Wicks Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Wicks Building
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Front of the Wicks Building
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 Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 116 W. Sixth St., Bloomington, Indiana |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1915 |
| Architectural style | Chicago |
| Part of | Courthouse Square Historic District (ID90001931) |
| NRHP reference No. | 83000141 |
| Added to NRHP | March 3, 1983 |
The Wicks Building is an old and important building in downtown Bloomington, Indiana, United States. It stands on Courthouse Square. This building was constructed in the early 1900s. It has a special design that makes it unique. For many years, it has been used for shops and businesses. Because of its special architecture, it is now a historic site.
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History of the Wicks Building
Colonel W.W. Wicks was a businessman from Bloomington. He fought in the Civil War. He owned a very successful business that dug up limestone. Limestone is a type of rock used for building.
Because he was doing so well, Colonel Wicks wanted to try new things. He decided to open a general store. This meant he would sell many different kinds of goods. He wanted to get into the business of selling things directly to people.
Sadly, his first store was destroyed by a fire. So, he bought new land at 116 Sixth Street, right on Courthouse Square. In 1915, he built the Wicks Building that we see today. The Wicks Company was one of Bloomington's first department stores. It stayed open in this building until 1976.
What the Wicks Building Looks Like
The Wicks Building has three stories. It is made of brick, but its front (called the facade) is covered in limestone. The building was made for shops, so it has lots of glass. Most of the front is made of windows.
The middle and top floors have very large windows. They go from the floor almost to the ceiling. The first floor is almost all display windows, except for the main door. There is also a big leaded glass window between the first and second floors.
Strong limestone pillars stand on the sides of the building. These pillars support the structure. Between them, on the second and third floors, are seven smaller limestone pillars. These pillars divide the windows into eight sections, called bays.
Above the first floor and below the top floor are wide, flat limestone sections. The lower one has big letters that say "The Wicks Company." The upper one is plain but very tall.
Special Details on the Outside
The outside of the building has many fancy decorations. Each of the sixteen large windows on the second and third floors has five pieces of glass. There's one big glass pane in the middle. Then, there are four smaller panes, two above and two below the large one.
You can also see a lot of cast ironwork on the front. A small iron fence, called a balustrade, is at the bottom of each window. The space between the second and third floor windows is filled with large iron panels called spandrels. These panels are decorated with fancy designs called cartouches. Similar designs are carved into the stone at the very top of the building. The tops of the pillars rise slightly above the roof.
Other Parts of the Building
Besides its front, the Wicks Building is a simple commercial structure. Its other walls are plain brick. The back of the building has a painted brick wall, a fire escape, and regular windows. There's also a service entrance for deliveries. The whole building is covered by a simple sloped roof.
All these design choices make the Wicks Building a great example of the Chicago school of architecture. Buildings in this style are often much taller. But the way the windows are placed, the roofline, and the overall plan are very similar to other Chicago school buildings.
Why the Wicks Building is Historic
In 1983, the Wicks Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important places in the United States. It was added because of its special and old architecture.
One main reason it's important is its unique style. No other building in Bloomington that still stands today was built in the Chicago school style. Also, the building has been kept in great condition. Even though the stonework got a little old over 70 years, the building is still strong. Very few changes have been made to the outside since it was built. This is different from many other old buildings nearby.
In the early 1980s, the building was fixed up. It was changed into offices. The Wicks Building is also part of the Courthouse Square Historic District. This whole area is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
