S. H. Kress and Co. Building (Blytheville, Arkansas)
The Kress Building is a historic commercial building at 210 West Main Street in Blytheville, Arkansas. It is a two-story concrete and steel structure, faced in brick and terra cotta. Built in 1938, it was one of the first buildings in the city to be built using steel framing, and is one of its finest Art Deco structures. The first floor areas (outside the plate glass store windows) are faced in terra cotta, while the second floor is predominantly cream-colored brick. Windows on the second floor are surrounded by ivory terra cotta incised with fluting and shell patterns.[2]
Kress Building | |
Location | 210 W. Main St., Blytheville, Arkansas |
---|---|
Coordinates | 35°55′40″N 89°53′37″W |
Area | less than one acre |
Built | 1938 |
Built by | Bird, E.V. Construction Co. |
Architect | Holmes, W.F. |
Architectural style | Art Deco |
Part of | Blytheville Commercial Historic District (ID06000421) |
NRHP reference No. | 97000555[1] |
Significant dates | |
Added to NRHP | June 13, 1997 |
Designated CP | May 24, 2006 |
S. H. Kress and Co. operated from the store until 1974.[3] A Family Dollar Store operated from the building from the mid to late 80's.[2] Later, the building housed the local United Way.[3] It was donated to the town and then renovated in 1997 to serve as the Blytheville Heritage Museum and the Blytheville Main Street office.[2] Delta Gateway Museum opened in the Kress Building in November 2011.[3]
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.[1] It is in the Blytheville Commercial Historic District, also listed on the NRHP.
References
- "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
- "NRHP nomination for Kress Building". Arkansas Preservation. Retrieved 2014-12-04.
- "Delta Gateway Museum AKA: Kress Building". Central Arkansas Library system. Retrieved 2020-09-09.