28th Street 0834
Site Inventory Form
State Historical Society of Iowa
(December 1, 1999)
State Inventory No. 31-03244 rgJ New D Supplemental
D Part of a district with known boundaries (enter inventory no.) _
Relationship: D Contributing D Noncontributing
D Contributes to a potential district with yet unknown boundaries
National Register Status:(any that apply) D Listed D De-listed D NHL D DOE
9-Digit SHPO Review & Compliance Number _
D Non-Extant (enter year) _
1. Name of Property
historic name Morrison Brothers Manufacturinq Company
other names/site number
2. Location
street & number 834 East 24th Street
city or town Dubuque
Legal Description: (If Rural) Township Name
D vicinity, county Dubuque
Township No. Range No. Section Quarter of Quarter
(If Urban) Subdivision O.S. Lanqworthy
3. State/Federal Agency Certification [Skip this Section]
4. National Park Service Certification [Skip this Section]
5. Classification
Category of Property (Check only one box)
IZI building(s)
D district
D site
D structure
D object
Block(s) _
Lot(s) 1-12
Number of Resources within Pro ert
If Non-Eligible Property If Eligible Property, enter number of:
Enter number of: Contributin Noncontributin
1 buildings 1 Q buildings
sites sites
structures structures
o~ects o~ects
Total 1 Q Total
1
Name of related project report or multiple property study (Enter "N/A" if the property is not part of a multiple property examination).
Title Historical Architectural Data Base Number
The Architectural and Historical Resources of Dubuque. 1833-1955 31-045
6. Function or Use
Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions)
10A Manufacturinq
same
7. Description
Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions)
Materials (Enter categories from instructions)
07B Commercial Style
foundation Concrete
walls brick
roof Asphalt
other
Narrative Description (IZI SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED)
8. Statement of Significance
Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark "x" representing your opinion of eligibility after applying relevant National Register criteria)
IZI Yes D No D More Research Recommended A Property is associated with significant events.
DYes IZI No D More Research Recommended B Property is associated with the lives of significant persons.
IZI Yes D No D More Research Recommended C Property has distinctive architectural characteristics.
DYes IZI No D More Research Recommended D Property yields significant information in archaeology or history.
County Dubuque
City Dubuque
Criteria Considerations
D A Owned by a religious institution or used
for religious purposes.
D B Removed from its original location.
DCA birthplace or grave.
D D A cemetery
Address 834 East 24th Street
Site Number 31-03244
District Number
D E A reconstructed building, object, or structure.
D F A commemorative property.
D G Less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past
50 years.
Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions)
Significant Dates
Construction date
1918 D check if circa or estimated date
Other dates
Arch itectu re
Significant Person
(Complete if National Register Criterion B is marked above)
N/A
Architect/Builder
Architect
N/A
Builder
Unknown
Narrative Statement of Significance (IZI SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED)
9. Major Bibliographical References
Bibliography IZI See continuation sheet for citations of the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form
10. Geographic Data
11. Form Prepared By
name/title James E. Jacobsen
organization History Pays! Historic Preservation Consultinq Firm
street & number 4411 Inqersoll Avenue
city or town Des Moines
state IA
date July 22.2000
telephone 515-274-3625
zip code 50312
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION (Submit the following items with the completed form)
FOR ALL PROPERTIES
1. Map: showing the property's location in a town/city or township.
2. Site plan: showing position of buildings and structures on the site in relation to public road(s).
3. Photographs: representative black and white photos. If the photos are taken as part of a survey for which the Society is to be
curator of the negatives or color slides, a photo/catalog sheet needs to be included with the negatives/slides and the following
needs to be provided below on this particular inventory site:
Roll/slide sheet # 7423 Frame/slot # 12A Date Taken 03-07-00
Roll/slide sheet # Frame/slot # Date Taken
Roll/slide sheet # Frame/slot # Date Taken
D See continuation sheet or attached photo & slide catalog sheet for list of photo roll or slide entries.
D Photos/illustrations without negatives are also in this site inventory file.
FOR CERTAIN KINDS OF PROPERTIES, INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AS WELL
1. Farmstead & District: (List of structures and buildings, known or estimated year built, and contributing or non-contributing status)
2. Barn:
a. A sketch of the frame/truss configuration in the form of drawing a typical middle bent of the barn.
b. A photograph of the loft showing the frame configuration along one side.
c. A sketch floor plan of the interior space arrangements along with the barn's exterior dimensions in feet.
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Use Only Below This Line
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa
Iowa Site Inventory Form
Continuation Sheet
Site Number 31-03244
Related District Number
Paqe 1
Morrison Brothers Manufacturinq Company
Name of Property
834 East 24th Street
Address
Dubuque
County
Dubuque
City
7. Narrative Description:
The facility (100x204) consists of a tile wall with brick veneer construction and a concrete
foundation. The roof consists of a 44'-wide vaulted monitor central bay and flanking sloped flat side
roofs. There is a centered 40x60 fabrication wing on the north end of the plan. The interior structural
support system is undetermined but is likely either steel or concrete column construction. There is no
indication that the earlier factory building survives.
The factory was directly served by the Chicago, Kansas City and St. Paul Railroad which ran
along the east side of the plant. A spur line ran to the plant. At least five single houses and one double
house were moved or demolished after 1891 as the plant expanded to occupy the entire half block.
8. Narrative Statement of Significance:
The Morrison Brothers Boiler Manufacturing Company complex is one of but a few surviving
small industrial plants in Dubuque. It also represents the satelite factories which fanned out along the
Couler Valley beginning in the 1890s. Success over time allowed the firm to expand its small shop,
displacing houses to the south until the present facility was built late in World War I. The present plant
represents the city's industrial response to the war production associated with that war. Although
altered by the replacement of original fayade windows and entryways, the building is well preserved
and presents its distinctive monitor roof profile. The building is individually historically significant under
Criterion A for its association with the Morrison Brothers Company, and Criterion C architecture.
Morrison Brothers, 1911 view (to southwest from north east corner of present property)
Note electric street light, Elm Street tracks (Greater Dubuque)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa
Iowa Site Inventory Form
Continuation Sheet
Site Number 31-03244
Related District Number
Paqe 2
Morrison Brothers Manufacturinq Company
Name of Property
834 East 24th Street
Address
Dubuque
County
Dubuque
City
This firm is not to be confused with A. Y. McDonald-Morrison although the same family
principals were involved in that firm as well. John Morrison (?-1874) founded the boiler making firm in
1855 and developed the technique of holding the hammered rivet with a bar instead of a sledge. His
boilers were sold nationally. Eldest son John Morrison (?-191 0) carried on what was still a small boiler
plant until his death. Andrew M. Morrison reorganized the firm, capitalized it at $50,000. The factory
consisted of a 50x100 building and a 16x16 frame office, both located at the north end of the present
site. At that time six workmen produced two boilers daily, rivetting and caulking each one. Andrew
Morrison rearranged the manufacturing process at minimal cost and revolutionized the business, with
the result that 16 workers produced 21 tanks daily. Morrison also did the marketting to sell the product
(Dubuque Enterprise, January 24, 1903; Morrison Memorial).
The brass shop which produced hand oiling appliances was established in 1908. Morrison
purchased land to the north to expand the tank factory, and land to the south for expanding the
brassworks. Eventually he owned the entire half block (604x100). Seven houses were demolished or
displaced, some likely to the east side of adjoining Prince Street (formerly Elm Street). A second plant
site was purchased in 1920 on 7th Street and it was used to produced non-pressurized holding tanks.
The subject plant expanded between 1911 and 1930 from 5,000 to 100,000 square feet, a 20-fold
increase. This plant produced 300 varieties of brass valves and fittings for petroleum commodities and
air and water tanks(Morrison Memorial).
Morrison credited his success with always producing "good, solid, and substantial merchandise
and working at all times for the best interests of our customers." Customers were never overcharged
on unpriced shipments and unecessary shipments never went out. Returns were refunded without
"quibbling' (Ibid.).
The factory as of 1903-6 was on Elm between Sanford and 22nd streets. The 1909 city directory
lists the firm's boiler works and pneumatic air pressure tank production facility at 2489 Elm Street.
9. Major Sibliographical References:
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, 1891, 1909/36
Dubuque City Directories, 1903, 1904-05, 1909
Bruce Kriviskey, Dubuque, lowa--Architectural Survey 1978/1979, Atlas of City Wide and District
Survey Maps, Dubuque; n.p., c.1979
County Assessor's Data
Dubuque Enterprise, January 24, 1903
In Memoriam For The Late Andrew M. Morrison Being a Resolution By the Morrison Brothers Company
On The Departure from Life of a Truly Great Man (January 31, 1939)
Greater Dubuque