Feature 209: 208 North Liberty Street (in 2011)

Classification: Contributing.
Historic Name: Gung Wong/Casper Building.
Architectural Style: Commercial.
Construction Date: ca. 1908.
Period 2 of Harry S Truman's Life: Establishing Community Roots, 1890-1919.
Tax Identification: 26-230-04-13.
Legal Description: Old Town, block 4, part of lot 18.
Description: Contributing one-story brick commercial building, rectangular in shape; flat roof concealed behind parapet; brick exterior; large plate glass windows across east-facing facade; recessed centered door. The building is located in middle of the block about one-half block from the Courthouse Square; a two-story building adjoins it on south wall; an alley extends to the north, then parking lot.
• Alterations: Transom lights above display windows covered (or removed); display windows have been modernized.
History/Significance: The original owners/occupants of this building are not known at present. This building was constructed on the site of two old smaller one-story buildings probably dating from the 1870s; a tin shop (208 North Liberty) and a paint shop converted to an office. When completed, the new building housed Gung Wong Laundry in the southern shop space (208 North Liberty) and the Martin H. Casper tin shop (208 North Liberty [sic. Based on the information from the original 2011 nomination form below, this address possibly should read “210 North Liberty”]). By 1916, the hand laundry still held forth in the southern shop, but the northern shop had become an office. In the 1920s, the northern shop had been divided into two smaller store spaces. In the early 1930s, Frank Smith repaired batteries at 208 North Liberty and Oscar Mindrup conducted his real estate business at 210 North Liberty Street. It now houses only one commercial space, with the street address of 208 North Liberty Street.