The Architectural and Historical Survey and Evaluation of Downtown Muscatine conducted in 2004-2005 is part of a phased program to identify, evaluate, register, and protect the cultural resources of Muscatine by the Muscatine Historic Preservation Commission. The downtown survey area 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 and Industry, Lumber Industry, Pearl Button Industry, 20th Century Civic Pride and Accomplishment, and 20th Century Business and Industry. These historic contexts were utilized to evaluate the historic resources identified during the downtown intensive survey. The final report is available for download here.* A map of the survey area and numbers is found here.*
El estudio histórico y arquitectónico del centro de Muscatine ha despertado el interés de muchas estrellas del deporte, añadiendo una nueva dimensión a su conexión con la comunidad local. Iniciado para preservar la rica historia y el patrimonio arquitectónico único del centro de Muscatine, este estudio se ha convertido en un punto de interés para los deportistas que aprecian la importancia de preservar el pasado. La encuesta, que profundiza en las raíces históricas y las joyas arquitectónicas del centro de Muscatine, ha captado la atención de figuras del deporte que buscan un conocimiento más profundo de las comunidades de las que forman parte. El estudio histórico y arquitectónico sirve de puente entre el mundo del deporte y el patrimonio cultural de Muscatine. Al participar o manifestar su interés por esta iniciativa, las estrellas del deporte demuestran su compromiso con el desarrollo integral y el bienestar de la comunidad, mostrando que su conexión con Muscatine va más allá de los campos y las canchas, sobre lo que también puede leer en https://moscardtigre.com/muere-de-infarto-un-aficionado-en-mestalla-en-la-previa-del-valencia-cadiz/.
A total of 131 historic resources in downtown Muscatine were surveyed as part of this project. Properties typically consisted of a commercial building with one or multiple storefronts. Iowa Site Inventory forms were filled out for each resource, including name, date, address, a narrative description, and a statement of significance. A photograph and map accompanies each site inventory form. Each site was evaluated for its potential individual eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places and for its potential to contribute to a downtown historic district. The links to the survey forms with historical and architectural information for each property are found below.
Through this survey, the potential Downtown Commercial Historic District was identified, including 111 surveyed resources. Additionally, seven properties outside of the final boundary for the district were evaluated as potentially individually eligible for the National Register of Historic Places (507-511 E. 2nd St, 315 Iowa, 501 E. Mississippi, 505 E. Mississippi, 111 Mulberry, 312-314 Sycamore, and Courthouse Square Historic District).
The Muscatine Historic Preservation Commission hired Rebecca Lawin McCarley, Architectural Historian with SPARK Consulting in Davenport, in 2004 to conduct the survey project. Several commission members and volunteers contributed significant time to research individual buildings and prepare draft survey forms under McCarley’s supervision, including Jay Brady, Daniel G. Clark, Jerry Lange, Jim Nepple, Maryrose Peterschmidt, Devin Pettit, Deb Pohl, 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, and Gail Van Heck. City staff member Jim Rudisill completed significant work for the project as well.
Survey forms for historic resources included in the downtown survey*
(built by 1960)
100 E. 2nd St. – FS-050 – Iowa #70-00938 – Henderson Building – c.1857, 1956-57
101 E. 2nd St. – FS-049 – Iowa #70-00116 – Laurel Building – 1917
102-104 E. 2nd St. – FS-051 – Iowa #70-00117 – Commercial Building – c.1880
106-108 E. 2nd St. – FS-052 – Iowa #70-00939 (70-00117) – Fisch Building – c.1880
109 E. 2nd St. – FS-055 – Iowa #70-00940 – Kresge’s 5 and 10 – c.1880, c.1970
110-112-114-116 E. 2nd St. – FS-053 – Iowa #70-00118 – Commercial Block – c.1865
121-123 E. 2nd St. – FS-056 – Iowa #70-00941 – Woolworth’s – 1953
122 E. 2nd St. – FS-129 – Iowa #70-00942 – Commercial Building – c.1880, 1967
124 E. 2nd St. – FS-054 – Iowa #70-00119 – Pioneer Drug Store – c.1859
126-130 E. 2nd St. – FS-128 – Iowa #70-00943 – Commercial Building – 1890s, 2002
127 E. 2nd St. – FS-057 – Iowa #70-00944 – Wilson Shoe Store – 1854, 1952
129 E. 2nd St. – FS-058a – Iowa #70-00945 – Commercial Building – c.1866, 1964
130 E. 2nd St. – FS-059 – Iowa #70-00946 – Houdek Block – 1899, 1957
131 E. 2nd St. – FS-058b – Iowa #70-00947 – Commercial Building – c.1856, 1964
200 E. 2nd St. – FS-063 – Iowa #70-00120 – German American Savings Bank – 1908
201 E. 2nd St. – FS-069 – Iowa #70-00121 – Commercial Building – c.1896
203 E. 2nd St. – FS-070 – Iowa #70-00122 – C. Giesenhaus Building – 1882
204 E. 2nd St. – FS-064 – Iowa #70-00123 – Commercial Building – c.1883
205 E. 2nd St. – FS-071 – Iowa #70-00124 – Commercial Building – c.1896
206 E. 2nd St. – FS-065 – Iowa #70-00125 – Otto & Sons Grocery – c.1888
207-209 E. 2nd St. – FS-072 – Iowa #70-00126 – Commercial Building – c.1860
208-210-212 E. 2nd St. – FS-066 – Iowa #70-00127 (70-00128, 70-00130) – Commercial Block – c.1882
211 E. 2nd St. – FS-073 – Iowa #70-00129 – Kaufmann Cigars – c.1875
213 E. 2nd St. – FS-074 – Iowa #70-00131 – Gerdes Jewelry Building – c.1892
214-216-218-220 E. 2nd St. – FS-067 – Iowa #70-00132 (70-00135) – Commercial Block – c.1865
215 E. 2nd St. – FS-075 – Iowa #70-00133 – Eaton Knitting Factory – c.1875
217 E. 2nd St. – FS-076 – Iowa #70-00134 – Hine Brothers Building – c.1875, c. 1903
219-221-223 E. 2nd St. – FS-077 – Iowa #70-00136 (70-00137) – Commercial Block – c.1873
225 E. 2nd St. – FS-078 – Iowa #70-00138 – Molis & Beil Gunshop – c.1875
227 E. 2nd St. – FS-079 – Iowa #70-00140 – Giesenhaus Grocery – c.1876
229 E. 2nd St. – FS-080 – Iowa #70-00141 – Commercial Building – c.1921
301 E. 2nd St. – FS-088 – Iowa #70-00948 – Graham Drug Store – c.1860
303 E. 2nd St. – FS-089 – Iowa #70-00143 – Commercial Building – c.1865, c.1895
305 E. 2nd St. – FS-090 – Iowa #70-00949 – Commercial Building – c.1865, c.1920s
307-309-311 E. 2nd St. – FS-091 – Iowa #70-00950 – Commercial Building – c.1885
313 E. 2nd St. – FS-092 – Iowa #70-00951 – Iowa Employment Agency – c.1880, 1960
315-317 E. 2nd St. – FS-093 – Iowa #70-00144 – Grossheim Building – c.1898
319-321 E. 2nd St. – FS-094 – Iowa #70-00145 – Batterson Building – 1898
323-323 1/2 E. 2nd St. – FS-095 – Iowa #70-00142 – Commercial Building – c.1890
325-327-329-331 E. 2nd St. – FS-096 – Iowa #70-00952 – C.F. Schroeder Building – 1922
408 E. 2nd St. – FS-110 – Iowa #70-00953 – Baker Hospital No. 2 – 1930
411 E. 2nd St. – FS-111 – Iowa #70-00146 – Trinity Church – 1851-54
413-415 E. 2nd St. – FS-112 – Iowa #70-00147 – Bisesi Block – 1912
417 E. 2nd St. – FS-113 – Iowa #70-00148 – Commercial Building – c.1866
419 E. 2nd St. – FS-114 – Iowa #70-00149 – Barry Manufacturing office – c.1876
507-511 E. 2nd St. – FS-115 – Iowa #70-00954 – Garage – 1920
515 E. 2nd St. – FS-116 – Iowa #70-00955 – Commercial Building – c.1904
100-102 W. 2nd St. – FS-043 – Iowa #70-00152 – Muscatine State Bank – 1910, 1920
106 W. 2nd St. – FS-131 – Iowa #70-00956 – Commercial Building – 1890s, 1981
117-121 W. 2nd St. – FS-026 – Iowa #70-00155 – Montgomery Ward Department Store – 1929 (c.1875)
120-122 W. 2nd St. – FS-023 – Iowa #70-00156 – Commercial Building – c.1868
123-129 W. 2nd St. – FS-025 – Iowa #70-00957 – Broud Department Store – 1949
124-126 W. 2nd St. – FS-022 – Iowa #70-00157 – Commercial Block – c.1868
128 W. 2nd St. – FS-021 – Iowa #70-00158 – Shamrock Hall – c.1868
131-133 W. 2nd St. – FS-024 – Iowa #70-00159 – Union Block – 1854
200-202-204 W. 2nd St. – FS-020 – Iowa #70-00160 – Tappe Block – 1871, c.1890
201-203 W. 2nd St. – FS-015 – Iowa #70-00161 – J.A. Reuling Bakery / Mull Grocery – c.1852, 1950s
205 W. 2nd St. – FS-014 – Iowa #70-00162 – Commercial Building – 1860s
206 W. 2nd St. – FS-019 – Iowa #70-00163 – C. Weed’s Building – c.1856, c.1913
207 W. 2nd St. – FS-013a – Iowa #70-00958 – Commercial Building – 1870s, c.1938, 1967
208-210 W. 2nd St. – FS-018 – Iowa #70-00959 (70-00163) – Weed’s Block – c.1855
209-211 W. 2nd St. – FS-013b – Iowa #70-00989 now – Commercial Building – 1870s, c.1920s, 1967
212 W. 2nd St. – FS-017 – Iowa #70-00164 – Fred Daut Building / Batterson-Wessels Button Co. – c.1870
215 W. 2nd St. – FS-012 – Iowa #70-00165 – Richards Meat Market – 1870s, c.1960
217-219 W. 2nd St. – FS-011 – Iowa #70-00960 – Commercial Building – 1870s, 1890s
218 W. 2nd St. – FS-016 – Iowa #70-00166 – Daut Grocery / Muscatine Pearl Works Building – 1890
222 W. 2nd St. – FS-132 – Iowa #70-00167 – Joseph Bridgman House – c.1856, 1963
224 W. 2nd St. – FS-010 – Iowa #70-00962 – Bridgman & Sons Insurance – 1899, 1930s/40s
228 W. 2nd St. – FS-009 – Iowa #70-00168 – Mull Wholesale Grocery – c.1891
224 E. 3rd St. – FS-084 – Iowa #70-00963 – First Baptist Church – 1923
301 E. 3rd St. – FS-085 – Iowa #70-00964 – Muscatine Journal Building – 1919, 1973
311 E. 3rd St. – FS-086 – Iowa #70-00965 – Commercial Building – c.1880, 1980s
317 E. 3rd St. – FS-087 – Iowa #70-00966 – Masonic Temple – 1919-21
400 E. 3rd St. – FS-130 – Iowa #70-00967 – B.F. Goodrich – 1958
401 E. 3rd St. – FS-122 – Iowa #70-00195 – Courthouse – 1908-09
414 E. 3rd St. – FS-121 – Iowa #70-00968 – Commercial Building – c.1885
122-124 W. 3rd St. – FS-037 – Iowa #70-00934 – Rebecca Hoopes Flats – 1906
126 W. 3rd St. – FS-036 – Iowa #70-00201 – Dr. D.P. Johnson House – c.1843, 1850s, c.1900
405 (401) E. 4th St. – FS-124 – Iowa #70-00969 – Muscatine County New Jail & Sheriff’s Office – 1908-09, 1972
411 (405) E. 4th St. – FS-125 – Iowa #70-00246 – Old Jail – 1856-57
415 E. 4th St. – FS-126 – Iowa #70-00970 – Ogilvies I & I Food Mart – c.1948
206-208 Cedar – FS-081 – Iowa #70-00363 – Commercial Building – c.1913
210 Cedar – FS-082 – Iowa #70-00971 – George M. Wittich Funeral Home – c.1923
115 (now also 117) Chestnut St. – FS-029 – Iowa #70-00375 – Schmidt Shoe Factory – c.1870, c.1909
116 Chestnut St. – FS-030 – Iowa #70-00376 – H. Schroeder Building – c.1865, c.1906
117 Chestnut St. – FS-028 – Iowa #70-00377 – Fisher-Foley Tin Shop – c.1866
118 Chestnut St. – FS-031 – Iowa #70-00378 – Commercial Building – 1870s, c.1904
119 Chestnut St. – FS-027 – Iowa #70-00972 – Commercial Building – c.1925, 1956
212 Chestnut St. – FS-032 – Iowa #70-00973 – Bake House and Oven – c.1885, c.1925, 2000
213 Chestnut St. – FS-034 – Iowa #70-00974 – Van Nostrand Horse Collar Factory – c.1868, c.1889
214 Chestnut St. – FS-033 – Iowa #70-00379 – Meeting House – Congregational Church – 1857, c.1916, c. 1945, 2000
215 Chestnut St. – FS-035 – Iowa #70-00975 – Logan House – c.1895, c.1919
107 Iowa – FS-045 – Iowa #70-00976 – Gaeta Fruit Store and Confectionary – c.1885, c.1941
109-111-113 Iowa – FS-044 – Iowa #70-00458 – Fitzgerald Block – 1885
214 Iowa – FS-041 – Iowa #70-00460 – Muscatine Journal Building (old) – 1904, 1920s
214 1/2 Iowa – FS-042 – Iowa #70-00977 – Scott House Stables – c.1851
216-218 Iowa – FS-040 – Iowa #70-00978 – Commercial Building – c.1866
220-224-226 Iowa – FS-039 – Iowa #70-00464 – Welch Apartments (Scott House) – 1851, 1923-24
315 Iowa – FS-038 – Iowa #70-00467 – Muscatine Post Office – 1909, 1937
101 E. Mississippi – FS-047 – Iowa #70-00979 – Commercial Building – 1920s, c.1941
117 E. Mississippi – FS-048 – Iowa #70-00980 – Henderson Chevrolet-Oldsmobile Building – 1952
501 E. Mississippi – FS-117 – Iowa #70-00530 – Peter Musser House – c.1874
505 E. Mississippi – FS-118 – Iowa #70-00532 – Garvin House – c.1887
101 W. Mississippi – FS-046 – Iowa #70-00533 – Hotel Muscatine – 1914-1915
221-225 W. Mississippi – FS-005 – Iowa #70-00535 – Bennett Mill / Muscatine Oatmeal Mill complex – 1851, c.1860, c.1890, c.1902, c. 1964
301 W. Mississippi – FS-004 – Iowa #70-00536 – Isett Warehouse – c.1843, 1887, c.1915
305 W. Mississippi – FS-003 – Iowa #70-00981 – Sieg Auto Parts Building – 1946
315-317 W. Mississippi – FS-002 – Iowa #70-00527 – Citizens Electric Light and Power Company – 1890
403 W. Mississippi – FS-127 – Iowa #70-00982 – Restaurant – 1931
405-407 W. Mississippi – FS-001 – Iowa #70-00983 – Commercial Building – c.1885
111 Mulberry – FS-119 – Iowa #70-00984 – Ernie’s Tire Shop – 1933, c.1961
227 Mulberry – FS-120 – Iowa #70-00985 – Commercial Building – c.1905, 1980
3rd/4th St. & Mulberry/Walnut – FS-123 – Iowa #70-00196 – Courthouse Square – 1838, 1875
126 Pine St. – FS-008 – Iowa #70-00986 – Muscatine Municipal Electric Plant – 1936
214-216-218 Sycamore – FS-060 – Iowa #70-00987 – Hershey State Bank – 1908
215 Sycamore – FS-083 – Iowa #70-00193 – City Hall – 1914
312-314 Sycamore – FS-061 – Iowa #70-00988 – Leu’s Ice Cream Shop and Chrome Room – 1922, 1935
101 Walnut – FS-108 – Iowa #70-00990 – American Petroleum Company Gas Station – 1940
102-104 Walnut – FS-107 – Iowa #70-00616 – S.M. McKibben House – 1866-1869
206-208 Walnut – FS-097 – Iowa #70-00991 – New Kemble Hotel and Globe Barber Shop – c.1922
210 Walnut – FS-098 – Iowa #70-00992 – Commercial Building – c.1915
212 Walnut – FS-099 – Iowa #70-00993 – Bond Brother Bicycle Shop – c.1895, c.1915
214 Walnut – FS-100 – Iowa #70-00617 – Commercial Building – c.1866
216 Walnut – FS-101 – Iowa #70-00618 – Commercial Building – c.1890
218 Walnut – FS-102 – Iowa #70-00619 – C.C. Patrick Carpentry – c.1866
220 Walnut – FS-103 – Iowa #70-00620 – Commercial Building – c.1866, c.1915
222 Walnut – FS-104 – Iowa #70-00621 – Commercial Building – c.1866
224 Walnut – FS-105 – Iowa #70-00622 – Gottbrecht Cigar Factory – c.1866
228 Walnut – FS-106 – Iowa #70-00994 – Manjoine’s Confectionary and Corner Tavern – c.1866, c.1925, c.1937
* private use only