preservation Commission: Jay Brady, Daniel G. Clark, Jerry Lange, Jim Nepple, Maryrose Peterschmidt, Devin Pettit, Deb Pohl Volunteers: Steven and Eileen Ellsworth, Robert Fiedler, Penny Gordy, Cindy Gyger, Glenna Hammond, Jerry Kleindolph, Jan Noll, John Peterschmidt, John Sayles, Sue Slight, Lonnie and Lynn Sulzberger, Gail Van Hecke This project has been financed in part with Federal funds from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the view or policies of the Department of the Interior, nor does the mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Department of the Interior. This program receives Federal financial assistance for identification and protection of historic properties. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color national origin, disability or age in its federally assisted programs. If you believe you have been discriminated against in any program, activity, or facility as described above or if you desire further information, please write to: Office of Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 1849 C Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20204. Table of Contents I. Executive Summary ...................................................................................................... 1 II. Project Design and Objectives ..................................................................................... 2 III. Historic Contexts and Associated Property Types ...................................................... 7 Early Settlement (c. 1833-c.1865)..............................................................................................7 Associated Property Types: Early Settlement........................................................................19 19th Century Business and Industry (c.1865-c.1900) ...............................................................25 Associated Property Types: 19th Century Business and Industry...........................................42 Lumber Industry (c.1843-c.1960)............................................................................................48 Associated Property Types: Lumber Industry .......................................................................62 Pearl Button Center of the World (c.1890-1966).....................................................................67 Associated Property Types: Pearl Button Industry................................................................83 Civic Pride & Accomplishment — (c.1890-c.1925) ....................................................................89 Associated Property Types: Civic Pride and Accomplishment ...............................................96 20th Century Business and Industry (c.1900-c.1960) .............................................................103 Associated Property Types: 20th Century Business and Industry.........................................124 Major Bibliographical References ..........................................................................................130 IV. Identification and Evaluation Methods.................................................................. 134 V. Survey Results ......................................................................................................... 137 VI. Recommendations.................................................................................................. 144 Appendix A. Sample Survey Forms............................................................................... 149 List of Figures Figure 1. Map of survey area. ............................................................................................................. 2 Figure 2. pre-1853 Plat of Muscatine by Abraham Smally (sic). ....................................................... 12 Figure 3. View of Muscatine in 1855 (Ballou’s 1855: 73). ................................................................. 15 Figure 4. Birdseye View of Muscatine (Andreas 1875)....................................................................... 28 Figure 5. Plan of Muscatine (Andreas 1875). .................................................................................... 29 Figure 6. 1883 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, detailed maps overlaid on first page key. .................... 32 Figure 7. 1883 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, detailed maps overlaid on first page key. .................... 33 Figure 8. Map of Muscatine (Muscatine Improvement and Manufacturing Company 1893)............ 37 Figure 9. 1899 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, detailed maps overlaid on first page key. .................... 39 Figure 10. 1899 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, detailed maps overlaid on first page key. .................. 40 Figure 11. Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps depicting the burial of Papoose Creek (Sanborn Map Company).................................................................................................................................. 90 Figure 12. 1910 Map of Muscatine (Iowa Publishing Company 1910)............................................ 109 Figure 13. 1919 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, detailed maps overlaid on first page key. ................ 111 Figure 14. 1919 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, detailed maps overlaid on first page key. ................ 112 Figure 15. 1946 (1928 revised) Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, detailed maps overlaid on first page key........................................................................................................................................... 119 Figure 16. 1946 (1928 revised) Sanborn Fire Insurance Map, detailed maps overlaid on first page key........................................................................................................................................... 120 Figure 17. 1953 (1970 revised) topographic quadrangle map, Muscatine, IA. ................................ 122 Figure 18. Map of the survey area. ................................................................................................. 134 Figure 19. Map of historic resources surveyed in Downtown Muscatine (by field site number)..... 142 Figure 20. Boundary of potential downtown historic district (by field site number)...................... 143 List of Tables Table 1. Surveyed historic resources. ............................................................................................... 138 I. Executive Summary The Architectural and Historical Survey and Evaluation of Downtown Muscatine, Iowa, is part of a phased program to identify, evaluate, register, and protect the cultural resources of Muscatine. The Muscatine Historic Preservation Commission conducted a Planning for Preservation Study during 2002-2003 as the first phase of this program. The development of the historic contexts and survey of the downtown commercial district was recommended as the first phase of a comprehensive survey and evaluation program for the city of Muscatine. Muscatine is the county seat of Muscatine County, which is located on the west bank of the Mississippi River, the fourth county north of the Missouri border. This area of Iowa was included in the Black Hawk Purchase and was opened for settlement in 1833 as part of the Wisconsin Territory. The City of Muscatine is one of the oldest in Iowa, having been surveyed and platted in 1836. It was originally known as Bloomington and was designated the county seat in 1837. The location on the Mississippi River directly led to the first two major industries in Muscatine, lumber and pearl buttons. Logs floated down the river provided the raw product to produce not just planks and boards, but more elaborate sashes, doors and millwork. In the 1890s mussel shells from the river provided the material for pearl buttons, which became the major product produced by Muscatine’s industries at the turn of the century. In the 20th century Muscatine’s industries expanded to include grain processing, furniture manufacturing and the retreading of automobile tires. The town has grown from a village of 71 in 1839 to a thriving city of over 22,000 today. The purpose of this project is to undertake an intensive level historical and architectural survey of the central business district and develop historic contexts relevant to this area. The Central Business District was initially defined as the area from Mississippi Drive to Third Street and from Mulberry Avenue to Pine Street, which was expanded along certain edges to include adjacent historic resources. Research was conducted to develop six historic contexts for Muscatine: Early Settlement, 19th Century Business