decorated with cartouches. Similar details are reproduced in the stone of the building's summit; it is crowned by the tips of the piers, which rise slightly above the main roofline. Aside from its facade, the Wicks Building is an undistinguished commercial structure, both in its other walls and in its ordinary rectangular shape. Surrounded by brick buildings, the side walls are plain brick, and the rear is composed of a painted brick wall, a fire escape and ordinary windows, and a service entrance. Covering the entire structure is a simple sloping roof. Taken together, the overall design and the many details of the facade combine to form a distinctive example of the Chicago school of architecture. Most buildings in this style are significantly taller than the three stories of the Wicks, but the placement and size of the windows, the roofline, and the general plan of the building are all similar to buildings considered typical of the Chicago school. Historic designation In 1983, the Wicks Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, due to its distinctive historic architecture. Key to this designation is its unusual style: no other Bloomington building that survives to the present day was built according to the Chicago school. Also of great significance is the building's rare degree of preservation: although the stonework deteriorated slightly over the building's first seventy years, the structure has remained structurally sound, and (unlike on surrounding buildings) virtually no changes to the exterior have been made since construction. In the early 1980s, the building was restored and converted to offices. It is also a contributing property to the Courthouse Square Historic District, which is listed on the National Register. References Commercial buildings completed in 1915 Art museums and galleries in Indiana Buildings and structures in Bloomington, Indiana Chicago school architecture in Indiana Defunct department stores based in Indiana Department stores on the National Register of Historic Places Historic district contributing properties in Indiana Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana National Register of Historic Places in Monroe County, Indiana