Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Society of Iowa Iowa Site Inventory Form Continuation Sheet. Related District Number.

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1 Page 1 Address 200 ( ) E. 3rd Street City Davenport SITE DESCRIPTION The Hotel Blackhawk is located on Lots 1-5, Block 58 of LeClaire s 2nd Addition. The structure is sited on the northeast corner of the intersection of Third and Perry Streets; its façade faces south. The building is neighbored on the east by a paved parking lot and bound on the west by a modern convention center. A public sidewalk provides access to the building s entrance on East Third Street. PROPERTY DESCRIPTION The eleven-story brick and terra cotta structure is constructed on a stone foundation. The Hotel Blackhawk features stylistic details of the Italian Renaissance combined with the restrained geometry indicative of the more modern Art Deco. The Italian Renaissance is reflected in the rusticated stonework on the storefront level, the granite pedestals and terra cotta pilasters on the corners of the front façade, and, most obviously, in the decorative pediments of the second story windows. The influence of the Art Deco is found in the rolled of the corners of the terra cotta pilasters and the generally streamlined feeling of the form itself. The juxtaposition of the white terra cotta against the dark brick and mortar is visually stunning, setting the building apart from the other structures built during this era. Condition As a masonry construction, the condition of the Hotel Blackhawk s brick and terra cotta is of the greatest concern. Given the scale of the structure, an assessment from ground level is of little use. However, there is evidence that the building s terra cotta, particularly that in the pedimented windows of the second story, has sustained some damage. Terra cotta has a long lifespan, but is notoriously difficult to repair and/or replace; maintenance of the tile and its strapping system is critical to maximizing its longevity. In addition, it was noted that a section of stone at street level on the south elevations is missing, presenting the potential for moisture infiltration. An elevator shaft has been added to the east side of the building, undoubtedly necessary, but constructed in a manner that does little to diminish its presence. Despite this, and the retrofitting of the building s street level façade, the exterior of the Hotel Blackhawk retains a very high level of historic integrity and continues to present an impressive impact on the streetscape of the Davenport Central Business District. A cursory examination of the interior of the hotel reveals many changes. Of particular significance is the loss of the twostory atrium in the hotel lobby; the second story was enclosed to create an additional meeting space. It is important to note that the original ceiling of the atrium appears to be intact above the dropped ceiling of that room. While a historic image of the historic lobby with its two-story atrium is not included in this inventory, one is on display in the lobby of the hotel, along with numerous other interior photographs. Significantly, the facility s historic Gold Room, is intact and retains much of its historic integrity; its c.1913 image can be found on page fourteen.

2 Page 2 PROPERTY HISTORY Prior to the construction of the Hotel Blackhawk, the Saratoga Hotel occupied the site. Interestingly, the Saratoga was comprised of two former hotels, the Ackley House and the Commercial Hotel. In 1915 the first seven floors of the New Fireproof Hotel Blackhawk were completed. The building joined a streetscape in the early stages of an architectural transformation begun earlier in the year by the completion of the first phase of the Union Savings Bank & Trust. By the time the remaining stories (eight through eleven) were added in 1920, the Scott County Savings Bank had been constructed. By 1931 the upper stories of the Union Savings Bank were in place and the Hotel Mississippi completed, marking the end to the Victorian era character of Third Street. The Hotel Blackhawk was designed by the locally prominent architectural firm of Temple & Burrows, with Arthur Ebeling, noted as the Associate Architect. In addition to the Hotel Blackhawk, Temple and Burrows designed the Davenport Hotel (1909), the Union Savings Bank & Trust at 229 Brady (1924), and the Federal Building at Fourth and Brady ( ). Seth Temple was a highly educated practitioner, having received his Ph.D. from Columbia University, with additional studies at the American Academy in Rome and the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Temple came to Davenport from Illinois in 1904, taking up practice with Parke T. Burrows (formerly in practice with Frederick Clausen) and Cyrus McLane. According to former professor of architecture, Wesley Shank, Seth Temple is regarded as one of the most respected Iowa architects of his time. Park T. Burrows was born in Davenport in 1871; grandson of one of the city s earliest settlers, Elisha Burrows. Burrows first entered architectural practice in 1895, when he partnered with Frederick G. Clausen (Clausen & Burrows.) In 1904 Park Burrows joined with Seth Temple and Cyrus McLane as Temple, Burrows & McLane. When McLane left the firm in 1910 it became known as Temple & Burrows. Arthur Ebeling ( ) is a lesser known, Davenport architect, who gained his skills as an apprentice for local architects, Gustav Hanssen and Dietrich Harfst. In addition to his work on the Blackhawk, Ebeling is credited with having worked, in an associate position, on both the Kahl Building and the 1955 Scott County Courthouse. The architectural firm of Kruse & Parish, the successor firm of F.G. Clausen, re-designed the interior of the building in the 1940s to accommodate a transition to permanent, apartment-story housing. The firm is responsible for additional renovations in 1959 and As indicated by an informational flyer distributed by the hotel s current management, the Blackhawk has seen times of great prosperity and periods of financial disaster. From the hotel was closed due to mismanagement of funds resulting in bankruptcy. The intervention by entrepreneur, Raymond Phillips, got the property back on track temporarily, but ended badly when he, too, filed for bankruptcy. Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of Phillips attempt to rescue the Blackhawk was that his plan included the sale of many items from the property. Following Phillips bankruptcy, the Davenport Bank took ownership of the property, and hired a management company to run the facility until 1990, when the current owner, President Casino, purchased it. Today the hotel features one hundred and ninety one unique suites and sleeping rooms and the eleventh floor, High Notes Restaurant.

3 Page 3 STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE The Blackhawk Hotel was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Then, as is true today, the building was considered significant under Criterion A in its association with the history of commerce, particularly the impact of hotels on the economic success of the city.

4 Page 4 View of the Hotel Blackhawk, looking northeasterly along East 3rd Street. (SOURCE: AKAY Consulting November 2004)

5 Page 5 View of the primary (south) elevation. (SOURCE: AKAY Consulting November 2004)

6 Page 6 View of the east elevation, looking west down E. 3rd Street. Note that the building was constructed in a U shape to allow for windows (light and air circulation) in every room. (SOURCE: AKAY Consulting November 2004)

7 Page 7 View of the Blackhawk s primary entrance on E. 3rd Street. (SOURCE: AKAY Consulting November 2004)

8 Page 8 Detail view of the stone and terra cotta detailing on the primary (south) elevation. Note the Renaissance Revival influence evident in the pediment of the mezzanine (SOURCE: AKAY Consulting November 2004)

9 Page 9 This undated image documents the view of East Third Street, looking east from Brady Street near the turn-of-the-century - prior to the construction of Hotel Blackhawk, which, in 1915 would take its place on the northeast corner of the next intersection (noted here with an arrowhead.) (SOURCE: Image courtesy of the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections of the Davenport Public Library)

10 Page 10 In this undated, c.1915 image, the first phase (floors 1-7) of the Blackhawk are completed and, with the construction of the Union Savings Bank & Trust (right foreground), the character of the streetscape has begun its transformation away from that seen in the previous, turn-of-the-century, image. (SOURCE: Image courtesy of the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections of the Davenport Public Library)

11 Page 11 This undated, c.1925 postcard image, documents the further evolution of the streetscape. With the 1921 addition of floors 8-11, the Hotel Blackhawk dominates the view. Also in place are the Union Savings Bank & Trust (now with additional upper stories as well), and the Scott County Savings Bank (1918) seen in the left foreground. The street became fully modern with the 1931 addition of the Hotel Mississippi. (SOURCE: AKAY Consulting Postcard Collection Image # )

12 Page 12 This undated postcard image documents the Fireproof Hotel Blackhawk shortly after its 1915 construction. In its original incarnation, the building was seven stories; four more floors were added to the building in (SOURCE: AKAY Consulting Postcard Collection Image # )

13 Page 13 As seen in this c.1925 image, four floors were added to the Hotel Blackhawk (1920), increasing the building s physical, economic, and aesthetic impact on the Davenport downtown. (SOURCE: Image courtesy of the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections of the Davenport Public Library)

14 Site Number Page 14 Despite numerous renovations, the Gold Room (see above in its original condition) remains intact with a reasonable level of historic integrity. (SOURCE: Image courtesy of the Richardson-Sloane Special Collections of the Davenport Public Library)

15 Page 15 The arrow indicates the location of the Hotel Blackhawk. (SOURCE: City of Davenport Planning Department 1/2005)

16 Page 16 BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES Special Collections Davenport Public Library; Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Davenport City Directory Collection Sanborn Fire Insurance Map Collection Quad Cities Photograph Collection Putnam Museum of History and Natural Science. Davenport, Iowa. Database of SGGM Architects & Interior Designers. Rock Island, Illinois. Local Publications Huebinger, Adam. First Album of the City of Davenport, Iowa. Davenport, IA Svendsen, Marlys. Davenport, Where the River Runs West: A Survey of Davenport History & Architecture. ND Hotel Blackhawk. Informational flyer of the Hotel Blackhawk. History Publications Shank, Wesley. Iowa s Historic Architects: A Biographical Dictionary. University of Iowa Press: Iowa City, Iowa, Internet Resources Scott County Assessor.