Architectural Tours
• Courthouse Square Historic District
--Courthouse Interior
--East Side Square
--East Main Street
--South Side Square
--West Side Square
--North Side Square
Delphi Courthouse Square Historic District: South Side of the Square
The South Washington Street side of the Oddfellows' buildiing reveals more of the decorative sheet-metal window hoods, some with terra cotta medallions. 209-211 South Washington Street. Built in 1888 by Mrs. Swegman, the 3-story brick structure is in the Romanesque Revival style. Notable are the terra cotta keystones. It has been the home of many different businesses over the years, including a shooting gallery. Clawson Appliances was located there before moving to its present location at 103 S. Washington.
213-217 South Washington.
Built in the 1860s, this 2-story Italianate had arched windows and a brick facade which matched that of the C & G Moore Block across the street. The building was operated as the Occidental Hotel, Sabin House, Clifton Hotel, and Iona Hotel. During the 1890s mineral baths were added with artesian water pumped from a spring in the area. In 1913, the Swegman family sold the hotel to the Masonic Building Association which converted it to the Masonic lodge. The hotel rooms and baths were removed; the ceiling height on the second floor was altered to accommodate a dome over the lodge area and the parapet increased in height as well. The building was parged with a concrete surface about this same time.
The Masonic Lodge was sold after the merger of the Delphi and Camden lodges and is presently owned by Times Past Restorations.
102-108 West Main.
The corner building was erected in 1863 by Cameron and George Moore replacing the general store of Noah Dewey which operated there for many years prior. It is a 4-story Italianate structure. Next to the Moore block to the west is the the 3-story Robert Barnett building where Barnett sold stoves and tinware. Notable are the original, triple-hung windows on the third floor. The 4-story brick at 106 W. Main Street was built by Lewis Martin in the mid 1860s and originally housed a hardware store. Its facade matched those of the Moore and Barnett blocks. For many decades it housed the Burr and Brewer shoe stores. An elephant appearing in many period photographs was the symbol of the Brewer shoe store. Constructed in 1858 by Vine Holt and Enoch Rinehart, the 3-story, 3-bay Italianate was the first brick building on the block. An ironwork balcony appears over the storefronts in a photograph from the late 1860s. The 3rd floor housed the Holt & Rinehart Hall which was the early center for entertainment gatherings on the square. Holt & Strawbridge operated a dry goods store here. Benjamin Strawbridge left the business to return to Pennsylvania where he founded the famed Strawbridge Clothiers in Philadelphia.
From the 1870s to 1911, the storefront nearest the alley was home to Murphy's Drug Store. The Murphys donated the Water Maiden fountain on the southwest corner of the square. Elless & Orr and later Orr drug stores operated here as well. All of the buildings on this quarter block received a concrete parging coat to resemble cut stone sometime in the late 1890s or early 1900s.
114-124 W. Main Street.
At 114-116 W. Main Street is the Italianate built in 1891 by Christian Gros Hardware and H.C. Best Tailor on the site where the Dunkle & Kilgore business sat for many decades during the mid 1800s. The handsome building is noted for its terra cotta stringers and medallions. The cast iron store fronts remain, though covered by the shake awnings popular in the 1970s. The storefronts were home to L. M. Pletcher Hardware for many decades. At 118-120 West Main Street is the early 1990s building that once housed the Arc Theater and later, the Dixie Theater. The Welcome Inn served up meals here from the 1940s into the 1970s. Next door at 122 West Main is one of the two frame buildings remaining on the square; the other is Sassy's Hair Salon and Spa on North Washington Street. On the corner, built in early 1960s is the concrete block building housing Johns Liquor Store.
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