Gerst Haus

Gerst Haus View all images of Gerst Haus

a.k.a. Heldt & Voelker Hardware

a.k.a. Rosenberger Klein & Co

Quick Timeline

1890	Building completed for Rosenberger's wholesale grocery
1925	Heldt & Voelker move from their old store in the Folz Commercial Block
2000s	Gert Haus restaurant opens

Location

Architecture

History

Comments

this mammoth, three-story brick block, encrusted with metal and brick decorative detailing, was built in 1890 for wholesale retail grocer August Rosenberger. evansvilles finest example of stant turn-of-the-century commercial architecture. the storefront is constructed of plate glass, fluted cast iron pilasters, and slender cast iron columns, while brick surfaces of the upper stories are overlaid with ornamental sheet metal. the building stood alone until 1894, when rosenberger erected an abutting brick warehouse of the same large proportions as the store. the warehouse was razed in the 1940s, but, fortunately, the store remains in near-pristine condition on both the interior and exterior. credit for its preservation can be attributed to the owners of Heldt & Voelker Hardware who have appreciated its vintage qualities since they first occupied the building in 1925. The Heldt & Voelker business itself is as much a West Franklin institution as the building and dates back to about 1907, when John H Heldt, William Heldt, and George Voelker sold farm machinery out of a building on the northeast corner of Franklin & 12th mesker storefront per gotmesker.com

See also

Research notes

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