URBAN COMMERCIAL AND CIVIC BUILDINGS
It has been previously illustrated that the urban residential, ecclesiastical and educational buildings were constructed to reflect current stylistic trends more than their rural counterparts; a similar observation might be made about commercial urban and rural buildings. The urban commercial buildings depicted on these two pages represent some of the stylistic expressions of the Twin Cities from the time of early settlement, the 1840’s, to the period of the oil boom, the 1930’s. As such, they might be viewed as a summary of commercial architecture in the Twin Cities.
The Isaiah Garrett law office, [figure 65], was constructed in the 1840’s. Its configuration is similar to that of the small residence of the period, a two room core with rear wing, chimneys on end elevations, and an attached front gallery. This building is now the Colonial Dames Museum.
Fig. 65. Isaiah Garrett law office, 1840’s (Bldg. 163).
The two story commercial building shown in [figure 66] was built in the 1890’s on North Grand Street. It contains large glass areas for display and interior light, and the second floor contains arched windows on the street facade but flat lintel windows overlooking the river.
Fig. 66. 1890’s commercial building on North Grand, Monroe (Bldg. 164).
T. M. Parker built a two story commercial building on DeSiard Street in 1908, [figure 67]. This building was used as a hotel for a long period. There is a similarity in the manner in which the roof lines of the buildings in figures [67] and [68] were constructed, since both parapets have shaped and raised center sections and projecting cornices.
