Werthman Grocery is located at a commercial intersection in a residential neighborhood in the West End of Davenport, Iowa, United States. While it initially housed a grocery store, the building has been a long time neighborhood tavern. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Werthman Grocery | |
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| Location | 1402 W. 7th St. Davenport, Iowa |
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| Coordinates | 41°31′36.85″N 90°35′40.2″W / 41.5269028°N 90.594500°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1900 |
| MPS | Davenport MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 84001588 [1] |
| Added to NRHP | July 27, 1984 |
History
editHenry Werthman opened a grocery store in this building in 1900. Several other members of the Werthman family lived within the one-block area in the early 20th-century. A tavern opened in the building by 1910. It was operated by John J. Bryson who lived in the second-floor apartment. A tavern has been housed here since that time, even during the Prohibition era. In those years it was listed in city directories as selling only "soft drinks".[2]
Architecture
editThe neighborhood tavern was and is a fixture in what was a predominantly working-class German neighborhood of Davenport.[2] This two-story commercial building capitalizes on its corner location by way of the building's main entrance that was placed in a chamfered corner. The oriel window on the east side indicates the location of the residential space above the tavern, which was a common feature in many of Davenport's small commercial buildings from the 19th and early 20th century. The structure is composed of brick, built on a stone foundation. Its primary decorative feature is the metal cornice, with dentil molding, finials, and ornamental frieze.
References
edit- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ a b Martha Bowers; Marlys Svendsen. "Werthman Grocery". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-03-25. with photo