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Summary
Union Auto Company
505 South Barstow Street
Eau Claire, Eau Claire County
Date of Construction: 1917
The Union Auto Company building is located on the south end of Eau Claire's historic commercial area at a highly visible intersection. This two-story, brick building was the second in downtown Eau Claire designed and built specifically for automobile sales and repair. The large floor-to-ceiling, street level windows are indicative of its original use as an automobile showroom. The core structural elements are of reinforced concrete, a relatively new technology that allowed for automobile display, storage and/or repair on all three levels from the basement to the second floor. An original feature of the building was an elevator that lifted automobiles to the upper floors.
From 1917 until 1975, the Union Auto Company building was occupied by a number of auto-related businesses. In 1977 the upper level of the building was converted into apartments, and in 1980 the showroom area was converted into a bar and restaurant.
Today the Union Auto Company building is adaptively re-used for a variety of commercial uses. The basement continues to be used as a parking garage. The building is open during normal business hours.
Property Details
Resources Within The Property
Designations
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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317-319 South Barstow / 306 Main Street
07001197
Located in Eau Claire, Eau Claire County
South Barstow Street
Commercial buildings line South Barstow Street and automobiles are parked on either side. Pedestrians walk on the sidewalks past stores including "Kuppenheimer Good Clothes," founded in 1876, a dru...
