Property Record
320 S 5TH AVE
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Washington County Courthouse |
|---|---|
| Other Name: | Washington County Historical Society |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 14657 |
| Location (Address): | 320 S 5TH AVE |
|---|---|
| County: | Washington |
| City: | West Bend |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
| Direction: | |
| Section: | |
| Quarter Section: | |
| Quarter/Quarter Section: |
| Year Built: | 1889 |
|---|---|
| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1987 |
| Historic Use: | courthouse |
| Architectural Style: | Romanesque Revival |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Cream Brick |
| Architect: | EDWARD V. KOCH |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Washington County Courthouse and Jail |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date: | 3/9/1982 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 1/1/1989 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: | County Courthouses of Wisconsin Thematic Group |
| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation. Another map code for this building is WT 18/21, found on the Hand Drawn map. This three and one half story building features a rectangular shaped plan configuration, a stone foundation, a cream brick exterior, a brick and stone trim and a tin shingled hip roof. Perhaps the most notable element of the structure is the massive central tower which rises eight stories in height, the top of which culminates into a dramatic pyrmidal roof. Large brackets, circular shaped vents, turrets, dormers, dentil trimmed cornices, and a balustraded railing further distinguish this tower. The rear of the building displays an open gable end whose embellishments include a parapet and a bank of narrow Romanesque arched windows. In fact, Romanesque arches distinguish the windows and door openings throughout the entire structure, with colossal Richardsonian Romanesque arches defining the main entrances. The cornice along the second story is lined with dentil trim, echoing that of the tower. A belt course is rendered in cut limestone and visually separates the first from the second stories. The water table, too, is comprised of cut stone. The Washington County Courthouse functioned as office space (1987). Currently, it houses the Washington County Historical Society (2008). |
|---|---|
| Bibliographic References: | ZIMMERMANN, RUSSELL "THE HERITAGE GUIDEBOOK" (HERITAGE BANKS 1976). FOND DU LAC REPORTER 10/9/1995. WEST BEND DAILY NEWS 12/16/1995. WEST BEND DAILY NEWS 1/23/1996. HARTFORD TIMES PRESS 8/29/1996. Washington County History and Driving Tours presented by the Washington County Landmarks Commission, 1999. West Bend Historic Building Tour, Rathbun Associates, undated. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |