{"nrhp_refnum":"04000864","name":"Massie Variety Store","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"110 S. Main St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"New Canton","county":"Pike County","state":"IL","lat":39.63849680900006,"lon":-91.09608781599997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2004-08-20","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Commerce"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story Italianate brick commercial building at 110 South Main Street in New Canton, Pike County, Illinois, built circa 1848-1850, with a rear addition made around 1875. It measures about 30 by 70 feet.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the building is significant under Criterion A for commerce because of its long role in New Canton's commercial development. It served as a mercantile, drug store, grocery, post office and toy store, and its upper floor held an opera house and community gathering space. The period of significance runs from circa 1850 to 1948, when the store closed.","narrative":"At 110 South Main Street in New Canton, Illinois, stands a two-story Italianate brick store building that has anchored the village's commercial center for more than a century and a half. Probably built between 1848 and 1850 by John Webb, it was later run by Amos Morey and then by Melville D. Massie, a Civil War veteran and state legislator. A rear addition followed around 1875. The building has a corbelled brick cornice, cast iron pilasters, large display windows and a recessed entrance. Over time it housed a general store, drug store and ice cream parlor, groceries, a post office and a toy store, while the upstairs served as an opera house, community hall, American Legion space and residence. The store closed in 1948, and the building later reopened for a toy store and an antique shop. Its listing rests on its role in the commerce and everyday life of this small farming community, and on its largely intact exterior and interior.","period_of_significance":"circa 1850-1948","architect_builder":"Unknown","architectural_style":"Italianate","criteria":["A"],"status_note":"Described as in poor to fair condition: the upper story has water damage from roof leaks and unsafe interior stairs, while the roof was recently repaired and drainage problems corrected. Current function is listed as work in progress.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:37.286414-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/7/8939/28893907/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_IL/04000864.pdf"},"photo":null,"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/28893907","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massie_Variety_Store","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14687847"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/illinois/pike-county/massie-variety-store-04000864/"}