Masonic Temple (Huntington, West Virginia)

Masonic Temple-Watts, Ritter, Wholesale Drygoods Company Building
Location 1108 Third Avenue, Huntington, West Virginia
Coordinates 38°25′22″N 82°26′28″W / 38.42278°N 82.44111°W / 38.42278; -82.44111Coordinates: 38°25′22″N 82°26′28″W / 38.42278°N 82.44111°W / 38.42278; -82.44111
Area less than one acre
Built 1922
Built by Moore Construction Co.
Architect Mills, Wilbur T.
Architectural style Early Commercial
NRHP reference # 93000614[1]
Added to NRHP August 26, 1993

The Masonic Temple--Watts, Ritter, Wholesale Drygoods Company Building in Huntington, West Virginia, which has also been historically known as Watts, Ritter Wholesale Drygoods Company Building and more recently known as River Tower, is a commercial building. It is located at 1108 Third Avenue, in Huntington, Cabell County, West Virginia. It was built between 1914 and 1922 as a five-story brick building.

The building is constructed of steel-reinforced concrete with yellow and orange brick facing and terra cotta trim, with an additional two stories added in 1926. It originally housed a large wholesale business with a retail store on the first floor. The Watts, Ritter Wholesale Drygoods Company occupied the building until the firm's closing in 1959. The River Tower is recognized for their Class A Office Space, including their marble and fountain lobby, there are chandeliers throughout their many floors of offices, along with a multi-level deck (including two fountains) with over 150 flowers in the summer on the rooftop. The view from the eighth story deck is overlooking the Ohio River and viewing three states. The historic nature of the building is complimented throughout the seven floors with historic antique doors and office fronts on every floor. There is also a YouTube video (rivertowerelevator) of their Dover elevator, noting that is the one of the fastest elevators in the United States.

The building was listed in 1993 on the National Register of Historic Places as "Masonic Temple--Watts, Ritter, Wholesale Drygoods Company Building".[1]

The building is located in the Financial District on Third Avenue, and in front of a group of historic buildings called Heritage Station. These historic buildings are now home to many beautiful shops and is a short walking distance from Pullman Square.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ Nancy Recchie (March 1993). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Ritter, Wholesale Drygoods Company Building" (PDF). State of West Virginia, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Historic Preservation. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
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