Property Record
106 W MERRIMAC ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | CHRONICLE BUILDING |
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| Other Name: | DODGEVILLE CHRONICLE OFFICE |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 50318 |
| Location (Address): | 106 W MERRIMAC ST |
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| County: | Iowa |
| City: | Dodgeville |
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| Unincorporated Community: | |
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| Year Built: | 1935 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1984 |
| Historic Use: | small office building |
| Architectural Style: | Art/Streamline Moderne |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | JOSEPH G. DURRANT |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | THIS ONE STORY BUILDING FEATURES A RECTANGULAR-SHAPED PLAN CONFIGURATION AND A BRICK EXTERIOR. THE FLAT ROOF AND BRICK STRINGCOURSES AROUND THE DOORS AND WINDOWS CREATE A STREAMLINED QUALITY AND A HORIZONTAL EMPHASIS. THIS PATTERN OF DESIGN IS ALSO ECHOED IN THE ROUNDED CORNERS OF THE STONE "CHRONICLE" SIGN AND LINTEL THAT APPEARS OVER THE DOOR. BUILT IN 1935 (SEE BIB. REF. A), THIS BUILDING IS PRESENTLY IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. JOSEPH G. DURRANT OF BOSCOBEL WAS THE ARCHITECT OF THIS BUILDING. NAT CERUETI, A DODGEVILLE STONE ARTIST, CARVED THE LINTEL OVER THE MAIN ENTRANCE. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: DODGEVILLE'S FIRST NEWSPAPER AND THE CHRONICLE'S PREDECESSOR, THE IOWA COUNTY ADVOCATE, INITIALLY PUBLISHED ON AUGUST 19, 1858. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE ADVOCATE CAME IN THE MIDST OF DODGEVILLE'S FIGHT WITH MINERAL POINT OVER THE LOCATION OF THE COUNTY SEAT. WITHOUT A PUBLICATION TO ADVANCE ITS VIEWS OR TO PUBLISH LOCAL LAWS, DODGEVILLE WAS AT A DISADVANTAGE IN THIS LEAGL BATTLE. TO REMEDY THE SITUATION, A GROUP OF LOCAL BUSINESSMEN (SAMUEL HOSKINS, S. W. REESE, NICHOLAS ARTHUR, JACOB MILLER, HENRY MADDEN, B. F. THOMAS) PURCHASED A PRINTING PRESS AND HIRED FRANCIS ROWE OF MINERAL POINT AS EDITOR. WITHIN A FEW YEARS (C. 1862) DR. COWAN BOUGHT THE PAPER AND RENAMED IT THE DODGEVILLE CHRONICLE, WHICH BECAME KNOWN FOR ITS ANTI-SLAVERY POSITION. (SEE BIB. REF. B, C, D). LATER OWNERS (AND PUBLISHERS) OF THE CHRONICLE WERE WILLIAM WRIGGLESWORTH (1862-1870), EBENZER WRIGGLESWORTH (1870-1874), ALBERT HEARN (1874-1907), JOHN M. REESE AND T. EMERY BRAY (1907-C.1927) AND L. R. KESSLER (C.1927-C. 1936). THE PAPER ALSO OCCUPIED SEVERAL LOCATIONS, INCLUDING WM. TODD'S STORE (142 S. IOWA STREET, 44/20) AND THE JONES & OWENS BUILDING (146-154 N. IOWA STREET, 44/8). (SEE BIB. REF. B). |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. ON BUILDING. B. WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL, 19 JANUARY 1936. C. DODGEVILLE CHRONICLE, 28 JANUARY 1954. D. HISTORY OF IOWA COUNTY, WISCONSIN (CHICAGO: WESTERN HISTORICAL CO., 1881), P. 519. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |