Today's Rock Island postcard, from the collection at the Rock Island Public
Library, shows a house with the printed identification: "Bungalow of
Charles W. Hawes, Head Clerk of M. W. of A." Fortunately, this charming
home still graces our town and still looks very much like it did 90 years
ago. The young man on the steps with the dog is probably his son, John,
while Major Hawes and his wife, Mary, are seated on the porch. The dog's
name is not recorded. Major Hawes, who earned his title during the Civil
War as a member of the 92nd U. S. Cavalry, was born in 1841, the son of
pioneer Rock Island settlers. After the war, he served Rock Island as Chief
of Police and later as postmaster.
He joined a Modern Woodmen of America camp in 1885, only two years after MWA
was organized. In 1890, he was elected Head Clerk. Head Clerk is
equivalent to the office now known as National Secretary. Major Hawes was a
man of remarkable abilities, who greatly influenced and facilitated the move
of MWA headquarters from Fulton, Illinois, to Rock Island in 1897. Later he
was instrumental in establishing the Royal Neighbors of America as a true
beneficiary auxiliary and not just a social group. He remained with MWA
until 1914, when he retired due to ill health.
Early in the 20th Century, Mr. Hawes and his family resided at 1216 21st
Street and, for a few years, maintained what they called a summer residence
at 1733 29th Street. By 1912, the family moved to their summer area
permanently when they built this home at 2900 18th Avenue. Hawes died in
1916, only a few years after moving here but his wife remained until the mid
1940s. After her death, the home was sold and converted to a duplex.
The previously residential neighborhood on 18th Avenue was changing. By
1953, a Chicken Delight restaurant had opened next door, and other
businesses were locating nearby. Its proximity to a prime commercial corner
made the demise of the Hawes bungalow only a matter of time. Within a few
years, a brand new gas station stood on the home site. Today even the gas
station is gone and the lot is part of the HyVee parking area.
But the Hawes family home can still be seen. Fortunately, it was not
demolished, but rather moved to a new location at 1418 20th Street in the
Broadway Historic District. It is very recognizable, despite a few changes
over the years. The postcard shows a porch that extends around the right
side of the house. When the house was moved, the side portion of the porch
was eliminated, which explains the reason for a curved railing on the south
side and a flat one on the north. Fortunately the rustic masonry columns
were saved. Over ensuing years, modern siding has been applied, narrow like
the original, and the small balcony railing has been removed.
Although the postcard calls this a bungalow, it shows many characteristics
of other styles as well. Modern references to bungalows usually mean either
a Craftsman or Tudor bungalow. The Craftsman is characterized by wide eaves
and triangular roof braces while the Tudor has half-timbering and is usually
constructed of masonry. The bungalow features in the Hawes house are the
rustic porch columns and the fact that it is a 1-1/2 story building. If it
contained two stories, it would look a great deal like many of the other
homes in the Broadway area that combine Queen Anne and Colonial Revival
features. The multi-gabled roofline is Queen Anne, while the Palladian
triple window, trimmed with a wooden keystone, on the second floor and the
porch balustrade are Colonial Revival.
Take a drive or walk on 20th Street to see Major Hawes' house. If you'd
like to know more about other homes in the area, be sure to pick up a free
copy of the 20th Street Walking Tour booklet at the Preservation Commission
kiosk at Rock Island's downtown library.
|