2024 Original Treasures - Indie House
Posted on 03/01/2024
The first Original Treasure property of 2024 is the Indie House at 605 Broadway.
605 Broadway, also known as the Indie House, was built in 1891 for William Coerver. This house is a part of the Broadway Historic District and was built in the Queen Anne Style. The building is clad in red brick which has been laid in the common bond with Flemish headers. Its beautiful, hipped roof is made of decorative tiles and is quite irregular, which is a defining feature of many Queen Anne-style buildings. The façade of the building also stands out for its asymmetrical nature, which is another common theme of the Queen Anne style. The Indie House retains its original porch, along with many of its original sash windows and arched brickwork. The building was built on a sandstone foundation.
William Coerver was the original owner of the Indie House and was a druggist in Cape Girardeau for over 50 years. He also served as mayor for two non-consecutive terms between the years 1885-1901 and 1905-1907.
In 1916, the house was purchased by Dr. G.B. Schulz. Dr. Schulz and his wife Alice, who was a registered nurse, operated a private hospital known as the Schulz Surgical Hospital out of their home from 1923 to 1927. This small hospital housed 14 beds and treated 840 patients during its four years of operation. The Schulz Surgical Hospital was closed after the opening of Southeast Missouri Hospital in 1928.
Since then, the Indie House has been occupied as a private residence, a photography business, and a coffee shop. Now it is the home of The Indie House Creative Spaces, which offers collaborative retail spaces.
Original Treasures is a Historic Preservation Commission yard sign program
that recognizes historic buildings that have been preserved. To be
eligible for Original Treasures, a building must be at least 50 years
old, feature a unique architectural design or represent a vernacular
style, and has been maintained in a manner that retains its
architectural integrity.