The Williges Building, also known as Cownie-Williges Building, is a historic building located in Sioux City, Iowa, United States. It is a three-story commercial block that was designed by local architects

William L. Steele William LaBarthe Steele (May 2, 1875 – March 4, 1949) was an American architect from Chicago, Illinois. He is considered a principal member of the Prairie School Architectural Movement during the early 20th century. Career After graduating f ...

and George Hilgers. The structure was built for August Williges to house his fur manufacturing factory, salesroom, and storage facility. The decorative terra cotta details on the main facade are

Sullivanesque Louis Henry Sullivan (September 3, 1856 – April 14, 1924) was an American architect, and has been called a "father of skyscrapers" and "father of modernism". He was an influential architect of the Chicago School, a mentor to Frank Lloy ...

in style, which reflects Steele's association with Louis Sullivan from 1897 to 1900. with Completed in 1930, it is one of the last commercial buildings constructed in the early

Prairie School Prairie School is a late 19th- and early 20th-century architectural style, most common in the Midwestern United States. The style is usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in ...

style in the United States, and Steele's last architectural commission in Sioux City. It was also built at the end of the period of time when terra cotta was popularly used as

wall cladding Siding or wall cladding is the protective material attached to the exterior side of a wall of a house or other building. Along with the roof, it forms the first line of defense against the elements, most importantly sun, rain/snow, heat and cold, ...

. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

References

Commercial buildings completed in 1930 Buildings and structures in Sioux City, Iowa National Register of Historic Places in Sioux City, Iowa Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Iowa Prairie School architecture in Iowa William L. Steele buildings 1930 establishments in Iowa {{Iowa-struct-stub