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Summary
Richard T. Ely House
205 North Prospect Avenue, Madison, Dane County
Architect: Charles Summer Frost
Date of Construction: 1896
Richard T. Ely was one of Wisconsin's foremost economic scholars. He received his PhD in Germany where the study of economic theory was more advanced. Ely was a progressive economist who studied the labor movement and the causes of labor unrest. To some, Ely was a dangerous radical, resulting in a charge of subversive teaching. The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents upheld Ely's right to express unpopular views.
At the University of Wisconsin, Ely met the well-known Chicago architect Charles Sumner Frost, who designed the 1893 Law Building on Bascom Hill, which has since been demolished. In 1896 Ely commissioned Frost to build his house. The Ely house is a textbook example of early Georgian Revival design. It is nearly symmetrical and rectangular in plan with classically decorated eaves and a hipped roof. Large chimneys are placed on either side of the roof. The central part of the façade projects slightly and is crowned with a full pediment that is supported by Ionic pilasters. A central one story Ionic portico extends from the façade to cover the main entry. Characteristic details of Georgian Revival design may be seen in the entry door with an elliptical fanlight above, multi-paned windows with decorative tracery, broken pediments over the windows, and bracketed eaves.
The house is privately owned; please respect the privacy rights of the owner.
Property Details
Resources Within The Property
Designations
NR1860
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
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Ely Residence
1924
Richard T. Ely residence, 205 North Prospect Street. This house is Georgian revival in style and was built by Richard & Anna Ely in 1896. The architect was Charles Sumner Frost. The Ely family live...
