WOODBERY-ELLIS BUILDING

Considered one of the most architecturally intact turn-of-the-century commercial buildings in Quincy’s historic downtown district, the Woodbery-Ellis Building is a gem of late 19th-century commercial architecture that rewards careful observation. Its exterior showcases four iron Corinthian columns and iron pilasters with acanthus leaf motifs — bearing the inscription “Geo L. Nester & Co. Iron Works Evansville, Ind.” on the base.

Built by E.B. Woodbery and T.D. Ellis, the building served successively as a dry goods business and later as one of the earliest grocery stores in Quincy. Purchased and renovated in 1989 by Dick Reddick and Craig McMillan, the building today houses offices on the ground floor and a residential apartment on the second floor — a model of adaptive historic reuse.

Of particular interest to visitors is the Lime Cola mural painted near the top of the building on the north side — a rare surviving example of early 20th-century painted outdoor advertising. The Woodbery-Ellis Building is an essential stop on any architectural tour of Quincy’s Historic District.