To spot the South Side German Historic District, look ahead for rows of brick and stone buildings with arched windows and colorful trims, especially where the street corners come alive with historic facades-one with a white front and red accents, and another with blue-trimmed bay windows.
Welcome to the South Side German Historic District, where Quincy’s roots go deep and the buildings have more stories than a German fairytale. Imagine it: you’re walking down these streets just south of downtown, surrounded by the sturdy brickwork and steep rooftops shaped by generations of German immigrants. Long before these blocks were famous for cozy restaurants or casket shops (don’t worry, you’re not in a ghost story!), this was “Calftown”-named for all the residents who kept calves in their backyards. If you ever wondered what it smelled like here in the 1800s, you can bet it wasn’t spaghetti!
Let’s jump to 1857-a time when three brothers, the Dicks, launched their legendary Dick Brothers Brewery on 9th and York. Imagine the *clink* of barrels and the *froth* of beer as this brewery grew to become one of the Midwest’s biggest, even outselling the mighty Anheuser-Busch for a while! At its peak, 70,000 barrels a year rolled out, making Quincy the toast of the region. Sadly, Prohibition crashed the party, and by 1951, after wars, laws, and tough times, the brewery faded into history. But its storied brick walls still stand, now hosting art studios and dreams of a revival-if those walls could talk, they might just hiccup!
Turn the corner and you’ll find the Eighth Street Business District-the heartbeat of Calftown, alive with the ghosts of the State Street Theater’s movie crowds (you can almost hear the popcorn popping), old churches where hymns still echo, and Gem City College where you could learn how to fix a watch or style some hair.
Here, history hasn’t just been preserved, it’s been lived. From the abolitionist bravery of Dr. Richard Eells-who once sheltered runaway slaves in his brick house-to Quincy’s oldest cemetery overlooking the Mississippi, every brick and beam whispers a story. Whether it’s spaghetti dinners, beer barrels, or freedom seekers, this district invites you to savor not just the food, but the layers of life that make Quincy unforgettable.
