Iowa Reform Building facts for kids
|
Iowa Reform Building
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 526 W. 2nd St. Davenport, Iowa |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1892 |
| MPS | Davenport MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003658 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | November 18, 1983 |
The Iowa Reform Building is a special old building in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was once home to an important German-language newspaper. This building is recognized for its history and design. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Later, in 2002, it was also listed on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties.
Contents
The Newspaper's Story
The Iowa Reform was a newspaper that started in Davenport in 1884. Adolph Petersen began the paper. His family, including his brother Gerhard and later Robert Petersen, helped run it. Adolph Petersen even lived in an apartment right above the newspaper's office.
A Newspaper for the German Community
The Iowa Reform newspaper was first very supportive of the Democratic Party. This meant it often shared ideas that matched the party's views. Over time, it became an independent newspaper. This newspaper came out twice a week. It was made for the German community living in the Tri-City area, which we now call the Quad Cities.
Circulation and Survival
The Reform newspaper was very popular. In 1912, about 4,000 copies were printed for each issue. During World War I, many people had strong feelings against anything German. But the Iowa Reform newspaper managed to keep going. By 1939, it was the only German-language newspaper left in Iowa. It still printed about 3,240 copies. However, when World War II started, the feelings against German things grew even stronger. The newspaper could not survive this time and stopped printing in 1943.
The Building's Purpose
The Iowa Reform Building was built especially for the Iowa Reform newspaper. It was located right in the middle of the German business area in downtown Davenport. After the newspaper closed, different businesses have used the building.
Building Design
The Iowa Reform Building is a two-story structure. It is made of sturdy brick and sits on a strong stone foundation.
Unique Basement Features
One special part of the building is its English basement. This means the basement is partly above ground, with windows. The newspaper's workrooms and printing presses were located here. The large windows let in lots of natural light and fresh air.
Storefront Details
The front of the building has cool cast-iron columns. There are also two entrances with iron steps and handrails. These parts are thought to be original, meaning they were there when the building was first made. The windows on the storefront were changed a bit during a renovation in 1998.
Second Floor and Roof Line
The second floor of the building looks special because of stone bands. These bands are placed above and below the windows. Above the top stone band is the building's cornice. A cornice is a decorative molding along the top of a building or wall. The bottom part of this cornice is made of brick. On top of that is a metal cornice with a fancy "egg and dart" pattern.
