Peoples National Bank Building-Fries Building
Why it's listed
Two downtown Rock Island commercial buildings, joined on their lower three stories, now count as a single historic property at the corner of Second Avenue and Eighteenth Street. The Peoples National Bank Building dates to about 1876 and was reworked around 1904 with a fourth story and a new Second Avenue facade. It mixes Commercial Style and Classical Revival details, including a sheet metal cornice and a frieze with swags. Rock Island architects Drack & Kerns and George P. Stauduhar later altered it, and the bank expanded into the adjoining storefront in 1911. Remnants of the bank survive, including a brick vault and decorative ceiling moldings. Next door, the 1897 Fries Building was built by businessman Peter Fries for the Young and McCombs Department Store, which occupied it until 1909. Drack and Kerns designed it. The property was listed for its connection to local retail commerce in the city's historic downtown, where banks, stores and offices once clustered near the Mississippi River.
Significance in brief: The Fries Building is nominated under Criterion A for Commerce, tied to the Young and McCombs Department Store, which operated there from 1897 to 1909. Peter Fries, a prominent Rock Island businessman and developer, built it, and the local firm Drack and Kerns designed it. The bank building is part of the same downtown commercial story, with its c.1904 and 1911 remodellings by local architects.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 99001381, listed November 22, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1729-1731 and 1723-1727 2nd Ave., Rock Island |
|---|---|
| County | Rock Island County |
| Listed | November 22, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99001381 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Peoples National Bank Building: original builder unknown; alterations by Drack & Kerns (1900 and possibly 1904) and George P. Stauduhar (1910-1911). Fries Building: built for Peter Fries, designed by Drack and Kerns. |
| Architectural style | Commercial Style; Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Ground-floor spaces are in use as a restaurant and two shops. The elevator is described as currently dysfunctional, and the function list includes vacant commercial space. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Downtown Rock Island Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.51102, -90.57521 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 99001381.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7166068
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.