S. J. Wilkins & Company Building Millinery & Fruit Shop, 217 High Avenue West, Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, IA

Significance: Brick load-bearing walls, 20' x 120', two-story building. Wide oriel window at second floor, modillioned cornice (possibly applied upside-down), leaded glass transom window across storefront. First floor has one large open room in front and small room in rear; second floor has two apartments on second floor with entry hall along east side of building. Interior details include pressed-metal ceiling on first floor, original door hardware, corner moldings and skylights on the second floor. Oriel and cornice not original. Built approximately 18894. S.J. Wilkins and Company, composed of Stilman and Sarah Wilkins, operated a millinery and fruit shop there. In 1910, Chancey W. Bollinger purchased the building and operated a shop there selling watches, jewelry, pianos, organs, and sheet music. "Bollinger" appears in tiles at the floor of the entry.
Survey number: HABS IA-180
Building/structure dates: 1894 Initial Construction