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Shields Woolen Mill
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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Location	1235 E. River Drive Davenport, Iowa
Coordinates	41°31′37″N 90°33′23″W / 41.52694°N 90.55639°W / 41.52694; -90.55639
Area	1.5 acres (0.61 ha)
Built	1863-1868
MPS	Davenport MRA
NRHP reference No.	83002504
Added to NRHP	July 7, 1983

Shields Woolen Mill is located along the edge of the Mississippi River in Davenport, Iowa, United States. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983. The building has been repurposed as commercial and office space called One River Place.

History

Because the Civil War cut off cotton supplies from the southern states, wool increased in popularity in the North. To take advantage of the situation Joseph Shields established Shields Woolen Mills in 1863. By 1870 he employed 52 people and the annual production value of the mill was $36,000, which made it the sixth largest industry in Davenport.

Several fires and financial problems caused Shield's problems and he committed suicide in 1878. By 1881 the business was reorganized as the Davenport Woolen Mills. In the 1890s the mill employed 140 people and its product line included clothing, cashmere, flannels, and blankets. It would be the high point of the company, however. As the sheep herds moved further west the production of woolen goods moved with them. The company's financial situation rose and fell and it finally closed in 1914.

Architecture

This two-story industrial building has both shallow side gable and flat roofs. It is constructed in brick with a stone foundation and basement, which is exposed on the south elevation of the building. Segmental arch windows predominate throughout the structure. The middle section with the pedimented entrance is the original section of the building that was completed in 1863. Additions were made to the structure with the last one added in 1868. It is located in an old milling district along the Mississippi River. This is thought to be the oldest structure still standing in Davenport that was designed for steam-operated industrial use.

References

1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
2. ^ Svendsen, Marlys A.; Bowers, Martha H. (1982). Davenport where the Mississippi runs west: A Survey of Davenport History & Architecture. Davenport, Iowa: City of Davenport. pp. 4–11.
3. Martha Bowers; Marlys Svendsen-Roesler. "Shields Woolen Mill". National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-03-17. 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

• Industrial buildings completed in 1865
• Industrial buildings completed in 1868
• Woollen mills
• Buildings and structures in Davenport, Iowa
• National Register of Historic Places in Davenport, Iowa
• Industrial buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa
• 1868 establishments in Iowa