Tevis Block, Office building in Bakersfield, United States.
Tevis Block is a two-story office building in Bakersfield with a U-shaped layout made from imported fire brick, featuring a south-facing facade with fanlight windows and terra cotta arches. The structure contains vertically divided two-sash windows on the lower level and single-light sash windows with radiating brick details above, creating distinct visual effects between floors.
Built in 1893, the structure anchored Bakersfield's downtown business district as the city expanded its commercial reach. It endured the powerful 1952 Kern County earthquake that damaged many surrounding buildings, proving the effectiveness of its fire brick construction.
The building reflects the architectural tastes of Bakersfield's prosperous business community in the late 1800s, with decorative brickwork and arched windows that showed the owner's attention to fine construction. These details suggest how the city's merchants wanted their commercial spaces to project success and permanence.
The building sits downtown on 19th Street and is easy to reach on foot from other local destinations. The fired brick structure has aged well, making it straightforward to examine the window details and decorative brickwork that distinguish each floor.
The structure was built with imported fire brick, an expensive material chosen specifically for its heat resistance, suggesting its owners were willing to invest in durability and prestige. This choice was unusual for office buildings of the era and remains visible in how well the facade has survived over generations.
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