Property Record
201 E WALNUT ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | PETER SPANG HOUSE |
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| Other Name: | |
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| Reference Number: | 50397 |
| Location (Address): | 201 E WALNUT ST |
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| County: | Iowa |
| City: | Dodgeville |
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| Unincorporated Community: | |
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| Year Built: | 1846 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1984 |
| Historic Use: | house |
| Architectural Style: | Greek Revival |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Asbestos |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| National Register Listing Date: | |
| State Register Listing Date: |
| Additional Information: | THIS TWO-STORY HOUSE FEATURES A RECTANGULAR-SHAPED PLAN CONFIGURATION, AN ASBESTOS SHINGLED EXTERIOR AND A GABLE ROOF. GREEK REVIVAL ELEMENTS, SUCH AS RETURN EAVES, A DENTICULATED CORNICE, AN ELABORATELY MOLDED DOOR SURROUND AND WINDOW MOLDINGS, APPEAR IN THE DESIGN OF THE RESIDENCE. A LUNETTE WINDOW IN THE GABLE END IS ALSO VISIBLE. ADDITIONS WERE MADE SUBSEQUENT TO THE DWELLING'S ORIGINAL DATE OF CONSTRUCTION, WHICH OCCURRED IN 1846. PRESENTLY, THE HOUSE IS IN GOOD CONDITION. ALSO LOCATED ON THE SITE IS A GARAGE. HOWEVER, NO INTENSIVE SURVEY DESCRIBING THIS STRUCTURE EXISTS. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: THIS PROMINENTLY SITED RESIDENCE, KNOWN AS THE PETER SPRANG HOUSE, WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1846 ON THE SITE OF DODGEVILLE'S FIRST SCHOOL WHICH WAS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MRS. MARY J. RANGER. (SEE EDUCATION THEME IN FINAL REPORT). PETER SPANG, ONE OF THE COMMUNITY'S EARLY SETTLERS, BOUGHT THE BLACKSMITH SHOP OF COLONEL THOMAS STEPHENS IN 1853, ENLARGED IT, AND BEGAN THE MANUFACTURE OF WAGONS. F. W. STRATTMAN BECAME A PARTNER IN 1860 AND, AFTER BUYING SPANG'S SHARE, FULL OWNER IN 1872. THE STRATTMAN & CO.'S CARRIAGE FACTORY (THE FACTORY, LOCATED AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF IOWA AND FOUNTAIN STREETS, IS NO LONGER STANDING) EVOLVED FROM THE SPANG-STRATTMAN PARTNERSHIP. (SEE INDUSTRY THEME OF FINAL REPORT). IN 1872, AFTER ENDING HIS PARTNERSHIP WITH STRATTMAN, SPANG RENTED THE LOWER PORTION OF WHAT CAME TO BE KNOWN AS SPANG'S OPERA HOUSE FOR USE AS A BLACKSMITH SHOP. HE EMPLOYED SIX TO EIGHT MEN AND OPERATED THE ONLY POWER CIDER MILL IN THE AREA. IN THE NEXT YEAR, SPANG PURCHASED THE BUILDING AND LATER (1882) ADDED THE UPPER STORY OF BRICK AND CONVERTED THE STRUCTURE FOR USE AS AN OPERA HOUSE (420 N. IOWA STREET, 47/22). |
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| Bibliographic References: |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |