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Property Location
| Location (Address) | 222 MAIN ST (AKA 215 STATE ST) |
|---|---|
| County | Racine |
| City/Village | Racine |
| Township | |
| Unincorporated community | |
| Town | |
| Range | |
| Direction | |
| Section | |
| Quarter Section | |
| Quarter Quarter Section |
Property Features
| Year Built | 1893 |
|---|---|
| Additions | 1899, 1902 |
| Survey Date | 1975 |
| Historic Use | large retail building |
| Architectural Style | Romanesque Revival |
| Structural System | |
| Wall Material | Brick |
| Architect | James Gilbert Chandler |
| 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. RICHARDSONIAN ARCHED DOORWAY. VARIOUS WINDOW SHAPES AND TREATMENTS. ROUND ORIEL/TOWER ON CNR. This building was once the tallest building in Racine. The Dr. Shoop Family Medicine Co. was a national leader producing patent medicines at the start of the 20th century. Designed by James Gilbert Chandler a Racine architect who established a practice here in 1879. This complex was built for Dr. Clarendon I. Shoop, who came to Racine about 1883 and began a patent medicine business about 1890. Dr. Shoop's nostrums were widely advertised and were sent throughout the world. As his sales increased his building grew, and his business flourished unitl the passing of the Pure Food and Drug Act. In 1910 a three year old firm, which had just changed its name to Western Printing and Lithographic Company, moved into a portion of the building. It had been printing labels and literature for Dr. Shoop's products, and so it rented a small amount of space in the basement to be close to one of its best customers. The demand for Dr. Shoop's remedies was subsiding just as Western's business was growing and by 1914 when Dr. Shoop retired, Western took over the whole building and remained here until 1928, when it moved to a new plant on Mound Ave. |
| Bibliographic References | PRESERVATION RACINE, INC., NEWSLETTER, SUMMER 1995. Racine Landmarks Map Guide, 2003. Old Main Street Historic District Walking Tour Guide, 1990 Renewing Our Roots: A Guide To Racine, Wisconsin, Central City, Southside, Preservation-Racine, 1977. |
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?
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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.
