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The Witmer/Schuck
Building at the southwest corner of Seventh and
Washington streets, was built by Daniel Witmer in 1867.
Witmer, a successful manufacturer of doors and window
sash, rented his building to various tenants, including
a third floor meeting room or “hall.” This was let to
the numerous fraternal, cultural, and civic groups for
their monthly or special meetings and dances. Witmer
sold the building in the 1870s.
An
important business organization, The Springfield Board
of Trade, occupied the building by 1880. The Board of
Trade promoted industrial growth in Springfield and “was
directly responsible for the establishment of such firms
as the Springfield Watch Company, Alexander Corn
Products factory and the Springfield Woolen Mills,” all
important Springfield employers. Although lasting only
a few years, the Board of Trade set the model for later
economic development associations. The Board had a
telegraph to receive up-to-date market information, set
up samples of commodities and goods for sale, bringing
buyers and sellers together and acted as arbitrator in
business differences. The building was also home to
Springfield city officers from 1889 until our first City
Hall was built in 1894. Among the longest term tenants
were druggists William Schulze and the Baumann Brothers,
the latter a “great mecca for the German residents of
the city, as it not only specialized in many of the
old-time German remedies, but carried many herbs which
no other Springfield drug store stocked.” (Illinois
State Register June 12, 1940).
The
Witmer-Schuck Building is a typical representative of 19th
century commercial structures with its Italianate design
and characteristic segmentally-arched window heads. It
also has the typical arrangement of commercial first
floor with offices and public hall spaces above. It is
significant in having housed several important
organizations in Springfield’s commercial, social and
civic past.
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