A view of the South State Street side of the William Brown Building in Rockford's West Downtown Historic District. Designed in 1889-91 and completed in 1892, the William Brown Building was one of the last major commercial buildings completed in Rockford between the Panic of 1893 and the Roaring Twenties. The building, named in honor of Judge William Brown, a successful lawyer and politician in the city who died during construction, is representative of the Romanesque Revival style that evolved from Henry Hobson Richardson who, along with Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan, are often referred to as the "Trinity of American Architecture." The style was inspired by the ancient Romans (1066-1200), but it was Richardson's personal interpretation and adaptation that accounts for the originality and importance of the work.
The William Brown Building's significant features of the style include its rusticated red stone base surrounding a monumental arched entry, monochromatic smooth red brick facing the upper stories, grouped windows recessed within the arches supported by pilasters, and rounded turrets. Occupying the prominent corner of South Main and Chestnut streets, the William Brown Building location was a result of the increased development on the west side of the river after the construction of the Chestnut Street Bridge in 1890. The building is one of the last remaining significant Romanesque Revival buildings in Rockford. Sadly, the name of the architect has been lost to history.
For its role as a significant local example of Romanesque architecture, the William Brown Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. The building was also listed as a contributing property when the West Downtown Rockford Historic District was created in 2007. Now converted into studio, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom rental lofts, the building is now known as the William Brown Lofts.
Tags: Rockford Winnebago County Illinois IL Commercial Architecture Architectural Style Romanesque Revival Richardsonian Romanesque William Brown Building William Brown Lofts 226-228 S. Main St. Historic Landmark National Register of Historic Places NRHP Reference # 00000946 Contributing Property West Downtown Historic District 07000899 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Designed in 1889-91 and completed in 1892, the William Brown Building was one of the last major commercial buildings completed in Rockford between the Panic of 1893 and the Roaring Twenties. The building, named in honor of Judge William Brown, a successful lawyer and politician in the city who died during construction, is representative of the Romanesque Revival style that evolved from Henry Hobson Richardson who, along with Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan, are often referred to as the "Trinity of American Architecture." The style was inspired by the ancient Romans (1066-1200), but it was Richardson's personal interpretation and adaptation that accounts for the originality and importance of the work.
The William Brown Building's significant features of the style include its rusticated red stone base surrounding a monumental arched entry, monochromatic smooth red brick facing the upper stories, grouped windows recessed within the arches supported by pilasters, and rounded turrets. Occupying the prominent corner of South Main and Chestnut streets, the William Brown Building location was a result of the increased development on the west side of the river after the construction of the Chestnut Street Bridge in 1890. The building is one of the last remaining significant Romanesque Revival buildings in Rockford. Sadly, the name of the architect has been lost to history.
For its role as a significant local example of Romanesque architecture, the William Brown Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. The building was also listed as a contributing property when the West Downtown Rockford Historic District was created in 2007. Now converted into studio, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom rental lofts, the building is now known as the William Brown Lofts.
Tags: Rockford Winnebago County Illinois IL Commercial Architecture Architectural Style Romanesque Revival Richardsonian Romanesque William Brown Building William Brown Lofts 226-228 S. Main St. Historic Landmark National Register of Historic Places NRHP Reference # 00000946 Contributing Property West Downtown Historic District 07000899 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Originally operated by Balaban & Katz Corp., the Times Theatre is one of two remaining examples of Art Modeme movie theaters in Rockford. Designed by Edward Paul Lewin and A. Eastman, the Times was built in 1938. At its opening that year, the Times boasted of “up to the minute” acoustical treatments and temperature control, as well as 1,000 seats in the theater that were mothproof and fireproof.
The Times Theatre ceased operation as a movie theater around 1980 and operated as a nightclub and restaurant on and off for a few years. The property is currently vacant. The theater is listed as a contributing property in the West Downtown Rockford Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Located in northern Illinois, Rockford is the seat of Winnebago County and is the largest city in Illinois outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area. Rockford had an estimated population of 145,609 as of 2019, with the Rockford Metropolitan Area population standing at 344,623.
Tags: Rockford Winnebago County Illinois IL Theater Commercial Architecture Architects Edward Paul Lewin A. Eastman Architectural Style Art Moderne Art Deco Times Theatre 226 N. Main St. Contributing Property West Downtown Historic District National Register of Historic Places NRHP Reference # 07000899 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
A view looking toward the north at the 100 block of S. Main St. between Elm (foreground) and State streets in Rockford's West Downtown Historic District. On the northwest corner of S. Main St. and W. Elm St. is the Chick House, which was built in 1856-57 and operated as a hotel from 1857 to 1951. It is one of three remaining pre-Civil War commercial buildings in downtown Rockford, and is also the only fully intact example of mid-19th century commercial architecture in the city. This two-part commercial block is a combination of the Greek Revival and Italianate styles.
Originally known as the Griggs House, the hotel name changed to the Chick House in 1888 when it was purchased by Thomas Chick, a former railroad engineer, who turned the first floor into a saloon, hardware store and office-supply store. Ownership of the property changed again in the 1920s, and the Chick House became the Elms Hotel, a name the property kept until the hotel closed permanently in 1951.
The Chick House architecture and its importance to the commerce of the city of Rockford led the National Register of Historic Places to approve its nomination in 1997. In 2004, the city of Rockford purchased two-thirds of the Chick House intending to redevelop the historic property.
Next to the Chick House is the Stewart Block, a Richardsonian Romanesque style building constructed in 1890 for use as D. J. Stewart's, a high-end clothing store. The store was the center of Rockford's downtown activity and shopping elegance from the 1890s through much of the twentieth century. The downtown store closed in 1978. The Stewart Block also was home to the Rockford Business College between 1892 and 1902. Founded in 1862, the institution is now known as the Rockford Career College.
The third building on this street, located on the southwest corner of Main and State St., is an art deco style, two-part commercial block originally known as a Porter's Corner. Both the Stewart Block and Porter's Corner buildings are now known as Stewart Square.
In addition to the Chick House being listed on the National Register of Historic Places, all three of the buildings in the 100 block of S. Main are contributing properties in the West Downtown Rockford Historic District that was added to the National Register to 2007.
Located in northern Illinois, Rockford is the seat of Winnebago County and is the largest city in Illinois outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area. Rockford had an estimated population of 145,609 as of 2019, with the Rockford Metropolitan Area population standing at 344,623.
Tags: Rockford Winnebago County Illinois IL Commercial Architecture Residential Hotel Griggs House Chick Hotel Chick House Elms Hotel 119-123 S. Main St. Architectural Style 1 Greek Revival Italianate National Register of Historic Places NRHP Reference # 97000031 Stewart Block D. J. Stewart Duncan James Stewart Clothing Store Rockford Business College 115 S. Main St. Architectural Style 2 Richardsonian Romanesque Porter's Corner Steward Square 308 W. State Architectural Style Art Deco Contributing Property West Downtown Historic District 07000899 Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
From its inception in 1834-35, Rockford began as two settlements, one on the east side and one on the west side of the Rock River. Since beginning this series on Rockford and Winnebago County, almost every photo I've posted of "downtown" have been of buildings and locations in the East Downtown Historic District and West Downtown Rockford Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.
Throughout the late 19th century, each side of the river developed with its own tight cluster of commercial buildings filling several contiguous blocks, but by the turn of the 20th century, West Downtown had become the city's retail center. A building boom in the 1920s added "skyscrapers" and theaters to the mix. Today the West Downtown Rockford Historic District contains a core of remaining commercial structures that represent many facets of Rockford's commercial growth and development from 1856 through 1985, with a particularly strong emphasis on 1920s design and construction.
This photograph provides a view of the west side of the 300 block of N. Main St. as it appears in the year 2020. The three buildings on this block are all contributing properties to the West Downtown Rockford Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
Beginning on the left, at the corner of N. Main and W. Jefferson St., is the American Insurance Company Building. Completed in 1904, this Beaux Arts building was designed by architect Frederick Headley. Renovated in the last decade and now known as the 304 Main Building, this structure continues serving its original purpose as an office building.
Next door is the Coronado Theatre, now the Coronado Performing Arts Center, a 2,400-seat movie palace designed in Spanish Colonial Revival style by architect Frederic J. Klein. The Coronado Theatre was built to present both films and live entertainment, with a fully equipped stage and orchestra pit. During the theatre's heyday which lasted from its opening until the 1960s, such famous stage acts as the Marx Brothers, Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, George Gershwin, Judy Garland, Bob Hope, Sammy Davis Jr., Gypsy Rose Lee, and Milton Berle appeared at the Coronado. Over the years, the Coronado has also played host to high school graduations, political rallies and community events. During his 1960 Presidential campaign, John F. Kennedy made a stop here.
In 1984, the Coronado ceased showing movies because of a decline in revenue. Kerasotes Theater Organization, owner of the Coronado Theatre since 1970, donated the property to the City of Rockford in 1997. Plans to preserve and renovate the theater followed immediately. The Friends of the Coronado, founded in 1998, began an $18.5 million restoration project a year later. Rockford community members supported the restoration by donating nearly half of the required funds. The project's goals were both to restore the theater's deteriorating interior and bring the building structure up-to-date. After 18 months of construction, the Coronado reopened in 2001 in grand style as a state-of-the-art performance and entertainment facility.
In 1979, the Coronado was added to the National Register of Historic Places. One year later, the Coronado was made an historical landmark of the state of Illinois. In 2007, the Coronado was added to the National Register as a contributing property to the West Downtown Historic District, and in celebration of the 2018 Illinois Bicentennial, the Coronado Theatre was selected as one of the Illinois 200 Great Places by the American Institute of Architects Illinois component (AIA Illinois).
The third building on this block, at the southwest corner of N. Main and Park Ave. is the Liebling Building, also known as the Jackson Piano Building. This two-part commercial block is a fine example of the Art Deco style. Completed in 1930, the two-story masonry building, clad in green granite and polychromatic terra cotta, was designed by architect Edward Levin. Today the building is part of the Coronado Performing Arts Center.
The city of Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, located in north central Illinois, just south of the Wisconsin border. With an estimated population of 145,609 as of 2019, Rockford is the fifth largest city in Illinois.
Tags: Rockford Winnebago County Illinois IL Street View National Register of Historic Places NRHP West Downtown Rockford Historic District Reference # 07000899 Contributing Property 1 American Insurance Company Building 304 Main 304 N. Main St. Architect 1 Frederick Headley Architectural Style 1 Beau Arts 79000878 Contributing Property 2 Coronado Theatre Coronado Performing Arts Center 312-324 N. Main St. Architect 2 Frederic J. Klein Architectural Style 2 Spanish Colonial Revival Contributing Property 3 Liebling Building AKA Jackson Piano Building 330 N. Main St. Architect 3 Edward Levin Architectural Style 3 Art Deco Canon EOS 5D Mark IV