Street number prior to 1925: 501 Walnut
This home was built in 1915 for Peter Bartman (who still lived here in 1925) using "ornamental concrete block." This man-made material fashioned from portland cement made concrete blocks a strong, inexpensive alternative to brick or stone. This gave famillies of average means the opportunity to build houses of many different styles at a reasonable price. Most likely the builer of this house used a manufacturer's catalogue pattern or copied the style of the house around the corner.
Other examples of homes constructed from this material are located at 329 W. Prospect Ave., 335 W. Prospect Ave., 340 W. Prospect Ave., 339 W. Sixth St., 608 W. Sixth St., 617 W. Sixth St., and 419 S. State St.
