The building at 302 Washington St. in Oregon, Illinois is part of trio of historic Italianate commercial buildings within the boundaries of the

Oregon Commercial Historic District The Oregon Commercial Historic District is a historic district in Oregon, Illinois, that has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2006. The district is roughly bordered by Jefferson, Franklin, 5th and 3rd Streets in Ore ...

from 300-306 Washington. The structure acts mostly as a hallway area between the buildings at 300 Washington St. and the F.G. Jones Block. The interior and exterior have been significantly restored on all three buildings. As part of the Commercial Historic District 300 Washington Street was added to the National Register of Historic Places in August 2006.

Architecture

This two-story red

brick A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured cons ...

building is detailed with limestone and sits adjacent to the F.G. Jones Block, at 304-306 Washington, and the historic building at 300 Washington. A

canvas Canvas is an extremely durable plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, shelters, as a support for oil painting and for other items for which sturdiness is required, as well as in such fashion objects as handbags ...

awning stretches the entire front facade, continuing along to the other two buildings connected to 302. The second-story front exterior features three windows and is heavily Italianate in its design. All three window bays are elaborately

arch An arch is a vertical curved structure that spans an elevated space and may or may not support the weight above it, or in case of a horizontal arch like an arch dam, the hydrostatic pressure against it. Arches may be synonymous with vaul ...

ed, the central one being taller than the two flanking bays. The

hoodmold In architecture, a hood mould, hood, label mould (from Latin ''labia'', lip), drip mould or dripstone, is an external moulded projection from a wall over an opening to throw off rainwater, historically often in form of a '' pediment''. This mould ...

s are stone round arches with decorative keystone and impost blocks, with those on the central window being the more ornate of the three. The base of the building's parapet is

corbel In architecture, a corbel is a structural piece of stone, wood or metal jutting from a wall to carry a superincumbent weight, a type of bracket. A corbel is a solid piece of material in the wall, whereas a console is a piece applied to the s ...

led in the same red brick that makes up the rest of the exterior. At the building's frieze are seven recessed panels with small corbelled areas of brick between. Particularly notable is the building's rear facade. The uniform brick surface stretches evenly over all three of the structures, 302, 300 and the Jones Block. The rear facade of 302, however, features a cast-iron storefront with bulkhead panels and two storefront sash double doors. Cast-iron columns separate the storefront sash from the beams with rosettes.

History

The building's east end was used as a theater for the showing of

films A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

in the early part of the 20th century. The building at 302 Washington became the theater after the operation at a local saloon moved there.

Notes

{{Reflist Buildings and structures in Oregon Commercial Historic District Historic district contributing properties in Illinois