Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

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FangKC
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

Post by FangKC »

The Jones Store department store building (1902)  Chicago-style
12th and Main
Kansas City, MO

Curtiss embraces Chicago Style in his first big department store building. The Jones Store became the largest department store in downtown Kansas City, and was also the last remaining one. It closed in the late 1990s, and the building was demolished in 2006 for the Power & Light District.  Curtiss designed three department stores: The Jones Store, Boley Clothing Co., in Kansas City, and Ideal Clothing Co. in St. Louis.

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The Walnut and Main street facades.

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The Jones Store Cafe.

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Last edited by FangKC on Fri Nov 09, 2007 2:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

Post by PumpkinStalker »

Jones Store Cafe, talk about ahead of its time!  It was Nordstroms before there was such a thing.
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

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In one of Mrs Sam Ray's descriptions of the Jones Store, she discusses the cafe and the fact that many store patrons traveled a great distance by horse and buggy, and stayed a long time shopping, so there was need for an in-house cafe.
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

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I believe he designed a house right down the street from where I grew up.

The Hoel Residence
2108 Washington Blvd in KC.
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

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Haven't gotten to it yet on this thread. I'm posting his buildings as they were designed in progression over time so people can see how he developed as an architect.  The Hoel Residence came later.  You can see it as this thread though.

http://forum.kcrag.com/http://www.kcrag ... 19#p292019
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

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"Kansas City, Missouri.  Home of the worlds richest landfills."
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

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Jonathan Kemper should change his name to Barney Rubble.  :P
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

Post by AllThingsKC »

AllThingsKC wrote: ^ Fang, do you have any older photos of that building?
FangKC wrote: Hold on. I'm uploading it.
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

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Albany Hotel (1903)   Demolished. Renaissance Revival.
NW corner of E. 9th and Charlotte

AKA Peristyle Apartments, designed for J.E. Halpin, grandson of Bernard Corrigan.

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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

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AllThingsKC wrote: Did I miss it?
You will find it here:

http://forum.kcrag.com/http://www.kcrag ... 26#p292426
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

Post by bbqboy »

PumpkinStalker wrote: Jones Store Cafe, talk about ahead of its time!  It was Nordstroms before there was such a thing.
Macy's, Jones, and Emery Bird Thayer all had cafes and/or tea rooms. we used to eat at all of them when I was a kid in the 50's-60's.
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

Post by FangKC »

Porte Haven residence, (1903) American Foursquare-style
414 Gladstone Blvd.
Kansas City MO

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David Mulvane residence (1903) Arts & Crafts, Prairie-style, Eclectic. Demolished.
1035 Van Buren
Topeka, KS

Topeka Public Library Collection

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Thanks to the intrepid reporting of AnnieWarbucks
and the staff at the Topeka Public Library for tracking
this photo down and scanning it for the viewing pleasure
of forum participants.
Last edited by FangKC on Mon Nov 12, 2007 6:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

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Mineral Hall (1904) Romanesque, Art Nouveau. 
aka William A. Rule residence; Bruner residence
4340 Oak  (now owned by Kansas City Art Institute)

This is the third house Curtiss designed for William A. Rule, who died before it was completed. The other properties Curtiss designed for Rule were an adjacent property on Oak called Oaklawn, and a property in Grandview called Clearmont.  The Rule mansion became known as the Bruner house. Bruner commissioned an addition, and was a collector of rocks and minerals. The house came to be known as Mineral Hall.   The art nouveau entrance is said to be among the most photographed subjects in Kansas City.   The house is owned by the Kansas City Art Institute, which uses it for their admissions office.  Parks and boulevard superindendent George Kessler did landscape design for this property and Oaklawn.

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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

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Dean Bros Realty Company  (1904) demolished, variation of Chicago Style-Louis Curtiss-style
1114-16 McGee
Kansas City, MO

This building would have sat adjacent to the Louis Curtiss Studio building to the north on the west side of McGee between it and the former, and now demolished, National Parking Garage.

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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

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Argyle Building (1905); first four floors only; Renaissance Revival; undergoing renovation
306 East 12th (at McGee)
Kansas City, MO

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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

Post by HypnoRaygun »

Hi, I recently got a notice of this tread through my Google News updates about Louis Curtiss. What a great site listing works by Louis Curtiss!

I have personally taken photos of his work around KC. I have them posted here.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hypnoraygu ... 215620071/

I also made a myspace page for him, but needs to add more to it. Any ideas?

http://www.myspace.com/LouisCurtiss

Thanks for posting all of these great historic photos! I didn't know they all existed! Great stuff!

Craig
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FangKC
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

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Hypno, I'm updating this page almost on a daily basis as I do research and assemble photos.
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

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omigod! that's PARK LAND! what was he thinking!?!?!?!  &
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

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book:
Stalking Louis Curtiss, architect : a portrait of the man and his work
    Sandy, Wilda.
Publisher: Ward Parkway Press,
Pub date: c1991.
Pages: 113 p. :
ISBN: 0962984701
Item info: 6 copies available at Kansas City Public Library - Central, Kansas City Public Library - Plaza Branch, Kansas City Public Library - Waldo Community Branch, and Kansas City Public Library - Bluford.
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Re: Architects: Louis Curtiss Buildings

Post by KCLofts »

Damn, even Louis Curtiss got a MySpace page before me!  :lol:

Hey Fang, who is Mrs. Sam Ray?
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