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Property Location
| Location (Address) | 4828 MAIN ST |
|---|---|
| County | Washington |
| City/Village | |
| Township | Addison |
| Unincorporated community | ST. LAWRENCE |
| Town | 11 |
| Range | 18 |
| Direction | E |
| Section | 34 |
| Quarter Section | |
| Quarter Quarter Section |
Property Features
| Year Built | 1867 |
|---|---|
| Additions | |
| Survey Date | 1982 |
| Historic Use | blacksmith shop |
| Architectural Style | Side Gabled |
| Structural System | |
| Wall Material | Fieldstone |
| Architect | |
| 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. SEGMENTAL ARCH BRICK LINTELS. FRIEZE WINDOWS. 2 STORY WAGON SHOP ATTACHED TO 1 STORY BLACKSMITH SHOP. 35 INCH SPLIT FIELDSTONE WALLS W/HEAVY MORTAR JOINTS. HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT IN DEVELOPMENT OF ST. LAWRENCE. In 1867, Jacob Ritger opened his wagonmaking shop in the crossroads village of St. Lawrence to serve the surrounding agricultural region. His commodious one-and-one-half-story shop is a vernacular industrial building constructed of split fieldstone, laid with ample mortar. Boulders tie the thick walls together at the corners, and segmentally arched lintels of yellow brick support most of the window and door openings. The fieldstone and yellow brick create a colorful appearance. Attic windows light the upper level. Ritger used the double-door opening on the south side to get materials into the shop and finished wagons out. The opening has been filled, but the heavy wooden lintel remains visible. Later, Ritger formed a partnership with Louis Hermann, a blacksmith whose attached one-story shop is also built of fieldstone. Iron hitching rings on the exterior and interior walls attest to the many horses that this village smithy once shod. In 1915, cabinetmaker Herman Ziegelbauer converted the wagon shop into a residence. |
| Bibliographic References | ZIMMERMANN, RUSSELL, "THE HERITAGE GUIDEBOOK" (HERITAGE BANKS 1976). SEE PERRIN 1960 pg. 17. West Bend Daily News 6/14/1999. Buildings of Wisconsin manuscript. Perrin, Richard W. E., Historic Wisconsin Architecture, First Revised Edition (Milwaukee, 1976). |
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
| National/State Register Listing Name | Ritger Wagonmaking and Blacksmith Shop, |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date | Jun 01, 1982 |
| State Register Listing Date | Jan 01, 1989 |
| Contributing |
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.
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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.
4928 WI 175
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Located in Town of Addison, Washington County
SCENIC DRIVE LN IN BRADLEY PARK
21932
Located in Tomahawk, Lincoln County
CTH W, EAST SIDE, NORTH OF CTH S
13920
Located in Addison, Washington County




