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Democrat Building
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
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Location	407-411 Brady St. Davenport, Iowa
Coordinates	41°31′26″N 90°34′26″W / 41.52389°N 90.57389°W / 41.52389; -90.57389
Area	less than one acre
Built	1923
Architect	Rudolph J. Clausen
Architectural style	Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements
Part of	Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District (ID100005546)
MPS	Davenport MRA
NRHP reference No.	83002420
Added to NRHP	July 7, 1983

Democrat 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. In 2020 it was included as a contributing property in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District. The historic newspaper building is now an apartment building known as The Democrat Lofts.

History

The Democrat Building was designed by a prominent Davenport architecture firm of Clausen & Kruse, and it was built in 1923. The firm also designed other historic buildings in Davenport including the Forrest Block, which is next door to the south, the Hibernia Hall, which is next door to the north, the Scott County Savings Bank, Davenport Municipal Stadium (now Modern Woodmen Park), The Linograph Company Building, and the W.D. Petersen Memorial Music Pavilion in LeClaire Park.

The building was built for a local newspaper the Davenport Democrat, which was started in 1848 as the Democratic Banner. Its editorial philosophy was in keeping with that of the political party of the same name. Over the years the paper purchased the Gazette (1887) and the Evening Leader (1902).

The paper was eventually bought by Lee Enterprises, which published the Daily Times. The merged newspapers became the Times-Democrat and is now known as the Quad-City Times. The building was sold to The Catholic Messenger, the newspaper for the Diocese of Davenport, in 1956. The building served as their headquarters for a couple of decades. The building also housed a dog training school, a vacuum cleaner salesroom, a dance hall and a specialty store. In 2014, a $6 million renovation turned the building into 21 apartments.

The building is considered significant because of its association with newspapers in Davenport, and as an example of the local influence of Louis Sullivan, whose work figures prominently in the history of American architecture.

Architecture

The two-storied, freestanding, brick structure with concrete block facing was designed by Davenport architect Rudolph J. Clausen. A historical survey in 1983 indicated that the building utilizes steel in its construction. It was completed for about $300,000. The words “The Democrat” are etched across the top of the building. It bears the stylistic influence of Louis Sullivan's “jewel box” structures that are associated with the work he did late in his career in the Midwest. These influences are seen in the blocking of windows at the center of the highly geometric façade. The ornamentation of the horizontal band between stories, over the entrances, and along the parapet wall all feature the stylized motifs that are commonly found in his work.

References

1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
2. ^ Jennifer Irsfeld James. "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District" (PDF). Downtown Davenport, Iowa. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
3. ^ "The Democrat Building" (PDF). Davenport Public Library. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
4. Schmidt, Madeleine M. (1981). Seasons of Growth: History of the Diocese of Davenport. Davenport, Iowa: Diocese of Davenport.
5. Bill Wundram (June 21, 2014). "Back at the Democrat: Old newspaper office gets a new life". Davenport: Quad-City Times. Retrieved 2014-06-21.
6. Martha Bowers; Marlys Svendsen-Roesler. "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Democrat Building". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-04-16. with photo

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

• Commercial buildings completed in 1923
• Apartment buildings in Davenport, Iowa
• Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport
• Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa
• National Register of Historic Places in Davenport, Iowa
• Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Iowa
• Newspaper headquarters in the United States