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MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED HISTORIC MESKER BUILDINGS DISCOVERED

Press Release - Monday, December 05, 2005

SPRINGFIELD, IL - More than one hundred Mesker buildings have been identified by citizens since the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA) issued an appeal six months ago to locate these historic buildings with ornamental sheet metal and cast iron facades.
 
"The public response to our request has been overwhelming," said IHPA Director Robert Coomer.  "These local ‘history detectives' have greatly expanded our knowledge of these types of buildings, while at the same time enriching their communities' heritage."    
 
The IHPA is compiling a database of Mesker buildings, and a section on the Agency's website tells people how to identify them.  The goal is to locate as many Mesker buildings as possible and incorporate them into an ever-expanding database.  This will help recognize the historic significance of the Mesker companies in the shaping of Illinois' architectural fabric. 
 
            "Meskers," as they are often called, are found across America.  Because the companies were based in the Midwest, they are particularly plentiful in Illinois and are part of the state's rich architectural history.  The Mesker Brothers Iron Works of St. Louis, Missouri and the George L. Mesker & Company of Evansville, Indiana produced prefabricated architectural elements and building facades from the late 1800s to the early 1900s.  The Meskers specialized in ornamental sheet-metal facades and cast iron storefront components that were ordered through catalogs and easily shipped by rail to any interested building owner.
 
            A list of the 112 previously unknown Mesker facades and building components identified since May 2005 in 68 communities follows.  For an updated list of all Meskers in Illinois, visit www.gotmesker.com.
 
Adair
  • On Route 136
Albion
  • 13 North Fifth St.
Arcola
  • Masonic Building on Main St.
  • 120-122 East Main St.
  • On Main St., unknown address
Ashmore
  • G.A. Brown & Son Building on Route 16
Athens
  • On Main St., unknown address
Beardstown
·        117 Main
·        On the square, unknown address
·        On the square, unknown address
Benton
  • 1204 Public Square
  • 806 Public Square
  • 802 Public Square
  • 602 Public Square
  • 119 South Main
Burnt Prairie
  • On Main St., unknown address (demolished)
Byron
  • 124 West Second St.
  • 135 North Union
Cambridge
  • 128 North Prospect St.
Carlinville
  • 500 West Side Square
  • 502 West Side Square
Casey
  • 105 South Central Ave.
Cobden
  • H.A. DuBois Building, 117 Appleknocker
  • 119 Appleknocker
Columbia
  • Ernst A. Weinel Bldg., 318 North Main St.
  • 603 South Main St.
Cowden
  • On East Grand, unknown address
Crossville
  • 305 West Main
Danforth
  • On Front St., unknown address
Delavan
  • On Third St., unknown address
Donnellson
  • On Washington St., unknown address
Edwardsville
  • Tunnell Bldg., 142-144 North Main St.
Effingham
  • 101 East Jefferson
Elizabethtown
  • On First St., unknown address
Ellisville
  • On Main St., unknown address
Farina
  • Hohlt Building on Chestnut
  • Thomas Zinn & C.W. Maxor Building on Chestnut
  • Powell Block, northeast corner of Chestnut and Monroe
Freeburg
  • 10 South Monroe St.
Genoa
  • 221 West Main
Girard
  • Ring Building, 160 West Center
Granville
  • On McCoy St., unknown address
Grayville
  • On North, unknown address
Harvard
  • 54 North Ayer St.
  • 53 North Ayer St.
  • 52 North Ayer St.
  • 50 North Ayer St.
Hennepin
  • On High, unknown address
Highland
  • 921 Main St.
Hinckley
  • 130 West Lincoln
Illiopolis
  • 335 Fifth St.
  • 520 Mary St.
  • 522 Mary St.
  • 524 Mary St.
  • 526 Mary St.
Keithsburg
  • Bettler Block on Main St.
  • On Main St., unknown address
Lebanon
  • 201 West St. Louis
Libertyville
  • C.H. Kaiser Building, 406-410 North Milwaukee
  • 529 North Milwaukee
  • 600-610 North Milwaukee
Lincoln
  • 429 Pulaski St.
  • On Pulaski St., unknown address
Marengo
  • 125 South State
Marshall
  • Seymour Hurst Bldg., on Archer Ave.
  • M.E. Whitlocke Bldg., on Archer Ave.
  • 620 Archer Ave.
  • 520 Archer Ave.
  • 518 Archer Ave.
Mason City
  • 129-131 Main St.
Mc Henry
  • 3914 Main St.
Mendota
  • 710-714 Illinois Ave.
  • 716 Main St.
  • 810-812 Main St.
Meredosia
  • 317 Main
Momence
  • 115-121 East Washington
Morrisonville
  • 311 South Sixth St.
  • On First St., unknown address
  • 605 Carlin St. (demolished)
Moweaqua
  • 122-124 North Main
  • 124-126 West Main
Mt. Vernon
  • 112 South Ninth St.
  • 208 South Ninth St.
  • 212 South Ninth St.
  • 228 South Ninth St.
  • 1020 Main

New Minden

  • 367 Main St.
Nokomis
  • 103 East State
  • 105 East State
  • 121 West State
O'Fallon
  • 123 East First St.
Onarga
  • Durham Brothers Bank Building, unknown address
Paris
  • 222-226 West Court
Pawnee
  • 607 Douglas
  • 622 South Sixth St.
Paxton
  • On Market, unknown address
Petersburg
  • 115 South 7th
Plainfield
  • 506 West Lockport
Pontiac
  • 214 North Plum
Port Byron
  • 110 South Main St.
Prairie Du Rocher
  • Southeast corner of Dulos and Main
  • On Market, unknown address
Princeton
  • On South Main St., unknown address
Rankin
  • 111 South Main
Red Bud
  • 121 East Market St.
Rosiclare
  • On Main St., unknown address
  • On Main St., unknown address
St. Francisville
  • 702 Main St.
San Jose
  • On Vine St., unknown address
Sheffield
  • 119-121 Main
  • 125-129 Main
Virden
  • 144 East Dean
 

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