W.J. Hughes Business House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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W. J. Hughes Business House
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Location | 70 Ocoee St., Cleveland, Tennessee |
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| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1845 |
| Part of | Cleveland Commercial Historic District (ID16000115) |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001735 |
| Added to NRHP | June 10, 1975 |
The W. J. Hughes Business House, also known as the C.J. Wilson Store, is an important old building. You can find it at 70 Ocoee Street in Cleveland, Tennessee, United States. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. This means it is recognized as a special historical place in the country.
Design of the Old Business House
This old building is made of red brick and has two floors. It was built in the 1840s, just a few years after the city of Cleveland was planned in 1838. Experts from the Historic American Buildings Survey say it has fancy decorations. These decorations show how proud J. H. Craigmiles was of his city.
The front of the building, which faces the street, has a special look. It has a one-story cast-iron front with three sections. This part was likely added around 1880. It features a double door that is set back a bit, with decorative panels. There are also two large display windows made of plate glass. Above these, you can see a fancy cast-iron decoration called an architrave.
The windows on the second floor have limestone sills at the bottom. Their tops are shaped like rounded arches. You can also spot decorative iron designs above these windows. The very top of the building's front has a cornice made from stamped tin. Other cool details include special brick patterns below the windows. There is also corbelled brick work right under the cornice.
History of the Building
The first person known to own this building was William H. Tibbs. He ran a retail store here. In 1850, he sold the building. However, he still worked with the building. By 1860, it housed the Tibbs and Surguine Dry Goods Store. At that time, Cleveland was a busy place with about 20 stores.
Later, Tibbs worked with W.J. Hughes to run a store in the building. After Tibbs passed away, Hughes became the only owner. Around 1890, a different type of business opened here. It was a place run by F. P. Kelly and J. P. Cooper. This was one of five such places in the city. It closed after Cleveland made rules about selling alcohol in 1903.
The building was later sold to C. J. Wilson. He opened his own store there in 1909. His son, J. L. Wilson, later took over the family business. The C.J. and J.L. Wilson Dry Goods store stayed open until J. L. Wilson passed away in the early 1970s. By 1983, the building was being used as a law office.
