Evaluation:

This is a contributing Fifth Street building within the historic district.  It is an example of the Moderne style applied to commercial architecture.  It was formerly addressed as 500 Elm Street.

Physical Description:

This is an Moderne style single-story building with a separately leased rear Maple Street storefront. The style is imparted by a rounded corner and angled entry, the brickwork being laid up with soldier brick, a rounded aluminum canopy and block glass vertical panels that flank the entry. The west end of the plan has no parapet. A soldier block band underscores the concrete coping. The core plan measures 25 feet by 98 feet. The storefront at 505 Maple is a brick faced concrete block extension (1949). The present storefront matches that of 1968.

Documented Alterations:

This building’s history is more complicated that the district nomination had discerned.  A two-story frame building was built ca.1893-94 and was owned by Mrs. A. H. Dyke.  It burned down on February 7, 1933 at which time it housed Askew-Seward Drug Store with lodge upstairs.  It was likely replaced by a single-story frame building which was then modified into the present building in three stages:

1.  A rear brick storage concrete block addition (24 feet by 32 or 32 feet by 29 feet), costing $5,000 (Register, October 16, 1949; Express, October 6, 1949)
2. Brick replacing “the present south siding” (Register, June 25, 1950; Express, June 22, 1950
3. New front (Register, July 9, 1950)

Other remodeling’s followed in 1970, 1975 and it gained awnings in 1986.

Commercial History:

Assessor’s photo, May 23, 2005

Assessor’s photo, February 28, 2005

Assessor’s photo, May 15, 1999

Vogel Survey, April 1998

Register, November 6, 1983

Express, October 3, 1974

1965

South sidewall, (courtesy of Earl Short) 1960

Earlier drug store, looking northeast, 1945-why yes this appears to show the old building!