Shopbell & Company
Encyclopedia
Shopbell & Company was an American architectural firm located in Evansville, Indiana
.
and Kentucky
. Many of its works survive and are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
.
Evansville, Indiana historic preservation staff described Clifford Shopbell and Company as "probably the most prominent--or at least the most active" local architectural firm in Evansville's Downtown. They credit several of its works as showing "clear understanding of program and ceremonial demands", note the firm's use of Prairie School
design, and commend it for "one creditable Sullivanesque essay," (the Fellwock Auto Company Building). They also note the Indiana Bank and the Masonic Temple in Classical Revival mode, "along with one or two Chicago School buildings".
In 1919, Clifford Shopbell & Co built the Evansville Municipal Market.
By 1905, Harris & Shopbell had already built 9 Carnegie libraries: Shelbyville, Greensburg, Franklin, Seymour, Salem,
Princeton, Alt. Vernon and Poseyville, IN, and Henderson, KY; as Clifford Shopbell, the firm went on to build several more. Illinois preservation staff record that Shopbell also built the Illinois
libraries at Carmi in 1914, Grayville in 1913, and Marion in 1916. Illinois preservation staff called Clifford Shopbell "the dominant architect of Carnegie libraries in Indiana, with at least fifteen of that state's commissions". The preservation staff state frankly that:
Harris was the senior partner; he was born in Louisville
, KY, graduating from the high school there in 1887. After an "apprenticeship" in architecture, Harris opened an office in Evansville in 1895, and formed a partnership with Shopbell in 1897. He was a member of the Freemasons
, the Knights of Pythias
, and the Elks
. He married Bell Hawley in 1894.
Shopbell was born in Princeton
, IN, on December 8, 1871. From 1889, Shopbell spent five years in the Indianapolis office of architect W. Scott Moore. In 1894 he moved to Evansville, working with architect C. A. Brehmer. In 1897 he married Winifred Dunlap of Indianapolis, and joined Harris to form their architectural partnership. Shopbell was a member of the Freemasons, as well as belonging to the Shriners
and the Knights of Pythias. Shopbell died in 1939.
Evansville, Indiana
Evansville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Indiana and the largest city in Southern Indiana. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 117,429. It is the county seat of Vanderburgh County and the regional hub for both Southwestern Indiana and the...
.
History
The firm was founded as as Harris & Shopbell in 1897 and still had that name in 1905. The firm later became Clifford Shopbell & Co. (ca 1910), and later still (ca 1916 - 1925) Shopbell, Fowler & Thole. The partners designed buildings during the 1910s and 1920s, mainly in Evansville, but also elsewhere in IndianaIndiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
and Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. Many of its works survive and are listed on the U.S. 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...
.
Evansville, Indiana historic preservation staff described Clifford Shopbell and Company as "probably the most prominent--or at least the most active" local architectural firm in Evansville's Downtown. They credit several of its works as showing "clear understanding of program and ceremonial demands", note the firm's use of Prairie School
Prairie School
Prairie School was a late 19th and early 20th century architectural style, most common to the Midwestern United States.The works of the Prairie School architects are usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in horizontal bands,...
design, and commend it for "one creditable Sullivanesque essay," (the Fellwock Auto Company Building). They also note the Indiana Bank and the Masonic Temple in Classical Revival mode, "along with one or two Chicago School buildings".
In 1919, Clifford Shopbell & Co built the Evansville Municipal Market.
By 1905, Harris & Shopbell had already built 9 Carnegie libraries: Shelbyville, Greensburg, Franklin, Seymour, Salem,
Princeton, Alt. Vernon and Poseyville, IN, and Henderson, KY; as Clifford Shopbell, the firm went on to build several more. Illinois preservation staff record that Shopbell also built the Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
libraries at Carmi in 1914, Grayville in 1913, and Marion in 1916. Illinois preservation staff called Clifford Shopbell "the dominant architect of Carnegie libraries in Indiana, with at least fifteen of that state's commissions". The preservation staff state frankly that:
- "Like many architects who sought Carnegie Library commissions, Shopbell welcomed publicity. When the Clarion-News of Princeton, Indiana, interviewed him in 1903, Shopbell mentioned that he was currently building four Carnegie libraries, and said that although smaller libraries were usually constructed of pressed brick, since his firm had "an inside price on stone", if Princeton acted quickly, they too could afford a stone library. The firm of Harris and Shopbell was selected and Princeton built a stone library. As the Illinois libraries built by Shopbell are all of brick, his inside price on stone must not have lasted into the 1910's."
Principal partners
The founding partners were Clifford Shopbell and William J. Harris.Harris was the senior partner; he was born in Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, KY, graduating from the high school there in 1887. After an "apprenticeship" in architecture, Harris opened an office in Evansville in 1895, and formed a partnership with Shopbell in 1897. He was a member of the Freemasons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, the Knights of Pythias
Knights of Pythias
The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded at Washington, DC, on 19 February 1864.The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded by Justus H. Rathbone, who had been...
, and the Elks
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
. He married Bell Hawley in 1894.
Shopbell was born in Princeton
Princeton
-Princeton, New Jersey:*Borough of Princeton, New Jersey*Princeton Township, New Jersey*Princeton, New Jersey -Other places in New Jersey:*Princeton Junction, New Jersey*Princeton Meadows, New Jersey...
, IN, on December 8, 1871. From 1889, Shopbell spent five years in the Indianapolis office of architect W. Scott Moore. In 1894 he moved to Evansville, working with architect C. A. Brehmer. In 1897 he married Winifred Dunlap of Indianapolis, and joined Harris to form their architectural partnership. Shopbell was a member of the Freemasons, as well as belonging to the Shriners
Shriners
The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, also commonly known as Shriners and abbreviated A.A.O.N.M.S., established in 1870, is an appendant body to Freemasonry, based in the United States...
and the Knights of Pythias. Shopbell died in 1939.
Properties constructed
Works include (with attribution):| Building | Location | Company | Listing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albion Apartments, "model flats", 1910-11 | 701 Court St. Evansville | Shopbell & Co. | NRHP |
| American Trust and Savings Bank (Indiana Bank), 1903, enlarged 1914 | 524-530 Main St Evansville | Shopbell & Co. | NRHP |
| Bitterman Building | 202-204 Main St. Evansville | Clifford Shopbell & Co. | NRHP |
| John W. Boehne House | 1119 Lincoln Ave. Evansville | Shopbell, Clifford & Co. | NRHP |
| Buckingham Apartments | 314-316 SE 3rd St. Evansville | Shopbell & Co. | NRHP |
| Busse House | 120 SE 1st St. Evansville | Harris & Shopbell | NRHP |
| Court Building (Furniture Building) | 123-125 NW 4th St. Evansville | Harris & Shopbell | NRHP |
| Evansville Municipal Market | 813 Pennsylvania St. Evansville | Shopbell, Clifford, & Co. | NRHP |
| Old Fellwock Auto Company Old Fellwock Auto Company The Old Fellwock Auto Company is a building built in 1923 in fine Prairie School style. It was designed by Shopbell & Company and by Edward J. Thole .... |
214 NW 4th St. Evansville | Shopbell & Co. | NRHP |
| Fellwock Garage | 315 Court St. Evansville | Harris & Shopbell Co. | NRHP |
| Greensburg Carnegie Public Library | 114 N. Michigan Ave. Greensburg, IN | Shopbell, Clifford, & Co. | NRHP |
| Michael D. Helfrich House | 700 Helfrich Lane Evansville | Shopbell, Clifford, & Co. | NRHP |
| Hose House No. 12 | 1409 First Ave. Evansville | Harris & Shopbell | NRHP |
| Huber Motor Sales Building | 215-219 SE 4th St. Evansville | Shopbell & Co. | NRHP |
| Ingle Terrace | 609-619 Ingle St. Evansville | Shopbell & Co. | NRHP |
| Kuebler-Artes Building | 327 Main St. Evansville | Shopbell & Co. | NRHP |
| Masonic Temple (Evansville, IN) Masonic Temple (Evansville, Indiana) The Masonic Temple in Evansville, Indiana is a building from 1913. It was designed by local architects Shopbell & Company in Classical Revival style.It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.... , 1912 |
301 Chestnut St. Evansville | Shopbell & Co. | NRHP |
| Masonic Temple (Franklin, IN), 1922 | 135 N. Main St. Franklin, IN | Shopbell, Fowler, and Thole | NRHP |
| Oak Hill Cemetery, 1901 | Evansville | Harris & Shopbell | NRHP |
| Rose Terrace, "model flats", 1910-11 | 301-313 NW 7th St. Evansville, | Shopbell & Co. | NRHP |
| Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum was erected in Evansville, Indiana, in 1916, at a cost of $180,000.00.... , 1916-17 |
350 Court St. Evansville | Shopbell, Clifford & Co. | NRHP |
| Van Cleave Flats | 704-708 Court St. Evansville | Shopbell & Co. | NRHP |
| One or more works | Boonville Public Square Historic District, Boonville, IN | Harris & Shopbell | NRHP |
| One or more works | South Main & South Elm Streets Historic District, Henderson, KY | Shopbell & Harris | NRHP |
| One or more works | West Side Historic District, Shelbyville, IN | Harris & Shopbell | NRHP |
External links
- Historic Photograph of Clifford Shopbell & Co, 1919 Willard Library, Indiana.