Iconic Downtown Healdsburg Location

A FINE BUILDING. F. A. KRUSE BLOCK COMPLETED. the Home of Handsome Stores and Up-to-Date Dental Parlors.


The fine Kruse building, which is located on the south side of the Plaza, is about completed, and those who have rented stores and offices have moved or are moving in. The building is a substantial ornament to the town, being modern and up-to-date, with excellent foundations and walls, constructed of the best brick to be obtained in this State. The front walls are composed of terracotta bricks from Lincoln, Placer county, and the other walls are made of San Rafael brick. The lower floor is divided into three fine store rooms with large show windows of plate glass. There are four sets of offices on the second floor and a fine broad staircase leading to them from the front of the building. All of the offices have bay windows. The entrance to the stores on the first floor are laid in ornamental tessellated tiling, presenting a neat and attractive appearance. The entire lower front is composed of iron, steel and plate glass. Over the cornice in a semi-oval panel is the following legend in raised gold letters; “Kruse Building, erected in 1900.’’ The architecture is modern renaissance, and the architect who drew the plan is A. J. Barnett of San Francisco. Mr. Fred Kruse superintended the entire construction of the edifice, there being no contract work done. The interior of the second story is finished in natural woods, some of the hall trimmings being embossed and presenting a beautiful appearance. The west room is occupied by Wells, Fargo & Co.’s office and the Western Union telegraph office. The front window and part of the room—divided by a railing—is occupied by E, H. Beck as an express office. In the rear of the express and telegraph office is located Mr. Kruse’s private room. The doors and window are elegantly lettered in gold. The whole constitutes a very fine office. The middle store is occupied by Vitousek & Co. us a first-class shoe store, and they have an elegant display of goods in their windows. In the rear of the store is located the manufacturing and repair shop. The east and third store is rented but is not yet occupied. Ascending the easy flight of stairs you turn to the left and enter the dental parlors of Dr. J. M. McClish which are fitted up very tastefully, and with the latest appliances for performing first class work. The dental parlor is in the front and the reception room and work room are in the rear. The window and doors are lettered in gold. There are two front suites of rooms between Dr. McClish’s office and the office of Dr. H. G. Hewitt, which is very elaborately fitted up. The reception and operating room is in the front, the operating chair setting in the bay window. The extracting room is in the rear of the front parlor and is a well lighted room, and back of this is the laboratory and work room, all complete in their appointments for modern dental work. In the rear of Dr. Hewitt’s office, is located a photograph gallery of three rooms, finely furnished, which will be occupied by W. A. Mooers. Druggist C. D. Evans and wife will occupy the adjoining suite as housekeeping rooms. There are several other rooms, which will make fine offices. A covered porch extends along the entire rear of the building, furnishing a fine outside view for the upper rooms, and a portico for the rear of the stores on the lower floor. There is a long shed building in the rear, separate from the main building, and divided into numerous apartments for wood, coal, etc. The building is Healdsburg’s most complete modern structure and Mr. Kruse has shown a most commendable public spirit in making the improvement. The carpenter work has been under the direction of W. H. Chaney, and reflects credit on his abilities in his line. William Burgett erected the brickwork and H. H. Pyne did the plastering, local labor being employed throughout.