139 N Liberty St

From the National Register nomination

Two-story building of brick and stone construction and complex evolution. The front elevation, which may have been added in 1954, has textured stretcher-bond brick, industrial metal-frame windows on the second story, and aluminum and glass display windows and entry on the first story. The metal sign for the present occupant has a Chippendale-inspired cresting and evidence of former incandescent bulbs. The east end of the south side elevation is of coursed rubble limestone construction up to the top of four former windows. The windows, which are filled in with stone, have brick segmental-arch heads. (One of the windows may have been an entry.) The rest of the south elevation is brick and shows construction in several phases (and possibly also using mixed lots of bricks during individual construction phases). This same variability is apparent on the north side. The first-story brickwork at the east end of the north elevation-and an adjoining concrete block wall near the middle of the elevation-have sloppy mortar joints that resulted from the construction of these sections of wall against a taller building that abutted this building. The abutting building-a three-story lumber and building materials warehouse that burned about 1940-has left a limestone foundation wall that extends from the north front corner of this building. This building was damaged in the ca. 1940 fire, and subsequent rebuilding may account for some of the variation of brickwork on the north elevation. A two-story masonry dwelling stood at this location in the late 19th century, but the first-story stonework that survives on the south wall of the present building most likely dates to the early 20th century. The original, front section of the building apparently stood only one story in height through 1945. Ann McCleary suggests it was built for the McCormick Deering Farm Machinery Co. It housed a bottling works in 1924 and a live poultry dealer in 1930. The White Truck Co. and the Shirkey Sign Co. also once occupied the building (the latter in 1955). The poultry dealer probably added the concrete block midsection, which contained a planing mill (perhaps for making chicken crates). During World War II the building was used by the Berry Lumber & Supply Co., which used the front section as a bag warehouse, the midsection as a planing mill, and the rear for storing cement, molding, etc. (W. F. Berry & Son, building materials and coal, operated at or near the location in 1927.) A furniture store occupied the building in the early 1950s. Now Hess Furniture. (Nelson Hess)