Property Record
218 N IOWA ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | IOWA COUNTY JAIL AND SHERIFF'S RESIDENCE |
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| Other Name: | IOWA COUNTY EXTENSION |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 49824 |
| Location (Address): | 218 N IOWA ST |
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| County: | Iowa |
| City: | Dodgeville |
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| Year Built: | 1872 |
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| Additions: | 1875 |
| Survey Date: | 1984 |
| Historic Use: | jail/correctional facility |
| Architectural Style: | Side Gabled |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Limestone |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Iowa Street Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 9/6/1996 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 3/25/1996 |
| 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, State Historic Preservation Office. This two-story Side Gabled jail was built by Thomas Carkeek in 1872 (See Bib. Ref. A, D). It features a rectangular shaped plan configuration, a limestone (coused ashlar) exterior, and a gable roof. Brackets appear beneath the eaves. The partial front porch has its hip roof supported by square posts. The small windows, which befit its original function, have been altered from their former appearance. The building is in good condition. (Note: The Lead Agency is the U.W. System). Architectural/Engineering Significance: Located just southwest of the Iowa County Courthouse, the former Iowa County jail and sheriff's residence is an architecturally significnat property, representing a unique type of construction -- the combination jail and residence. This building type is especially important, for few examples remain in the state. Historical Background: Until 1872, when this limestone building was constructed, the Iowa County jail was located in the courthouse (222 N. Iowa Street, 44/16). An increasing demand for space in the county building had prompted the building of a separate jail and sheriff's residence, which reportedly cost $12,500. According to one historical account, the new facility embodied the "best points contained in draughts of the Milwaukee and Lancaster prisons." (See Bib. Ref. A). Historical Significance: Historically, the former Iowa County jail and sheriff's residence represents one phase in the development of law enforcement in the United States. Based on English practice, the dual-purpose facility was both a practical and economical arrangement. For example, in many counties the sheriff's family, a readily accessible source of labor, was responsible for the maintenance of the building and the preparation of meals for the inmates. (See Bib. Ref. C). |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. "History of Iowa County, Wisconsin," (Chicago: Western Historical Co., 1881), p. 515. B. 1894 Sanborn Perris Map. C. File for Washburn County Jail, Historic Preservation Division, State Historical Society. D. "History of Iowa County, Wisconsin," p. 882. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |