Fifth and Main Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fifth and Main Historic District
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North elevation and west profile in 2010.
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 Location in Missouri
Location in the United States
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| Location | 501-505 S. Main Street; 507-513 S. Main Street; 502-506 S. Virginia Ave. Joplin, Missouri |
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| Area | about one acre |
| Built | 1903-1920 |
| Architect | August and Alfred Michaelis; Alfred W. Rea |
| Architectural style | Chicago Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 06000541 |
| Added to NRHP | July 5, 2006 |
The Fifth and Main Historic District is a special group of buildings in Joplin, Missouri. It is located where Main and Fifth streets meet. This district is important because its buildings are old and have a lot of history.
The district includes three main buildings from the early 1900s. These are the Christman Building, the Christman Building Annex, and the Paramount Building. In 2006, the Fifth and Main Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as a place important to the history of the United States.
Contents
The Christman Building: A Historic Store
The Christman Building is at 501-505 South Main Street. It is the biggest building in the district. It has five floors and stands tall at the corner of Fifth and Main streets. The building has brown bricks and light terra cotta decorations.
Inside, the main shopping area is very large. It has two stories and a balcony. There are also big square columns with special designs. These designs include the letter "C" for Christman. This building was finished in 1917. It was built for the Christman Dry Goods Company.
Who Designed the Christman Building?
The Christman Building was designed by August and Alfred Michaelis. They used a style called Chicago style. This style often uses large windows and a strong frame.
The Christman Store: A Look Back
The Christman Dry Goods Company started in 1890. It was first called Christman and Bliedung. In 1903, it became the Christman Dry Goods Company. The store stayed in this building until 1954.
Then, a big company called R.H. Macy & Co. Inc. bought the business. For a short time, it was still called Christman's. But soon, it became a Macy's store.
Macy's closed its Joplin store in 1976. The Christman Building was empty for a while. Later, former Macy's employees opened a new Christman's Department Store. But this store also closed after a few years.
Eventually, Hugh and Lee Anne Howsman bought the building. They used it for their office supply business. In 2006, the Matt Miller Co. bought the building. They turned the upper floors into apartments. The main floor became a space for events.
The Christman Building Annex: An Expansion
The Christman Building Annex is connected to the back of the main Christman Building. It is on the corner of Virginia Avenue and Fifth Street. This annex is actually made of two parts.
The first part was built in 1903. It was designed by Alfred W. Rea. This section was a warehouse for the Christman store. The second part was added in 1920. It was built after the main Christman Building was finished. The annex has been largely restored, just like the main building.
The Paramount Building: From Theater to Shops
The Paramount Building is at 507-513 South Main Street. It was built in 1912. It first served as the lobby for the Electric Theater. This building has brown brick walls and a flat roof.
In the 1960s, the front of the building was changed. Metal was added to make it look modern. But this metal has since been removed. The front now looks more like it did originally.
The Electric Theater's History
The Electric Theater used to have a very large auditorium. It could seat over 1,500 people. This auditorium was torn down in 1965. After that, the lobby area became a retail space for shops.
Before sound movies, the theater showed silent films. It also hosted live shows called vaudeville acts. In 1930, the theater changed its name to the Paramount. It stopped showing silent films and vaudeville. An organ was installed in the theater in 1926. It was later removed and sold.
