Breidenbach Building
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| Breidenbach Building | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Address | 208 W. Third Street |
| City | Owensboro |
| State | Kentucky |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1890 |
| Style | Romanesque Revival |
| Owner | Wells Lovett & Charles Lamar (at time of listing) |
| Current use | Commercial/office |
| National Register of Historic Places | |
| Reference # | 86001427 |
| Listed | 1986 |
| Criteria | Criterion C (architecture) |
| Period | 1890 |
The Breidenbach Building is a three-story Romanesque Revival commercial building located at 208 W. Third Street in Owensboro, Kentucky. Built in 1890, it is one of the finest examples of Romanesque Revival commercial architecture in downtown Owensboro. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 as part of the Owensboro Multiple Resource Area.
Description
The Breidenbach Building is an impressive three-story Romanesque Revival structure in downtown Owensboro. Two square brick piers give the first floor a heavy post-and-lintel appearance. Double flights of steps lead up to the first-floor main entrance and down to a basement level. The main entrance retains its original panelled door. Dominating the first floor is a large one-pane window bay with a triple brick archway running above the entrance and window bay.
The building's decorative Romanesque details are concentrated on the second and third stories. The second story is dominated by double round-arched windows whose arches spring from slender columns resting on each side and between the windows, with stone cushion capitals on the columns and keystones on the arches. The third story has a row of triple rectangular windows, deeply recessed and retaining their original one-over-one sashes, separated by columns identical to those on the second floor. A few lines of brick corbelling mark the top of the third story. Above this is a panel with raised letters reading E.H. Breidenbach. The building is finished by a sheet-metal cornice with brackets and dentilled molding.
History
The building was constructed in 1890 on what was then known as "Court Row" by Edward H. Breidenbach, who served as light and water superintendent for Owensboro for over fifty years. Breidenbach was also a distiller, city commissioner, and extensive landowner. The building long served as the location where residents paid their gas and light bills, and has since been used as a law office.
Significance
Although altered by modern changes to the first floor, the Breidenbach Building remains one of the best examples of Romanesque Revival commercial architecture in the downtown area. The front steps leading to the lower level are among the few remaining examples of that treatment in the downtown.
References
- Kentucky Heritage Council. National Register of Historic Places Nomination: Owensboro Multiple Resource Area. Frankfort: Kentucky Heritage Council, 1985.