🧱 Shann Building

 Address:  140 South Chicago Street

Built:  1890

Architect:  Robert W. Shann

Contractor:  Unknown

Sandstone Quarry:  Possibly from Argyle Road or Elm Creek Quarry

Architectural Style:  Early commercial sandstone with Romanesque influence

 Square Footage:  ~5,053 sq ft

📜 Historical Overview
The Shann Building is recognized as Hot Springs’ first commercial sandstone structure, making it the oldest surviving commercial building in the city. Designed by Robert W. Shann, it features a finely cut red sandstone façade capped by an ornate zinc cornice. The second story is defined by a trio of rounded-arch windows with molded hoods, flanked by simulated pilasters. Horizontal stone banding divides the façade, and heavy lintels over flat-topped windows showcase the craftsmanship of early Hot Springs masonry.

Construction began in August 1890, just south of Kenefick’s new building. The Hot Springs Star praised its “artistic beauty” by September, predicting it would be “one of the most beautiful buildings in the city.”

Delays came in October when iron columns were slow to arrive, and tragedy struck when workman John Fitzgerald fell from the second story, later dying of his injuries. By mid-October, the red sandstone front was drawing “universal attention” for its distinctive look, crowned by the zinc cornice.

The source of the sandstone remains debated — George Marty suggested the Argyle Road quarry, while its color also matches Elm Creek Quarry on the east side of Battle Mountain.

🏛 Early Years & Ownership

• 1890: Ground floor — Shann Meat Market (W.C. Shann, proprietor, offering beef, mutton, pork, poultry, and game in season). Second floor — offices of Dr. Stanley and Dr. Briggs.
• 1891: Dr. Howell replaced Stanley and Briggs.
• 1892: The Hatchet newspaper (Kennett Frederick Harris) moved into the upstairs rooms; ceased publication November 1893.
• 1895: Mortgage foreclosure; ownership transferred to Pioneer Savings and Loan Co.
• 1900: Deeded to Margaret E. Ferguson.
• 1911: Sold to Larry E. Highley.
• 1925: Acquired by the American Legion Memorial Society.

🏬   Later Uses

• 1934: Barber shop and beauty shop on main level; Legion Hall upstairs.
• 1937: Sold to Loren Bingham, then to Wilber Meyer.
• 1944: Purchased by Florence Snow; lower level became a produce store, then a bar (~1948).
• 1952: Sold to John Eastep, who operated the Wagon Wheel Bar; later managed by his brother Eugene.
• 1954: Municipal liquor store also located here.
• 1984: Building still housed a bar.
• February 2002: Sold to Wendee and Reese Pettis, who opened Uptown Hair and Nails salon. At that time, the building had been intermittently empty, with three vacant upstairs apartments sharing a single bathroom. In 2010 the Pettis family renovated the second floor into a single two-bedroom, two-bathroom vacation rental.
• February 28, 2025: Sold to sisters Brenda Telkamp and Kim McCullom under Vixen Properties, LLC. The property was renamed The Bella Hair and Co., and the new owners have maintained both the salon and the rental apartment in their existing form.

📍 Today
The Shann Building remains a fixture on South Chicago Street. Its red sandstone façade, zinc cornice, and Romanesque-style windows still command attention, while its ground floor continues to host a salon and its upper floor serves as a vacation rental — a testament to its adaptability and enduring role in Hot Springs’ commercial life.

🔍 Research Notes & Requests
Save Our Sandstone is still seeking:

• Confirmed quarry location for its red sandstone
• Builder or contractor records
• Historic photographs or early occupant profiles from the 1890s–1920s

If you have information to help complete this history, please contact Save Our Sandstone.

QR Code Info: Built in 1890, the Shann Building is Hot Springs’ first commercial sandstone structure. Designed by Robert W. Shann, its red stone façade features Romanesque arched windows, bold horizontal bands, and once carried a zinc cornice. Early tenants included Shann’s Meat Market and doctors’ offices, with later use as a Legion Hall, shops, and a lively bar. Over the years, it has remained a versatile landmark with living space above, home to everything from markets and meeting halls to neighborhood salons.