Property Record
549 W CHESTNUT ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | EDWIN & LUCILLE PERKINS CALDWELL HOUSE |
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| Other Name: | The Hillcrest Inn Bed & Breakfast |
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| Reference Number: | 24467 |
| Location (Address): | 549 W CHESTNUT ST |
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| County: | Racine |
| City: | Burlington |
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| Year Built: | 1908 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 20062011 |
| Historic Use: | house |
| Architectural Style: | American Foursquare |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Concrete Block |
| Architect: | J.C. Salisbury |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| 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. Edwin Caldwell worked as an early salesman for the Burlington Blanket Company. Also an inventor, he sold many of his inventions including an automatic stop for talking machines. He married Lucille Perkins, daughter of early Burlington settler Ephraim Perkins. In 1897, Caldwell formed the Multiscope & Film Company with Peter N. Angsten, Leonard J. Smith, brothers Gustave C. and William G. Rasch, W. A. Bennett, and William N. Selig to produce the Al-Vista camera, the first American panoramic camera, in Burlington. As a side venture to manufacturing the Al-Vista Camera, Caldwell and the Multiscope & Film Company’s other founders gained a five year franchise in 1895 with the Edison Vitagraph Company of Chicago and New York to show the first moving pictures in the State of Minnesota and gained rights from the holder of Wisconsin’s franchisee to operate the first Vitagraph moving picture shows in Burlington and Elkhorn, making Burlington the first place outside of the largest metropolitan American cities in which the Vitascope was exhibited. In 1908, Caldwell hired Joseph Salisbury to construct his residence and carriage house on Chestnut Street atop one of the highest points in Burlington, at 549 W. Chestnut Street. Caldwell sold the house in 1913 and eventually moved to New York. Since 1986, the house has been operated as the Hillcrest Inn & Carriage House. THIS OUTSTANDING AMERICAN FOURSQUARE STYLE HOUSE OCCUPIES EXTENSIVE GROUNDS THAT STRETCH FROM W. CHESTNUT ST, SOUTH TO STORLE AVE. AND THE GROUNDS ALSO CONTAIN A CARRIAGE HOUSE THAT HAS A SEPARATE AHI # (24468). THE HOUSE SITS ON ROCK-FACED CONCRETE BLOCK FOUNDATION WALLS THAT SUPPORT MAIN WALLS THAT ARE COMPRISED OF CONCRETE BLOCK ORNAMENTED WITH PANEL-FACED CONCRETE BLOCK QUOINS. A ONE-STORY FRONT PORCH SPANS MORE THAN THE FULL-WIDTH OF THE MAIN NORTH-FACING FACADE AND THE PORCH'S ROOF IS UPHELD BY CONCRETE COLUMNS AND HAS ROCK-FACED CONCRETE BLOCK BALUSTRADES. THE GROUNDS CAN BE ACCESSED FROM EITHER W. CHESTNUT ST OR STORLE AVE. AND THE CHESTNUT ST ENTRANCE IS DEMARCATED BY CONCRETE GATE POSTS AND WROUGHT IRON GATES. THIS HOUSE IS ALSO KNOWN AS 549 W. CHESTNUT ST. AN EXCELLENT HISTORIC PHOTO OF THE HOUSE AND ITS GARDEN CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 85 IN THE IMAGES OF AMERICA PUBLICATION CITED ABOVE. |
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| Bibliographic References: | General Files. On file at the Burlington Historical Society, Burlington, Wisconsin. RACINE JOURNAL TIMES 4/24/89. BURLINGTON STANDARD PRESS 1/4/1995. BURLINGTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY. IMAGES OF AMERICA: BURLINGTON. CHICAGO: ARCADIA PUBLISHING, 2005, P. 85 |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |