| 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.
Harlow Pease owned this house in the late 1870s. He was born in Massachusetts and came to Watertown in 1859. He practiced law in the community and also served as city attorney, Jefferson County district attorney, and as a state legislator. Pease lived here until he died around 1910.
This house is significant for local history because it is associated with Harlow Pease, a prominent attorney in Watertown.
Harlow Pease made significant contributions to Watertown during his long years as attorney there. He also contributed to state and local government. He had offices downtown that are the significant locations of his work in the community. However, because if his long-term association with this house, it has added significance.
Built in 1868 for James Hill, the co-owner of the Vulcan Iron Works, this front gabled brick house displays broad overhanging eaves ornamented with heavy paired scroll brackets, oculus in the gable peak and projecting triangular pediment shaped window heads over long windows. A flat roofed oriel window on the west elevation and a polgonal bay window with bracketed eaves under the cross gable that breaks the roof line at the rear of the west elevation add to the irregular character of the house. A two-story gable roofed wing featuring a three-sided bay window with bracketed eaves is located on the east side of the house while a one and a half story addition with segmental arched windows and with open side and rear porches characterized by round arched openings is located at the rear. A flat roofed open balustrade, front porch, supported paired and single square fluted columns and a double leafed entrance door with overlight characterize the facade.
Reportedly, original interior woodwork, 12 foot ceilings, wide plaster mouldings, large amounts of etched glass as well as stained glass, and an open spiral staircase have been preserved on the interior. Constructed of marble from Vermont, one of the fireplaces, nuts and leaf scrolls was made by the marble shop of Brennan and McKay of Watertown.
The Hill-Pease house is a good example of the Italianate influence. Among the best examples of the Italianate style remaining in Watertown, the Hill-Pease house is a vernacular front gabled form that is characterized by Italianate architectural details such as broad overhanging eaves ornamented by paired brackets, frieze board, ornamental window heads, arcaded porch and shallow gable roof. Other significant residential examples of the Italianate style are the Cole house at 802 N. 4th (28-22), the vernacular houses at 413 S. 6th (40-26), and 307 West Cady (58-7), the Kusel house at 216 N. Church (54-15), the Hartwig house at 908 County Lane (27-32) and the Prentiss house at 802 Clyman (43-26).
Built in 1868 for the owner of the Vulcan Iron Works, James Hill, this house was sold only two years later to Harlow Pease, a prominent local attorney. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) Watertown Democrat Feb. 27, 1868; Nov. 19, 1868.
(B) Watertown Republican March 18, 1868.
(C) Evelyn Rose, Our Heritage of Homes, [Watertown; Watertown Historical Society, 1980: 72-73].
(D) Watertown City Directories, 1866-1930, Watertown, Wisconsin Public Library. |
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