Co-operative Block Building

Co-operative Block Building is a historic commercial structure at the northwest corner of Second and Linn Streets in downtown Crawford, Nebraska. Although it is being treated here as a named property rather than as a conventional consumer brand, the building has developed a recognizable local identity through its historical names, changing occupants, and continuing commercial use. It is also known as Co-op Block and Midwest Block, while its current association with The Broken Spur Saloon has produced the informal name The Broken Spur. The building originated with the Crawford Co-operative Company, which was organized on June 11, 1907, by William J. A. Raum, C. H. Britton, W. A. Eversull, Bernard Soester, J. H. Hulseman, and Edwin Kluman. The company was established to buy, sell, and hold real estate, operate a general-merchandise business, and trade in farm products, poultry, and eggs. It began business in July 1907 with stated capital stock of $100,000. In April 1908, the company approved plans and specifications prepared by William Stanton & Sons for a new commercial block. Completed in 1909, the building was an early and locally significant example of reinforced-concrete construction. It occupies four lots in block 10 of Crawford's original townsite and has a roughly square plan measuring about 100 feet by 100 feet. The two-story Victorian commercial building has plastered exterior walls, a relatively flat roof, a symmetrical east facade divided into four bays, and a pressed-metal cornice with bracketed dentil-like detailing. The original name sign and some decorative cornice elements have been removed. Storefronts have been altered over time, and several upper-story windows have been filled, but the building remains an important component of Crawford's historic downtown. Its construction combined reinforced concrete with a heavy, slow-burning wooden interior structure rather than the all-concrete floors and roof initially contemplated. The building accommodated a variety of commercial and civic uses, including a grocery store, funeral parlor, hardware store, offices, apartments, and meeting space. It was damaged by a substantial fire in 1939, reportedly originating in the basement, though no deaths were reported. The Crawford Co-operative Company dissolved in 1977. In 1978, Tom and Donna Spence opened O'Doherty's in the building and undertook refurbishment work. The restaurant's furnishings included a back bar from a historic saloon in Summit, South Dakota, as well as items associated with Crawford's former Gate City Hotel. The restaurant later passed to Butch and Becky Sellman and subsequently to the Kreman family. The property is currently identified with the Juhlin family as owner and continues to house The Broken Spur Saloon, along with Waning Moon Studio. Its significance is therefore both architectural and adaptive: it preserves an early commercial building while continuing to function as a place for hospitality, business, and local activity.

The history of Co-operative Block Building begins with the Crawford Co-operative Company, established in Crawford, Nebraska, on June 11, 1907. William J. A. Raum, C. H. Britton, W. A. Eversull, Bernard Soester, J. H. Hulseman, and Edwin Kluman organized the company to combine real-estate activity with general merchandising and agricultural trading. Its stated purposes included buying, selling, and holding real estate; operating a general-merchandise business; and buying and selling farm products, poultry, and eggs. The company formally commenced business on July 9, 1907, with capital stock stated at $100,000. As the company developed, it planned a substantial commercial building for Crawford's original townsite. On April 14, 1908, the company approved plans and specifications submitted by William Stanton & Sons. The original concept called for concrete floors and a concrete roof, but the completed structure used reinforced concrete externally with a heavy, slow-burning mill-construction interior. The building was erected in 1909 on lots 9, 10, 11, and 12 of block 10, at the northwest corner of Second and Linn Streets. It was the first building in the Crawford area to employ reinforced-concrete construction, giving it local technological and architectural significance. The finished structure is a two-story Victorian commercial block with a nearly square footprint of approximately 100 by 100 feet. Its plastered walls, flat or gently configured roofline, four-bay east facade, and pressed-metal cornice gave it a formal downtown presence. The original facade included a sign identifying the building, but that sign and other cornice details were later removed. Storefronts have been replaced, although glass remains a major component, and some upper-story windows have been filled. These alterations reflect the building's long period of use rather than a single, unchanging architectural program. Over the decades, the property served a succession of commercial and community functions. Occupants included a grocery store, a funeral parlor, and Midwest Hardware. The upper and interior spaces also accommodated offices, apartments, and a meeting place for the Ku Klux Klan. The building sustained major damage in a 1939 fire thought to have originated in the basement. No casualties were reported, and the structure continued to be used afterward. The Crawford Co-operative Company itself dissolved in 1977, ending the corporate organization that had commissioned the building. A new phase began in 1978, when Tom and Donna Spence opened O'Doherty's in the building. They refurbished the property and introduced historic furnishings, including a back bar removed from a former saloon in Summit, South Dakota. Other furnishings came from Crawford's former Gate City Hotel. The restaurant later changed hands, first to Butch and Becky Sellman and then to the Kreman family. The property is currently owned by the Juhlin family and houses The Broken Spur Saloon, the business that supplies one of its current informal identities. Waning Moon Studio also occupies space in the building. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 12, 1985. Its continuing use illustrates adaptive reuse in a small-town commercial district: a structure created for a cooperative trading enterprise now supports hospitality and studio activity while retaining its place in Crawford's architectural history. The names Co-op Block, Midwest Block, and The Broken Spur reflect different phases of ownership, occupancy, and public recognition.

1. 1985National Register listing

   The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 12.

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2. 1978Restaurant use begins with O'Doherty's

   Tom and Donna Spence opened O'Doherty's and refurbished the property with historic furnishings.

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3. 1977Crawford Co-operative Company dissolves

   The organization that commissioned the building was dissolved after approximately seven decades of existence.

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4. 1939Fire causes substantial damage

   A fire believed to have started in the basement damaged the building, without reported casualties.

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5. 1909Building completed

   The two-story commercial building was erected, becoming Crawford's first structure associated with reinforced-concrete construction.

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6. 1908Construction plans approved

   On April 14, the company approved plans and specifications from William Stanton & Sons for the commercial block.

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7. 1907Crawford Co-operative Company organized

   The company was founded in Crawford on June 11 to conduct real-estate, general-merchandise, and agricultural-product activities.

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A locally significant historic commercial property and adaptive-reuse venue in downtown Crawford, Nebraska.

Product categories. Historic commercial real-estate space · Restaurant and saloon premises · Office, apartment, studio, and meeting space

• 1978Adaptive reuse as a restaurantStrategy

  Following the dissolution of the original cooperative company, the historic commercial building required a new operating use.

  What changed. Tom and Donna Spence opened O'Doherty's and refurbished the interior with salvaged historic furnishings.

  Aftermath. Restaurant use continued through later ownership changes and ultimately became associated with The Broken Spur Saloon.

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• 1908Commissioning of a cooperative commercial blockStrategy

  The Crawford Co-operative Company needed a substantial premises for its real-estate, merchandise, and agricultural-trading activities.

  What changed. The company approved construction plans prepared by William Stanton & Sons, ultimately using reinforced concrete with a heavy timber interior structure.

  Aftermath. The resulting building became an early reinforced-concrete landmark in Crawford and remained in commercial use after the company later dissolved.

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• 1985Co-operative Block Building added to the National Register of Historic Places

  The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 12, 1985, recognizing its architectural and local historical importance.

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• 1939Fire damages Co-operative Block Building

  A fire believed to have begun in the basement caused considerable damage to the building. No casualties were reported.

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• 1909Co-operative Block Building completed in Crawford

  The Crawford Co-operative Company completed its new two-story commercial block, one of the first buildings in the Crawford area to use reinforced-concrete construction.

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1. Co-operative Block Building