Property Record
390 W ADAMS ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Beebe House (William Homer Beebe) |
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| Reference Number: | 16165 |
| Location (Address): | 390 W ADAMS ST |
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| County: | Grant |
| City: | Platteville |
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| Year Built: | 1870 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 2004 |
| Historic Use: | house |
| Architectural Style: | Italianate |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Cream Brick |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
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| National/State Register Listing Name: | Beebe House |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 8/7/1979 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 1/1/1989 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| 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. THIS IS THE RESIDENCE OF HOMER W. BEEBE. HE CLAIMED TO HAVE INVENTED THE TELEPHONE AND INVOLVED HIMSELF IN A LENGTHY COURT SUIT AGAINST ALEXANDER G. BELL. THIS IS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT REMAINING HOUSE CONSTRUCTED IN PLATTEVILLE IN THE POST CIVIL WAR ERA. PHOTO CODES FOR THIS HOUSE ARE 75D, GT 2, NEGATIVE NO. 75D 10/25, 2-15. Mr. William Homer Beebe was a Civil War veteran who became a lawyer and opened an office in Platteville shortly thereafter. He served as Platteville Justice of the Peace, the third mayor of Platteville, and was instrumental in organizing Platteville's first fire company, as well as erecting the first telephone lines between Platteville and Lancaster (17 miles) in 1877, one year after Alexander Graham Bell completed his first long distance telephone line. |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. PLATTEVILLE JOURNAL 5/16/1995. B. LANCASTER GRANT CO. HERALD INDEPENDENT 1/11/1996. C. FILES: STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WI, PRESERVATION DIVISION. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |