Lewis Block

In 1885, the Lewis Block (401 – 413 North Jefferson) was sold to five different buyers who worked together to form a solid block of buildings in a similar design. They replaced a previous block of brick buildings with the one seen today.

William H.D. Lewis was one of the pioneers of Huntington Country. A businessman from New York, he settled into the area and pursued business opportunities. The Lewis Block was originally called Lewis Corner (and later the Lewis Building) with the original building built in 1848. As time went on the building became “an eyesore to the public-spirited citizens.” In March 1885, the five parcels that make up Lewis Block were sold. Parcel A was sold to Ed. T Brown, Parcel B was sold to EM Taylor, Parcel C by Jacob Levi, Parcel D was sold to Jacob Boos and the corner lot sold to Mrs. Bettie Lewis for $5,500 (the most expensive of the five lots). A newspaper article in 1885 stated that “The owner of corner lot of the Lewis corner, will build this summer with the owners of the other lots thus forming a solid block and similar design.”

Today the block is occupied by Antiqology, the Huntington County Visitor's Bureau, the Happy Camper, and the Party Shop. As with most buildings downtown, the upper floors have been used for a variety of small businesses, apartments and storage. The Party Shop portion of the building has been a coffee, tea, and sweets shop since 1909 when Casner & Jefferies added freshly brewed beverages to the grocery they had operated for a couple of years.

The Huntington County Interim Report, 2^nd Edition, labels the architecture style as Victorian Romanesque. Information on the National Register application refers to it a Jacobean Revival Style. The confusion may stem from the fact that while this was considered a block, each business owner had elements of their individuality integrated into their building, giving the whole block an eclectic yet cohesive feel. While the tower easily attracts your eye and gives grandeur to the corner building, also notice the stone work on the building going up Jefferson Street. While each building has its own personality, certain features dominate the entire block. The Lewis Block is location number 46 on the National Register of Historic Places registration form for the Huntington Courthouse Square Historic District which was approved in 1992.

1. “Lewis Block Historic Preservation Guidelines,” City of Huntington, accessed July 15, 2021. https://www.huntington.in.us/egov/apps/document/center.egov?view=detail&id=3749
2. “A Big Sale,” Huntington Daily-Democrat [Huntington, IN] 5 Mar 1885.
3. History of Huntington County, Indiana: From the Earliest Time to the Present, with Biographical Sketches, Notes, Etc., Together with a Short History of the Northwest, the Indiana Territory, and the State of Indiana. United States, Walsworth Publishing Company, 1887.
4. Huntington County Interim Report 2^nd Edition, Indiana 1982. This book can be located at the Huntington City-Township Public Library. hctpl.info.
5. “Historic Architecture Tour,” Huntington Alert, Inc., accessed July 21, 2021. https://huntingtonalert.wordpress.com/historic-architecture-tour/
6. National Register Digital Places. National Registry of Historic Places. Accessed July 22, 2021. https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/85461645-f775-4cf8-a822-d8525b7cf0ba