| Additional Information: | THIS THREE-STORY RESIDENCE FEATURES AN IRREGULAR PLAN CONFIGURATION, A STONE FOUNDATION, AND A COMBINATION BRICK AND ASBESTOS SHINGLE EXTERIOR. THE REESE HOME IS CHARACTERIZED BY A NORTH-FACING BAY WINDOW, DISTINCTIVE WINDOW HOODS, PAIRED, EAVE-LINE BRACKETS AND A MANSARD ROOF PUNCTUATED BY DORMERS. THE CONDITION OF THE 1888 DWELLING IS EXCELLENT. (SEE BIB. REF. A).
ARCHITECTURAL/ENGINEERING SIGNIFICANCE:
THE SECOND EMPIRE RESIDENCE OF SMAUEL REESE, A DODGEVILLE LAWYER AND BANKER, IS A LOCALLY IMPORTANT EXAMPLE OF THE NINETEENTH CENTURY STYLE. DESPITE MINOR ALTERATIONS, THE HANDSOME BRICK DWELLING RETAINS ITS ARCHITECTURAL DISTINCTION (AND STYLISTIC DETAILS, MOST SIGNIFICANTLY ITS MANSARD ROOF) AND CONTINUES TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY'S CULTURAL LANDSCAPE.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
BORN IN NORTH WALES, SAMUEL W. REESE (1830-1902) IMMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES AT AN EARLY AGE, FIRST SETTLING IN CINCINNATI, THEN MOVING TO DODGEVILLE IN 1852. IN THE MINING COMMUNITY REESE INITIALLY WORKED IN B.F. THOMAS' GENERAL STORE. AFTER FOUR YEARS IN THIS POSITION, HE OPENED HIS OWN STORE, AN ENTERPRISE WHICH HE MANAGED FOR ONE YEAR AND SOLD IN ORDER TO TAKE UP THE STUDY OF LAW. IN 1858 REESE WAS ADMITTED TO THE BAR; IN 1871 HE FORMED A PARTNERSHIP WITH RICHARD CARTER (114 E. NORTH STREET, 48/6).
ALSO IN 1871 REESE ENTERED THE BANKING BUSINESS BY ESTABLISHING THE DODGEVILLE BANK, THE FIRST FINANCIAL INSTITUTION IN THE COMMUNITY. FROM 1895 UNTIL 1919 WHEN A NEW STRUCTURE (178 N. IOWA STREET, 44/12) WAS CONSTRUCTED, THE DODGEVILLE BANK WAS LOCATED IN THE REESE BUILDING (166 N. IOWA STREET, 44/10). WHEN THE BANK MOVED TO ITS NEW LOCATION IT WAS KNOWN AS THE FIRST NAITIONAL BANK OF DODGEVILLE. (SEE BIB. REF. B, C).
REESE WAS ALSO ACTIVE IN POLITICAL SPHERES. A SUPPORTER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SINCE ITS CREATION, THE LAWYER AND BANKER WAS IN 1892 ONE OF THE REPUBLICAN ELECTORS ON THE PRESIDENTIAL TICKET AND IN 1900 THE CHAIRMAN OF THE IOWA COUNTY REPUBLICAN CENTRAL COMMITTEE. IN ADDITION, REESE SERVED AS COUNTY BOARD CHAIRMAN, AS MAYOR OF DODGEVILLE, AND IN 1876 AS IOWA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. (SEE BIB. REF. B).
REESE DIED IN 1902. HIS SECOND WIFE JENNIE OWENS REESE REMAINED IN THIS HOUSE UNTIL HER DEATH IN C. 1930. AT THAT TIME, NATALE CERUTTI PURCHASED THE RESIDENCE AND CONVERTED IT TO HOUSE THE DODGEVILLE MONUMENT WORKS. (SEE BIB. REF. D).
HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
THE REESE RESIDENCE IS ALSO SIGNIFICANT HISTORICALLY BECAUSE OF ITS ASSOCIAIOTN WITH SAMUEL REESE, A LAWYER WHO ESTABLISHED DODGEVILLE'S FIRST FINANCIAL INSTITUTION, THE DODGEVILLE BANK. ADDING TO THE BUSINESSMAN'S PROMINENCE WAS HIS INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICAL AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS; THE NATIVE OF NORTH WALES HELD VARIOUS POSITIONS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS OFFICES IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
(NOTE: REESE'S RESIDENCE HAS BEEN SELECTED TO REFLECT HIS CONTRUBUTION BECAUSE THE REESE BUILDING (166 N. IOWA STREET, 44/10), HAS BEEN TOTALLY ALTERED AND THE SECOND BANK BUILDING (178 N. IOWA STREET, 44/12) WAS CONSTRUCTED AFTER HIS DEATH). |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. TAX ASSESSMENT RECORDS, CITY OF DODGEVILLE, AREA RESEARCH CENTER, UW-PLATTEVILLE.
B. A.M. THOMSON, A POLITICAL HISTORY OF WISCONSIN (MILWAUKEE: E.C. WILLIAMS, 1900), P. 386.
C. GEORGE AND ROBERT M. CRAWFORD, EDS. MEMORIRS OF IOWA COUNTY, WISCONSIN, 2 VOLS. (CHICAGO: NORTHWESTERN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION, 1913), 1:161; 2:158-159.
D. SCRAPBOOK, "ALONG MAIN STREET," DODGEVILLE CHRONICLE ARTICLES, 1933, IOWA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
E. WALKING TOUR OF HISTORIC DODGEVILLE, WISCONSIN, DODGEVILLE HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION, 1995. |
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