Property Record
242-246 MAIN ST (250 MAIN ST)
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | DRIVER'S STORE AND OPERA HOUSE |
|---|---|
| Other Name: | BENEDICTS AND THE TOWNSMEN |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 28121 |
| Location (Address): | 242-246 MAIN ST (250 MAIN ST) |
|---|---|
| County: | Lafayette |
| City: | Darlington |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
| Direction: | |
| Section: | |
| Quarter Section: | |
| Quarter/Quarter Section: |
| Year Built: | 1883 |
|---|---|
| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1982 |
| Historic Use: | opera house/concert hall |
| Architectural Style: | Romanesque Revival |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Main Street Historic District |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date: | 10/7/1994 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 7/15/1994 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| 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-Public History. THIS STRUCTURE COMBINES COMMERCIAL ITALIANATE FORM WITH POLYCHROMATIC ROMANESQUE REVIVAL BRICKWORK. THIS CREAM AND RED BRICK VENEERED COMMERCIAL BLOCK AND OPERA HOUSE PROMINENTLY PLACED ON A CORNER LOT IN THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT HAS A SLIGHTLY SLOPING ROOF AND A PLAIN CORNICE PROJECTING ABOVE AN ARCADE OF ARCHES THAT IS CARRIED AROUND THE TWO STREET FACING SIDES OF THE STRUCTURE. A VERNACULAR INTERPRETATION OF THE VICTORIAN ROMANESQUE STYLE, THE FACADE FEATURES AN ARCADE OF CORBELED POLYCHROMATIC ROUND ARCHES TERMINATING INTO A SIMPLE CORNICE ABOVE THE 2ND FLOOR WINDOWS. AN UNADORNED CORNICE SEPARATES THE STREET LEVEL FACADE FROM THE 2ND STORY. PROJECTING SEGMENTAL ARCHED WINDOW HOODS OVER THE LONG, NARROW 2ND STORY WINDOWS FURTHER CHARACTERIZES THIS TWO-STORY STRUCTURE. UTILITARIAN CAST IRON COLUMNS FRAME THE STREET LEVEL STORE FRONTS. GENERALLY, THE STORE FRONTS HAVE BEEN ALTERED TO VARIOUS DEGREES FOR CONTEMPORARY USE. THE STRUCTURE HAS SOME STONE CONSTRUCTION AT THE REAR. ONE OF THE OLDER BUILDINGS IN THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT TO REMAIN IN ITS ORIGINAL STYLE, THIS STRUCTURE IS ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT IS A GOOD INTERPRETATION OF THE VICTORIAN ROMANESQUE COMMERCIAL STYLE POPULAR DURING THE PERIOD IT WAS CONSTRUCTED. IN ADDITION, VISUALLY, IT IS A KEY BUILDING OF SUBSTANTIAL SIZE IN THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT OF DARLINGTON. THE DRIVER OPERA HOUSE IS ONE OF THE MOST HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT STRUCTURES IN DARLINGTON'S COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. JOSEPHUS DRIVER AND HIS SONS PROBABLY WERE A FEW OF THE PIVOTAL CHARACTERS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DARLINGTON'S COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. JOSEPHUS DRIVER ORIGINALLY OF YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND CAME TO LAFAYETTE COUNTY IN 1851. HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST SETTLERS OF DARLINGTON.(F) DRIVER, WHO WAS A MERCHANT TAILER, BUILT THE SECOND STORE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN DARLINGTON. HE WAS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL AS A TAILOR AND CLOTHIER. IN 1853, HE EXPANDED HIS BUSINESS AND ADDED A FULL STOCK OF GENERAL MERCHANDISE. HIS ORIGINAL STORE WAS LOCATED IN THE 200 BLOCK, EAST SIDE OF MAIN STREET.(D,F) IN 1866 HIS SON, ROBERT H., TOOK CHARGE OF THE GENERAL MERCHANDISE BRANCH. IT WAS EXPANDED WHEN HE BOUGHT THE LAFAYETTE COUNTY BOOK STORE (NOW SOLOMON AUTO PARTS) (LT 26-32). IN 1879, ROBERT'S BROTHER JOSEPH B., A PHARMACIST, TOOK CHARGE OF THE BOOK STORE AND ADDED A DRUG COUNTER. THE EXPANDING GENERAL MERCHANDISE STORE HAD OUTGROWN ITS QUARTERS (SOLOMON AUTO PARTS--NORTH STORE--LT 26-31).(D) THE DRIVER OPERA HOUSE WAS ERECTED IN THE SPRING OF 1883. IT OCCUPIES TWO LOTS FRONTING ON MAIN AND EXTENDS 200 FEET ON ANN STREET. IT WAS GREATLY APPRECIATED BY THE CITY FOR IT "FURNISHED THE CITY WITH A HALL." THREE QUARTERS OF THE GROUND FLOOR WAS ORIGINALLY OCCUPIED BY DRIVER'S GENERAL MERCHANDISE STORE. THE CORNER SPACE WAS OCCUPIED BY W. A. MANNING'S JEWELRY AND ONE DOOR WEST ON MAIN WAS THE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE.(E) THE OPERA HOUSE ON THE SECOND FLOOR WAS OCCUPIED BY A PUBLIC HALL AND STAGE, 100 FEET IN LENGTH. THE AUDIENCE SEATING CAPACITY WAS 500 TO 600 IN A ROOM 76 X 40 FEET. THE STAGE WAS 20 X 24 FEET. THE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION COST WAS BETWEEN $10,000 AND $15,000.(E) THE DRIVER COMPANY WAS ONE OF THE LEADING COMPANIES OF THE CITY. JOSEPHUS DRIVER, THE FATHER AND FOUNDER CONTINUED HIS TAILOR AND CLOTHING BUSINESS IN HIS OLD STORE ON S. MAIN UNTIL HIS DEATH IN 1901. ROBERT H. CONTINUED CHARGE OF THE MERCANTILE BUSINESS ALONG WITH HIS BROTHERS SEPHUS S., JOSEPH B. AND JAMES. LATER SEPHUS AND JOSEPH MOVED TO CHICAGO AND MOBILE, ALABAMA RESPECTIVELY. ROBERT AND JAMES REMAINED IN BUSINESS AT DARLINGTON. THE DRIVER BROTHERS ALSO DEALT IN GRAIN-BUYING AND HAD SEVERAL WAREHOUSES.(D,B) THE DRIVER MERCANTILE COMPANY OPERATED IN DARLINGTON THREE QUARTERS OF A CENTURY AND IN THIS BUILDING OVER 50 YEARS. THE OPERA HOUSE EXISTED AS LONG. IT WAS THE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER DURING THE LATE 19TH CENTURY AND EARLY 20TH CENTURY. TRAVELING SHOWS AND PLAYS WERE PERFORMED HERE. DANCES AND COMMUNITY GATHERINGS WERE HELD IN THE OPERA HOUSE.(C) Covenant/Easement: From 6/10/1994 to 6/10/1999. A 'covenant file' exists for this property. It may contain additional information such as photos, drawings and correspondence. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. |
|---|---|
| Bibliographic References: | A. BIRD'S EYE VIEW MAP OF DARLINGTON: H. BROSIUS, 1871; J. J. STONER, 1881. B. SANBORN-PERRIS MAP, DARLINGTON, 1884, 1889, 1894, 1900, 1908, 1915, 1924. C. KENNETH SCHREITER, INTERVIEW, 1-10-83. D. "DARLINGTON REPUBLICAN," JANUARY 7, 1881. E. IBID., JANUARY 4, 1884. F. C. W. BUTTERFIELD, "HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY," 1881, P. 718. G. "WISCONSIN NECROLOGY," VOLUME 19, P. 138. Take a Walk on Main Street: Historic Walking Tours in Wisconsin's Main Street Communities, Wisconsin Main Street Program, 1998. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |