Masonic Block (Fargo, North Dakota)
Masonic Block | |
 | |
   | |
| Location | 11 S. 8th St., Fargo, North Dakota |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 46°51′55″N 96°47′29″W / 46.86528°N 96.79139°W |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1884 |
| Built by | Andrew McHench |
| Architect | Daniels & Proctor |
| Architectural style | Early Commercial |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001771[1] |
| Added to NRHP | August 3, 1979 |
The Masonic Block in Fargo, North Dakota, also known as Dakota Business College or Watkins Block, is an Early Commercial style building built in 1884. It was designed by Fargo architects Daniels & Proctor.
The building gets its name from the fact that one of the original tenants of the building was a local Masonic lodge. The lodge rented the third floor of the building, which it used as a meeting hall (the lodge met in the building for only four years, from 1885 to 1889).
Despite the name, the building is better known for its subsequent educational function. It housed Fargo College from 1887 to 1890, and the Dakota Business College from 1891 to 1978.[2]
Today it is used as a purely commercial building. It is one of few commercial structures in Fargo that survived a fire in 1893.[2]
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.[1] The listing included one contributing building, on an area of less than 1 acre (0.40 ha).[1]
References
- ^ a b c "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
- ^ a b Kurt Schweigert (May 22, 1979). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Masonic Block / Dakota Business College, Watkins Block". National Park Service. and Accompanying 14 photos, exterior and interior, from c. 1921, 1978, and 1979
- Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in North Dakota
- Commercial buildings completed in 1884
- Buildings and structures in Fargo, North Dakota
- Buildings designated early commercial in the National Register of Historic Places
- Former Masonic buildings in North Dakota
- National Register of Historic Places in Cass County, North Dakota
- Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in North Dakota
- University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in North Dakota
- 1884 establishments in Dakota Territory
- North Dakota Registered Historic Places stubs