Hibernia Hall
Encyclopedia
The Hibernia Hall is a Romanesque Revival
building located in downtown Davenport, Iowa
, United States
. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
, which was all under British rule at the time. The Irish numbered 1,961 people in Davenport in 1858. They generally, but not exclusively, resided on the east side of town in and around the area known as Cork Hill
. For the most part the Irish immigrants who came to Davenport were laborers who worked in such industries as river men, railroads, telegraph building, and in the areas flour and saw mills.
Like the Germans, Davenport’s other large ethnic group, the Irish formed fraternal organizations. The Fenian Society was the first such group to form in 1864. Largely, the group provided their homeland with military, moral and economic support. Eventually, interest declined and it was replaced in 1881 with the Irish National Land League of America. That organization was replaced three years later with the Ancient Order of Hibernians
. In 1885 the Iowa Hibernians held their convention in Davenport.
The Hibernians purchased the Davenport property on Brady Street in the late 1880s or early 1890s. An 1886 Sanborn Fire Insurance map shows a Christian Chapel on the site that would become the Hibernia Hall. It was a two-story building with a deep setback from Brady Street. By the 1892 Sanborn map, the same structure was known as Hibernian Hall. The building dates from about 1855. The group remained active at this location until 1937. The building was converted to retail space on the main level and office space on the upper floors.
(1860). To the south are the Democrat Building
(1923) and the Forrest Block
(1875). All of the buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Davenport architect Frederick G. Clausen designed the front section for the Hibernian’s in January 1891. The original structure is intact at the rear of the building. The Hibernia Hall is a three-story brick building. The foundation in the front is mostly likely constructed partially of brick and the original building’s foundation in the back is likely stone. The building suggests the Richardsonian Romanesque
style found in the vertical grouping of windows within round-arched arcades and the general sense of mass and weight. The building also features wide piers with plinth
-like capitals.
The Hibernia Hall is a doublewide storefront with a central projecting pavilion. A gabled parapet
and decorative pinnacles top the pavilion. The entrance to the upper floors of the building is found in a turned brick arch in the center pavilion. Above the entrance is an ornate grill that contains the building’s name, “Hibernian Hall”.
The oversized windows of the building’s upper stories are now reduced in size by infill. The exterior walls between the windows of the second and third story features decorative brickwork. A simple metal cornice is found across the top of the building.
Other buildings designed by Frederick G. Clausen:
The following are clubhouses in Scott County that are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places:
Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
building located in downtown Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
History
Irish immigration into the city of Davenport started with the Irish Famines from 1845 to 1849 and religious persecution in IrelandIreland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, which was all under British rule at the time. The Irish numbered 1,961 people in Davenport in 1858. They generally, but not exclusively, resided on the east side of town in and around the area known as Cork Hill
Cork Hill District
The Cork Hill District is located on a bluff northeast of downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. The historic district covers and stretches from the campus of Palmer College of Chiropractic on the west to the Sacred Heart...
. For the most part the Irish immigrants who came to Davenport were laborers who worked in such industries as river men, railroads, telegraph building, and in the areas flour and saw mills.
Like the Germans, Davenport’s other large ethnic group, the Irish formed fraternal organizations. The Fenian Society was the first such group to form in 1864. Largely, the group provided their homeland with military, moral and economic support. Eventually, interest declined and it was replaced in 1881 with the Irish National Land League of America. That organization was replaced three years later with the Ancient Order of Hibernians
Ancient Order of Hibernians
The Ancient Order of Hibernians is an Irish Catholic fraternal organization. Members must be Catholic and either Irish born or of Irish descent. Its largest membership is now in the United States, where it was founded in New York City in 1836...
. In 1885 the Iowa Hibernians held their convention in Davenport.
The Hibernians purchased the Davenport property on Brady Street in the late 1880s or early 1890s. An 1886 Sanborn Fire Insurance map shows a Christian Chapel on the site that would become the Hibernia Hall. It was a two-story building with a deep setback from Brady Street. By the 1892 Sanborn map, the same structure was known as Hibernian Hall. The building dates from about 1855. The group remained active at this location until 1937. The building was converted to retail space on the main level and office space on the upper floors.
Architecture
The Hibernia Hall is located on the east side of Brady Street, near the middle of the block. The building’s neighbor to the north is the Philip Worley HousePhilip Worley House
The Phillip Worley House is located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983. To the south of the Worley House are the Hibernia Hall, the Democrat Building and the Forrest Block. They are also listed on the National...
(1860). To the south are the Democrat Building
Democrat Building
Democrat Building is located at 407-411 Brady Street, Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.-History:...
(1923) and the Forrest Block
Forrest Block
The Forrest Block is a building located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.-History :...
(1875). All of the buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Davenport architect Frederick G. Clausen designed the front section for the Hibernian’s in January 1891. The original structure is intact at the rear of the building. The Hibernia Hall is a three-story brick building. The foundation in the front is mostly likely constructed partially of brick and the original building’s foundation in the back is likely stone. The building suggests the Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque
Richardsonian Romanesque is a style of Romanesque Revival architecture named after architect Henry Hobson Richardson, whose masterpiece is Trinity Church, Boston , designated a National Historic Landmark...
style found in the vertical grouping of windows within round-arched arcades and the general sense of mass and weight. The building also features wide piers with plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
-like capitals.
The Hibernia Hall is a doublewide storefront with a central projecting pavilion. A gabled parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
and decorative pinnacles top the pavilion. The entrance to the upper floors of the building is found in a turned brick arch in the center pavilion. Above the entrance is an ornate grill that contains the building’s name, “Hibernian Hall”.
The oversized windows of the building’s upper stories are now reduced in size by infill. The exterior walls between the windows of the second and third story features decorative brickwork. A simple metal cornice is found across the top of the building.
See also
Other buildings designed by Frederick G. Clausen:
- Davenport CrematoriumDavenport CrematoriumThe Davenport Crematorium is located in Fairmont Cemetery in the West End of Davenport, Iowa, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The facility opened in 1891 and the first cremation was that of Otto Kochert. It is the ninth oldest crematorium still in existence in...
- Hillside (Davenport, Iowa)Hillside (Davenport, Iowa)Hillside, is a mansion overlooking the Mississippi River on the eastside of Davenport, Iowa, United States. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982 and the Davenport Register of Historic Properties since 1992. It is also a part of the Prospect Park Historic...
- J.H.C. Petersen's Sons' StoreJ.H.C. Petersen's Sons' StoreThe J.H.C. Petersen's Sons' Store also known as the Redstone Building, is a four-story building in Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is listed on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties and on the National Register of Historic Places. Designed after the Rookery Building in Chicago, this...
- Lend-A-Hand ClubLend-A-Hand ClubThe Lend-A-Hand Club was located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States along the riverfront. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, and on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties in 1997.-History:...
The following are clubhouses in Scott County that are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places:
- Eldridge Turn-HalleEldridge Turn-HalleThe Eldridge Turn-Halle is an historic building located in Eldridge, Iowa, United States. The former Turnverein has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1987.-See also:...
- Northwest Davenport Turner Society HallNorthwest Davenport Turner Society HallThe Northwest Davenport Turner Society Hall is a historic building located in the old northwest side of Davenport, Iowa, United States. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979...
- Outing ClubOuting ClubThe Outing Club is located in the central part of Davenport, Iowa, United States. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1977. It is a part of the Vander Veer Park Historic District, which is also on the national register....
- Wupperman Block/I.O.O.F. HallWupperman Block/I.O.O.F. HallThe Wupperman Block/I.O.O.F. Hall is located just north of downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.-History:...