Property Record
2022-2024 WASHINGTON AVE
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | |
|---|---|
| Other Name: | |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 11485 |
| Location (Address): | 2022-2024 WASHINGTON AVE |
|---|---|
| County: | Racine |
| City: | Racine |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
| Direction: | |
| Section: | |
| Quarter Section: | |
| Quarter/Quarter Section: |
| Year Built: | 1915 |
|---|---|
| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 2001 |
| Historic Use: | house |
| Architectural Style: | Queen Anne |
| Structural System: | Balloon Frame |
| Wall Material: | Clapboard |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date: | |
| State Register Listing Date: |
| Additional Information: | 2019: This house has a history with many connections to Racine public servants. In the later 1880s Mary Murray's mansion (2219 Washington Avenue) and her property on the north side of Washington Avenue were still outside the city limits. She subdivided that land and in 1889 sold lots 6 and 7 to George J Teall, the Racine County Register of Deeds. He sold the south half of lot 6 to Peter Bering Nelson in 1892. Some sources report his house built in 1894, tax rolls indicate that it was likely built before that year. Peter B. Nelson was born in Schleswig, Germany to Danish parents in 1869. The family came to the United States in 1870, settling in Union Grove, where his mother died within two weeks of arriving. He and his father moved to Chicago for a time, then came to the Union Grove. By 1878 Nelson was living in Racine and attending the 5th Ward school. He graduated from Racine High School in 1887 and got a job in the office of Attorney Henry A. Cooper. Nelson went to law school at the University of Wisconsin, but he could only afford one year, so finished his studies under the tutelage of Mr. Cooper. Nelson passed the Bar Exam in 1891, went into practice with Cooper and married Rose O. Johnson. In 1892 Cooper was elected to the U.S. Congress and Nelson was appointed Danish Vice-Consul for Wisconsin. Nelson was elected district attorney in 1893. Their law firm did quite well and became Cooper, Simmons, Nelson & Walker by 1902. In 1903, at age 34, Peter B. Nelson was elected Mayor of Racine, and re-elected in 1905. He is now considered to be "the father of Racine parks." He created the first park board in 1905 and was instrumental in establishing Horlick Park (now called Island Park), Riverside, Washington and North Beach Parks. In 1897, well before he was mayor, he gave the main address at the dedication of the first Racine Public Library, and was one of the first advocates of vocational education. After his time in politics Nelson became President of Racine Refrigerator and Fixture Company, vice-president of the Racine Shoe Manufacturing Company, director of Racine Commercial and Savings Bank and Racine Malleable and Wrought Iron Company, and opened Peter B. Nelson Dry Goods Company. Around 1912 Nelson sold the house to Dr. Julius A. Olson, a barber turned dentist. Mrs. Nelson dies in 1915 and Peter Nelson moved to Chicago in 1923 and continued his law career. The house was built in the Queen Anne style. It has the typical style characteristics of a steep pitched cross-gabled roof with a dominant front facing gable, which was formerly sided with shingles; it is now clapboard like the rest of the house. The facade also has a full, double-deck porch. Additional features that avoid flat wall surfaces are the bay on the east side with a second story porch and a two-story push-out on the west side; both sides have cutaway windows. The smaller cross-gable covers the bay and push-out. This house does not have the characteristic irregular massing often seen in Queen Anne houses, but it is quite symmetrical. The second story porch balcony and cutaway windows have spindle work with knob-like beads, lacy decorative spandrels and turned posts. WOOD SHINGLES IN GABLES. FULL FRONT PORCH. SIDE 2ND FLOOR BALCONY OVER BAY. BALCONY W/ELABORATE SPINDLE WORK AND TOPPED W/GABLE ROOF. RESURVEYED 2001--NO CHANGE. |
|---|---|
| Bibliographic References: | Yale, Deborah, "Century Buildings for 2019" Preservation Racine News, Summer 2019, Vol 16. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |