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Property Location
| Location (Address) | 800 LANGDON ST |
|---|---|
| County | Dane |
| City/Village | Madison |
| Township | |
| Unincorporated community | |
| Town | |
| Range | |
| Direction | |
| Section | |
| Quarter Section | |
| Quarter Quarter Section |
Property Features
| Year Built | 1928 |
|---|---|
| Additions | 1938, 1957 |
| Survey Date | 1998 |
| Historic Use | university or college building |
| Architectural Style | Neoclassical/Beaux Arts |
| Structural System | |
| Wall Material | Stone - Unspecified |
| Architect | Frank Moulton,W.v. Kaeser,Arthur Peabody,Charlotte Peabody,Michael Hare |
| Other Buildings On Site | |
| Demolished | No |
| Demolished Date | |
| Additional Comments | 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. Overlooking Lake Mendota is the rambling Memorial Union. Students, faculty, and alumni raised money to erect the building, dedicated in 1928 to University men and women who had served in the nation’s wars. Arthur Peabody considered this his greatest work: a Renaissance Revival showpiece whose grand staircase leads to an arcaded gallery surmounted by a balustraded terrace. The Moderne-style theater addition to the west dates from 1939. Of particular interest inside the Union is the much-loved Rathskeller and Stiftskeller, a dining room and cave-like beer hall painted by German immigrant Eugene Hausler with German-style murals and strange German-language riddles. Memorial Union is contributing to the Bascom Hill Historic District, NR listed 1974, NRIS #: 74000065 A Historic Structure Report of this building can be found in Room 312 at the Wisconsin Historical Society. "The Memorial Union provides hundreds of cultural, social, and recreational programs and services for students, faculty, and alumni. It has been called "a miniature city under one roof" and "the living room of the campus." More than 18,000 people enter the building daily. This Union, opened in 1928, was built with contributions from students, faculty, and alumni solicited in the first general fundraising effort ever made by the University. Half of all students contributed to a Union they knew they'd never be able to use as students. The building contains the famous Rathskeller, Great Hall, lounges, art galleries, dining rooms, craftshop, travel center, delicatessen, game rooms, meeting rooms, outing equipment stores, and guest rooms for visitors. The Information Center is on the second floor. The theater (west) wing was opened in 1939 by the celebrated Lunts in The Taming of the Shrew. The wing contains a large 1,300 seat auditorium, a small movie theater, rehearsal rooms, and complete back shop area. The basement is headquarters of the Wisconsin Hoofers, the oldest and largest outing club in the country. The Wisconsin Union was the first to include theater ans music facilities and the incorporate an outing club in its structure. The lakeside of the Union is a good place to end a spring, summer, or autumn tour. You can relax on the terrace, expanded in 1986-87, and enjoy the view while eating or sipping lemonade under the trees. The adjacent indoor cafeteria and Rathskeller, overlooking the lake front, serve snacks and meals daily." University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Madison Tour Guide, 1988. |
| Bibliographic References | Wisconsin State Journal 9/3/2003. Buildings of Wisconsin manuscript. University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Madison Tour Guide, 1988. |
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
| National/State Register Listing Name | Bascom Hill Historic District |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date | Sep 12, 1974 |
| State Register Listing Date | Jan 01, 1989 |
| Contributing | |
| Additional Documentation | Jan 23, 2013 |
Architecture & History Inventory
The Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) is a digital source of information on historic buildings, structures, and objects that have been surveyed by the State Historic Preservation Office in Wisconsin. Each property has a digital record providing basic information about the property and images.
Questions?
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Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
Access Property Records
Some properties have more materials (correspondence, clippings, historical information, etc.) not in the digital record. If a 'Site File' exists, it's noted in the 'Additional Comments' field. Contact us for an appointment to view these materials.
Memorial Union Tap Room
September 27, 1928
University of Wisconsin Memorial Union Rathskeller Tap Room.
Memorial Union Rathskeller Bar
September 28, 1928
University of Wisconsin Memorial Union Rathskeller bar.
Memorial Union Theater
1948
Exterior of the Memorial Union Theater on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. There is a railing with steps in the foreground, leading to a paved walkway bordering a lawn and the steps to t...
Memorial Union Rathskeller Bar
September 28, 1928
University of Wisconsin Rathskeller bar taken from the end of the bar.
Memorial Union Theater
1948
View from Bascom Hill of Memorial Union Theater on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus. Park Street is on the right, and in the background is Lake Mendota. The lower stairs to Science Hall a...
