Broadwell's Drug Store - Springfield, Illinois
by Susan Rissi Tregoning
Title
Broadwell's Drug Store - Springfield, Illinois
Artist
Susan Rissi Tregoning
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
The Broadwell's Drug Store building, located on the corner of 5th and Washington Street, just catty-corner from the Old State Capitol building, is one of the iconic buildings in the Central Historic District of Springfield, Illinois.
In the early days of Springfield, this was the grocery store's location, Clarkson Freeman & Co. When Freeman sold the business in 1858, Joseph B. Fosselman built what was referred to as a brick "Drug and Fancy store" here.
The drug store changed hands several times but was known as the Old Corner Drug Store when Stuart Broadwell purchased the building in 1888. Broadwell, who had entered the pharmacy business as a clerk for JB Adelsberger's drug store on Fifth Street, planned to go into business himself. Broadwell operated his business out of the old brick building from 1889 to 1916, when he had the present building constructed.
Stuart Broadwell's white terra cotta tile Beaux Arts style building was designed by George Helmle of Helmle and Helmle architectural firm. The building, with its open floor plan, had lots of windows to provide light, fresh air, and plenty of room for merchandise display was hailed as "one of the most modern in Central Illinois" in 1917 when it was completed. The new building was endearingly called "Broadwell's Corner" and became a busy place. The upper floors were commercial spaces, and a barbershop was on site. After Broadwell passed, his son, Norman, operated the store until 1961, when he sold the business but retained ownership of the building. The building continued to be a drug store until the recession of the late 1970s to early 1980s.
Donald Powell and Robert Kleinschmidt purchased the Broadwell's Drug Store building in 1978, restoring it to how it looked when Stuart Broadwell built it. Broadwell's Drug Store was added to the National Register of Historic Places that same year.
Copyright 2022 Susan Rissi Tregoning
Uploaded
August 10th, 2022
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