Property Record
622 MENDOTA CT.
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Beta Theta Pi Fraternity House |
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| Other Name: | Beta Theta Pi Fraternity House |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 101898 |
| Location (Address): | 622 MENDOTA CT. |
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| County: | Dane |
| City: | Madison |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
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| Year Built: | 1925 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1985 |
| Historic Use: | dormitory |
| Architectural Style: | Spanish/Mediterranean Styles |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | James R. and Edward J. Law |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Langdon Street Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 6/26/1986 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 1/1/1989 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| 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. "This streetscape of fraternity houses illustrates the variety of twentieth century period revival architecture which exists in the district. All buildings replaced older houses on the site of Gorham's Mill (1853-1860), a pioneer sawmill, and the Madison Manufacturing Company (1860-1890), an agricultural implement factory. Of special interest are the two houses designed by Law, Law & Potter. The Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house is a traditional colonial revival design, while the Beta Theta Pi fraternity house is a fine Mediterranean revival design. Law & Law (later Law, Law & Potter) designed many houses in the district and all over Madison. They were one of Madison's most prolific architectural firms of the early twentieth century. Sigma Alpha Epsilon was founded in 1903, and they have occupied their lakefront house ever since. Beta Theta Pi was a pioneer fraternity, established in 1873. They were also the second fraternity at the university to establish a chapter house, at 614 Langdon Street (extant), in 1889. Their current house is on the site of a previous chapter house, demolished for this building." City of Madison, The Langdon Street Historic District: A Walking Tour, 1986. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Blueprints may be found on the Potter Lawson, Inc. Info Exchange Site. City of Madison, The Langdon Street Historic District: A Walking Tour, 1986. Wisconsin State Journal: November 12, 1926, p. 1 (illustrated). |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |