The Claude Nolan Building is an important piece of Jacksonville's history for many reasons.  Besides the obvious fact the building is historic, here are two imporant reasons.

Founded by Claude Nolan over 100 years ago, the Claude Nolan dealership still remains a family owned business in Jacksonville. Mr. Claude Nolan, who founded this Cadillac dealership in 1907, was one of this Jacksonville’s most well known innovators. In addition to founding the oldest automobile business in the city, he is also credited with originating the idea of selling automobiles on installments in 1910, a practice that was soon adopted by the entire automotive industry.   Claude Nolan helped revolutionize the auto industry.

This Klutho building is an important historical element of Jacksonville's architectural heritage.  Many Klutho buildings have already been demolished.  Jacksonville has more prairie style buildings than any other city outside the Midwest, thanks to Klutho's influence. It is one of the few remaining century old prairie style buildings on Jacksonville's Main Street.  Although currently loosely overlaid with Art Deco panels (not stuccoed on the brick as some believe) these could be easily removed and the building restored to it's original Prairie façade. 

Jacksonville lost so much of its historic fabric during the Urban Renewal period of the mid-20th century.  It's important to preserve what remains of our history.  Like a Phoenix from the ashes of the Great Fire of 1901, Jacksonville rose up and rebuilt, and what is left of that rebuilding effort is important to preserve.