Elkton Hotel The
Elkton Hotel was built in 1924 as a collaboration project by local architects Martin Geise and Harvey Chatten. It was to function as the new home for the
Elks Club. Geometric shapes on the brick structure are some of the more striking features of this building. In 1949, the upper floors were converted into apartments and the structure was re-branded as the Elkton Hotel. As for the original Elks Club clubrooms, they have been converted into a popular restaurant known as the Patio.
History Museum Completed in 1888, the
History Museum first functioned as the Quincy Public Library. It is a
Romanesque Revival-style structure facing Washington Park. Following its years as a public library, the building functioned as the
Gardner Museum of Architecture and Design. In addition to providing a glimpse at Quincy's rich architectural history, one of the museum's most extensive collections included a permanent exhibit of
stained glass. Due to budget cuts, the museum closed in 2012, and most of its exhibits and stained glass were purchased by the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County. The building currently houses the
History Museum. The museum displays selections of the extensive collections owned by the Society. The Historical Society also offers special events and speakers related to Quincy's rich history.
Hotel Quincy The
Hotel Quincy (originally known as the
New Tremont Hotel) is a 7-story tall (100 ft) structure, completed in
1910, that functions as an
apartment complex and also is the
television studio for local
NBC affiliate
WGEM-TV.
Illinois State Bank Beginning construction in 1880, the
Illinois State Bank is a seven-story-tall structure showcasing Chicago-style architecture and was designed by Quincy architect Martin Geise. The first floor, housing the bank, featured a large White Colorado marble lobby with ivory and gold fixtures.
Kresge Building The
Kresge Building began its construction in 1923, and an additional phase of its construction began in 1939. It was designed by architect Harold Holmes. Controversy resulted when the developers wanted to construct only two levels, when the city required three by ordinance. Finding a way around the ordinance, the developers decided to create two levels of windows, thereby observing the city ordinance while maintaining the owners' request for two stories. In 1968, a massive fire damaged much of the building and the future of the structure was in jeopardy.
Dale Kirlin Sr., who previously worked at the Kresge Building in his youth, decided to purchase the fire-damaged structure, extensively renovate, and re-locate the Kirlin's Hallmark company into the structure.
Lincoln-Douglas Apartment Building The
Lincoln-Douglas Apartment Building is a renovated, eight-story-tall apartment complex that caters to low-income seniors and was funded in part by the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It also functions as the main studio and headquarters of
STARadio Corporation, a local broadcasting company that owns several
radio stations throughout the region.
"Looking For Lincoln" historic markers Throughout downtown Quincy and the historic district lie numerous information plaques trailing US President Abraham Lincoln's life in Illinois, mostly following his time as an attorney in this part of the state.
Masonic Temple Built with a
Renaissance Revival design intended, the Masonic Temple was constructed in 1911 at a cost of US$84,000 and includes a reception hall, parlor, library, and armory for the Knights Templar.
Quincy Post Office The historic
Quincy Post Office, built in
1887, also functioned as the
Adams County Courthouse for a time. The Quincy Post Office is designed in the
Châteauesque style. It was designed by renown architect
Mifflin E. Bell, whom was known for his work on government structures. This Post Office was constructed with brick bearing walls and a limestone exterior and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.
St. John's Anglican Parish Established in 1837 as the first
Anglican/Episcopal church in Quincy, the current building of
'''St. John's Parish''' dates to 1853 and is the oldest existing church in Quincy. The church, now the
cathedral of the
Diocese of Quincy, was designed in an early
Gothic revival style by Charles Howland and was built of native, uncoursed
limestone measuring 75 feet by 40 feet. A rear and side
chancel were added after the primary church building was constructed in the 1850s. The
bell tower includes 11 bells and is the only true
carillon in Quincy. The church interior includes a
reredos designed by
Ralph Adams Cram and two stained glass windows crafted by
Louis Comfort Tiffany.
Schott Building With
Romanesque Revival and
Sullivanesque influences in mind, the Schott Building was constructed in the 1890s by Swiss architect John Batschy. Today, a restaurant is housed on the first floor and the building was extensively used in the 2009 independent horror film
Hampshire: A Ghost Story.
S.J. Lesem Building The
S.J. Lesem Building is a four-story, Italian-style brick building that first saw use as a warehouse and was completed in 1871. Today, it houses lofts in the upper floors and the first floor is home to the Tiramisu Italian restaurant.
State Savings Loan and Trust The
State Street Savings Loan & Trust Building is an example of
Richardsonian Romanesque architecture and was constructed in 1892 by Chicago architects Patton & Fischer. In 1906, an extension was made, designed by local architect Ernest M. Wood. The bank suffered following the Depression and was nearly demolished before being bought by George M. Irwin in 1964. Irwin renovated the structure and converted the lobby to function for retail space. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. In January 2000, the structure served as the backdrop to President Bill Clinton's visit to Quincy.
Villa Katherine The
Villa Kathrine is a
Moroccan-style home built in 1900 that overlooks the Mississippi River from atop the bluffs. It was built for wealthy Quincy resident W. George Metz, who grew fond of Moroccan architecture during his travels abroad. Rumor had it that Metz's intention was to live in the home with a woman he met on his travels, but she refused to move to Illinois or died en route. The structure was sold in 1912, fell into disrepair, and then restored by the local group
Friends of the Castle. Today, the Villa Kathrine functions as Quincy's Visitor Center and gives tours of the home.
Washington Park Washington Park is Quincy's first park and was once known as John's Square, after city founder John Wood. It was the site of the
sixth famous debate between
Abraham Lincoln and
Stephen A. Douglas over the divisive issue of slavery and national union, where a crowd of 10–15,000 people came to hear the two men speak. In 1994, a nationally televised re-enactment of the Lincoln-Douglas debates was broadcast on
C-SPAN. It is also the site chosen for many of Quincy's festivities including the Dogwood Festival, Blues in the District, and the Midsummer Art Festival.
Washington Theater Washington Theater is a 1480-seat theater built in 1924 to cater to stage and cinema showings. The structure is notable for its influences in Mediterranean and Byzantine architecture. It was remodeled in 1926 following the purchase of the theater to Balaban & Katz. In the years that followed, the theater hosted many vaudeville and photoplay shows, but suffered when films introduced sound. This prompted yet another upgrade to bring audiences back once sound pictures became the industry's standard. The
Kerasotes Theater chain bought the site in 1971 and continued to show films into the 1980s. Since, Washington Theater has undergone several purchases and became neglected by owners before coming into possession by the City of Quincy. Currently, an organization is renovating the space to modernize the theater and to eventually re-open. ==Non-Historic Structures==