Property Record
9725 STH 13 South
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Highway Service |
|---|---|
| Other Name: | Bruce's Auto |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 133107 |
| Location (Address): | 9725 STH 13 South |
|---|---|
| County: | Wood |
| City: | |
| Township/Village: | Cameron |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | 25 |
| Range: | 3 |
| Direction: | E |
| Section: | 31 |
| Quarter Section: | SE |
| Quarter/Quarter Section: | SE |
| Year Built: | 1947 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 2003 |
| Historic Use: | gas station/service station |
| Architectural Style: | Twentieth Century Commercial |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Tile |
| Architect: | John Moen |
| 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: | 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. July 2003 & 2004: The service station is composed of structural terra cotta tile and an eighteen-inch deep concrete watertable, topped by a flat tar roof and striated tile cornice. Essentially rectilinear in form, the building boasts two original projections from the west façade, with a newer metal element constructed between the two projections in the last decade. Fenestration includes three oversize overhead garage doors at the north end of the east façade and several pedestrian doors. The most visible pedestrian door is situated at the southeast corner that accesses a small office area, with others located on each of the remaining facades. The office windows consist of a large fixed light below a narrow transom window. The transom window is repeated above the nearby pedestrian door. Several of the original twelve-light windows are extant on the rear of the building, with remaining windows replaced with a single fixed light. Statement of Significance: Originally known as Highway Service, the building was constructed in 1947 by John Moen, Sr. (Bruce Moen, personal communication 2004). Strategically located near the intersection of US 10 and STH 13, a busy highway junction during post World War II era of expanding automobile travel, the family-owned business served both passing traffic and the residents of nearby Marshfield. The long low profile building is an example of the gas station form known as the "oblong box." One of nine gas station forms identified by Jakle and Sculle (1994), the early forms were small buildings with hip or gable roofs, while later forms had flat roofs and enlarged offices integrated into the service bays. Initially popular in the 1930s, the utilitarian form was partially a result of the economic depression at the time, but can also be attributed to the edicts of "modern architecture" as practiced in Germany in the 1930s. This property has remained in continuous operation by the same family since its construction. It is a largely intact example of vernacular roadside architecture and displays a high level of integrity, with the exception of replacement garage and entrance doors carefully inserted into the original openings. |
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| Bibliographic References: |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |