Schmidt Block

	Schmidt Block
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
	U.S. Historic district; Contributing property
Location	115 E. 3rd St.; Davenport, Iowa
Coordinates	41°31′20″N 90°36′38″W / 41.52222°N 90.61056°W
Area	less than one acre
Built	1896
Architectural style	Romanesque
Part of	Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District (ID100005546)
MPS	Davenport MRA
NRHP reference No.	83002498
Added to NRHP	July 7, 1983

The Schmidt Block , also known as the F.T. Schmidt Building, is a historic building located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.^[1] In 2020 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District.^[2]

History

The building was built by Fritz T. Schmidt in 1896 to house his wine and liquor business, which was known as Fritz T. Schmidt and Sons.^[3] They produced their own wine at a west end location known as "Blackhawk Vineyards." It was located along Blackhawk Creek.^[4] Some of the buildings, including the Schmidt's house, are extant. During Prohibition the family moved into real estate and insurance.^[2] In the late 1970s and 1980s the building housed an upscale restaurant called J.K. Frizbee's.^[5] Duck City, another upscale restaurant, occupies the building now.

Architecture

The Schmidt Block is a three-plus story building constructed of red stone that was built on a brick foundation.^[3] The main façade was designed in the Romanesque Revival style made popular by Henry Hobson Richardson.^[6] It features large round-arched windows with tuned-stone surrounds on the third floor, roughly dressed stone, and stunted columns on the attic level arcade that are topped by a cornice. The Schmidt Block is the only commercial building in Davenport to adopt the Richardsonian Romanesque style in stone.^[4] The swag embellishments on the frieze are also unique in that they are Adamesque rather than Romanesque. While the storefront has been modernized, the building retains its recessed entrance into the first-floor commercial space and transom signage. The building immediately to the east has since been torn down and a sheltered outdoor seating area for the restaurant has been added that looks over the urban style park that sits between the Schmidt Block and the RiverCenter, the city's convention center.

References

^ ^a ^b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
^ ^a ^b Jennifer Irsfeld James. "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District" (PDF). Downtown Davenport, Iowa. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
^ ^a ^b "Schmidt Block" (PDF). Davenport Public Library. Retrieved 2010-11-06.
^ ^a ^b Martha Bowers; Marlys Svendsen-Roesler. "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Schmidt Block". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-04-18. with photo
^ Svendsen, Marlys A.; Bowers, Martha H. (1982). Davenport where the Mississippi runs west: A Survey of Davenport History & Architecture. Davenport, Iowa: City of Davenport. p. 6.4.
^ Svendsen & Bowers 1982, p. 6.2.

[nris-1] "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.

[James-2] Jennifer Irsfeld James. "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District" (PDF). Downtown Davenport, Iowa. Retrieved 2020-09-25.

[qcmemory-3] "Schmidt Block" (PDF). Davenport Public Library. Retrieved 2010-11-06.

[Bowers-4] Martha Bowers; Marlys Svendsen-Roesler. "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Schmidt Block". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-04-18. with photo

[Svendsen-5] Svendsen, Marlys A.; Bowers, Martha H. (1982). Davenport where the Mississippi runs west: A Survey of Davenport History & Architecture. Davenport, Iowa: City of Davenport. p. 6.4.

[FOOTNOTESvendsenBowers19826.2-6] Svendsen & Bowers 1982, p. 6.2.

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v t e Historic buildings and structures in Davenport, Iowa
Apartment buildings	Argyle Flats Ferdinand Ewert Building Hiller Building Linden Flats Old City Hall Roslyn Flats Walsh Flats/Langworth Building Warner Apartment Building Washington Flats
Civic buildings	Davenport City Hall Davenport Public Library Scott County Courthouse Scott County Jail United States Post Office and Court House
Clubhouses	Hauschild's Hall Hibernia Hall Lend-A-Hand Club Northwest Davenport Turner Society Hall Outing Club Saengerfest Halle Wupperman Block/I.O.O.F. Hall
Commercial buildings	Henry Berg Building Brammer Grocery Store Building at 202 W. Third Street Building at 813–815 W. Second Street Building at 1119–1121 W. Third Street Central Office Building City Market Democrat Building Donahue Building Ficke Block Finley Guy Building Forrest Block Frick's Tavern Hoffman Building Iowa Reform Building Kahl Building Koch Drug Store Koenig Building Nicholas Koester Building Meiser Drug Store Miller Building Mueller Lumber Company Peters' Barber Shop J.H.C. Petersen's Sons' Store J.H.C. Petersen's Sons Wholesale Building Prien Building Priester Building Putnam-Parker Block Charles F. Ranzow and Sons Building Jacob Raphael Building Renwick Building Riepe Drug Store/G. Ott Block Schmidt Block Schroeder Bros. Meat Market Rudolph H. Sitz Building Washington Gardens Werthman Grocery Wolters Filling Station Col. Joseph Young Block
Financial buildings	Davenport Bank and Trust First Federal Savings and Loan Association Building First National Bank Building First National Bank of Davenport Northwest Davenport Savings Bank Union Savings Bank and Trust
Fire houses	Central Fire Station Hose Station No. 1 Hose Station No. 3 Hose Station No. 4 Hose Station No. 6 Hose Station No. 7
Hotels	Burtis–Kimball House Hotel Clifton-Metropolitan Hotel Davenport Hotel Germania-Miller/Standard Hotel Blackhawk Hotel Hotel Mississippi-RKO Orpheum Theater Schauder Hotel
Industrial	Davenport Bag and Paper Company Building The Linograph Company Building Littig Brothers/Mengel & Klindt/Eagle Brewery Schick's Express and Transfer Co. Shields Woolen Mill Woeber Carriage Works Zoller Bros-Independent Malting Co.
Structures	Dillon Memorial W.D. Petersen Memorial Music Pavilion Soldier's Monument
Transportation	Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Freight House SAINTE GENEVIEVE (dredge) Union Station and Burlington Freight House
Utilities	American Telephone & Telegraph Co. Building Davenport Water Co. Pumping Station No. 2 Union Electric Telephone & Telegraph WOC Broadcasting Center
Miscellaneous	Clarissa C. Cook Library/Blue Ribbon News Building Clarissa Cook Home for the Friendless Davenport Crematorium St. Luke's Hospital
Davenport Register of Historic Properties National Register of Historic Places listings in Davenport, Iowa