From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Democrat Building
Democrat Building
Democrat Building History
U.S. National Register of Historic Places The Democrat Building was designed by a prominent
Davenport architecture firm of Clausen & Kruse, and it
was built in 1923. The firm also designed other historic
buildings in Davenport including the Forrest Block,
which is next door to the south, the Hibernia Hall, which
is next door to the north, the Scott County Savings Bank,
Davenport Municipal Stadium (now Modern Woodmen
Park), The Linograph Company Building and the W.D.
Petersen Memorial Music Pavilion in LeClaire Park.
The building was built for a local newspaper the
Davenport Democrat, which was started in 1848 as the De-
mocratic Banner. Its editorial philosophy was in keeping
with that of the political party of the same name. Over
the years the paper purchased the Gazette (1887) and the
Evening Leader (1902). The paper was eventually bought
by Lee Enterprises and is now known as the Quad City
Times.[2]
The newspaper sold the building to The Catholic Mes-
senger, the newspaper for the Catholic Diocese of Daven-
port. The building served as their headquarters for a cou-
ple of decades. [3] The building is currently occupied by a
specialty store.
The Democrat Building was listed in the National
Register of Historic Places in 1983. The building is consid-
Location: 407-411 Brady Street, Davenport, Iowa
ered significant because of its association with newspa-
Coordinates: 41°31′26″N 90°34′26″W / 41.52389°N pers in Davenport, and as an example of the local influ-
90.57389°W / 41.52389; ence of Louis Sullivan, whose work figures prominently
-90.57389Coordinates: 41°31′26″N in the history of American architecture.[2]
90°34′26″W / 41.52389°N 90.57389°W /
41.52389; -90.57389
Built: 1923
Architecture
The building is a two-storied, freestanding, brick struc-
Architect: Rudolph J. Clausen
ture with concrete block facing. A historical survey in
Architectural style: Late 19th and Early 20th Century American 1983 indicated that the building utilizes steel in its con-
Movements struction. The words “The Democrat” are etched across
Governing body: Private the top of the building. The building bears the stylistic
influence of Louis Sullivan’s “jewel box” structures that
MPS:
MPS: Davenport MRA
are associated with the work he did late in his career in
NRHP Reference#: 83002420[1] the Midwest. These influences are seen in the blocking
of windows at the center of the highly geometric façade.
Added to NRHP: July 7, 1983
The ornamentation of the horizontal band between sto-
ries, over the entrances, and along the parapet wall all
Democrat Building is located at 407-411 Brady Street,
feature the stylized motifs that are commonly found in
Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is listed on the Nation-
his work.[2]
al Register of Historic Places.
See also
Other pages that reflect Davenport’s newspaper history:
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Democrat Building
• Clarissa C. Cook Library/Blue Ribbon News Building Default.aspx?PageId=284&nt=207. Retrieved
• Iowa Reform Building 2010-07-19.
[3] Schmidt, Madeleine M. (1981). Seasons of Growth:
References History of the Diocese of Davenport. Davenport, Iowa:
Diocese of Davenport.
[1] "National Register Information System". National
Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
2009-03-13. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/
External links
docs/All_Data.html. • Archiplanet Listing
[2] ^ "The Democrat Building". Davenport Public
Library. http://www.qcmemory.org/
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Democrat_Building&oldid=466914549"
Categories:
• Buildings and structures completed in 1923
• Buildings and structures in Davenport, Iowa
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport
• Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa
• National Register of Historic Places in Scott County, Iowa
• Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements architecture
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