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Property Location
| Location (Address) | 500 Main St (AKA 500 MONUMENT SQUARE) |
|---|---|
| County | Racine |
| City/Village | Racine |
| Township | |
| Unincorporated community | |
| Town | |
| Range | |
| Direction | |
| Section | |
| Quarter Section | |
| Quarter Quarter Section |
Property Features
| Year Built | 1924 |
|---|---|
| Additions | |
| Survey Date | 1975 |
| Historic Use | large retail building |
| Architectural Style | Chicago Commercial Style |
| Structural System | |
| Wall Material | Brick |
| Architect | Edmund B Funston was the architect; Nelson & Company (Racine) was general contractor |
| Other Buildings On Site | |
| Demolished | No |
| Demolished Date | |
| Additional Comments |
GLAZED TERRA COTTA. CHICAGO STYLE TRIM. CHICAGO WINDOWS. COMPLETELY ALTERED 1ST FLR. DESIGNED BY EDMUND B. FUNSTON WHO CAME TO RACINE IN 1903. HE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A.A. GUILBERT FROM 1905 TO 1915, WHEN THE PARTNERSHIP DISSOLVED. ZAHN'S WAS ONCE DOWNTOWN RACINE'S MAJOR DEPARTMENT STORE. IT HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED AS ZAHN'S DRY GOODS COMPANY AT 428 MAIN BY EDWARD ZAHN IN 1898. THE DEPARTMENT STORE MOVED TO AN EXPANDED LOCATION AT 436-438 MAIN ABOUT 1916 AND TO THIS NEW BUILDING NINE YEARS LATER, WHERE IT REMAINED UNTIL THE EARLY 1980S WHEN COMPETITION FROM SUBURBAN SHOPPING CENTERS DROVE IT OUT OF BUSINESS. |
| Bibliographic References | Old Main Street Historic District Walking Tour Guide, 1990 |
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
| National/State Register Listing Name | Old Main Street Historic District |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date | Aug 11, 1987 |
| State Register Listing Date | Jan 01, 1989 |
| Contributing | Yes |
| Additional Documentation | Dec 10, 2021 |
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?
Wondering about if your property is eligible or notice some information on this property needs to be updated, reach out today!
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.




