Joseph P. Herman Store and Residence

"In 1870, Herman commissioned Cluss to design a three-story brick building with a store on the first floor and a dwelling and storage space on the second and third floors. The pressed brick front, Cluss said, "would present an imposing appearance." The federal government demolished the store and residence and all other houses in the block in the 1930s in order to build an office building.Herman operated a dry goods store on Four and a Half Street as early as 1864. He died in the 1890s but his wife managed the store into the early 1900s. Joseph Herman was a leader in his Hebrew congregation in Southwest Washington. Joseph emigrated from Hesse-Darmstadt, a German state, perhaps with Samuel Herman, who lived directly across Four and Half Street, and who entered the United States in 1855. Joseph’s wife emigrated from Bavaria."