John Church Company Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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John Church Company Building
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![]() Front of the building
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Location | 14-16 E. Fourth St., Cincinnati, Ohio |
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Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
Built | 1885 |
Architect | Samuel Hannaford |
Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
MPS | Samuel Hannaford & Sons TR |
NRHP reference No. | 94000592 |
Added to NRHP | June 17, 1994 |
The John Church Company Building is a really old and important building in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. It was once home to a big company that sold sheet music and musical instruments. A famous architect named Samuel Hannaford designed it. Today, it's known as a historic site because of its history and cool design.
Contents
A Look Back at the John Church Company
How the Company Started
The John Church Company began in 1859, started by John Church Jr. In 1885, it became an official company with partners. They became very good at selling pianos made by the Everett Piano Company from Boston, Massachusetts. The Everett Piano Company was like a smaller company owned by the John Church Company.
What the Company Did
The company also owned Cincinnati's Royal Manufacturing Company. This part of the business made smaller musical instruments like drums, violins, guitars, mandolins, and banjos. By 1892, all these different music businesses joined together. This helped them become even more important in the music world.
Besides instruments, the John Church Company published lots of sheet music. By the late 1870s, they were the biggest music publisher in Cincinnati and all of Ohio. They were also one of the largest in the entire United States! They published many kinds of music, from songs for schools to religious music for choirs. Later, in 1930, another company called Theodore Presser Company took over the John Church Company.
The Building's Cool Design
The John Church Company Building was built in 1885. It has a strong foundation made of limestone. The building itself is mostly made of brick and stone. It's designed in a style called Renaissance Revival. This style looks back to the beautiful buildings of the Renaissance period.
What the Building Looks Like
The building has five stories. The front of the building is divided into two main parts. The first floor has storefronts, which are like shops. The floors above have many windows. The very top of the building has a fancy, decorative cornice. This is a special molding that sticks out from the top.
Designed by a Famous Architect
A very important architect named Samuel Hannaford designed this building. He was famous in Cincinnati and designed many of the city's most important buildings. One of his most well-known designs is the Cincinnati Music Hall. Because it was designed by such a famous architect, the John Church Company Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1994. This means it's recognized as an important historic place. Many other buildings designed by Samuel Hannaford are also on this list!