Property Record
226 MAIN ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | F.L. ROY HARDWARE |
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| Other Name: | COAST TO COAST HARDWARE STORE |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 31094 |
| Location (Address): | 226 MAIN ST |
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| County: | Lafayette |
| City: | Darlington |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
| Direction: | |
| Section: | |
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| Year Built: | 1887 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1976 |
| Historic Use: | hardware |
| Architectural Style: | Italianate |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Main Street Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 10/7/1994 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 7/15/1994 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| Additional Information: | THIS CREME BRICK, TWO-STORY COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE WITH A FLAT SLOPING ROOF HAS A PROJECTING METAL CORNICE DECORATED WITH BRACKETS, DENTILS AND AN ARCHED TOP PIECE DECORATED WITH SCROLLS. PLACED IN THE CENTRAL RECESSED AREA OF THE FACADE ARE THREE LONG, NARROW WINDOWS ACCENTED BY STRAIGHT PROJECTING WINDOW HOODS THAT HAVE AN ARCHED ELEMENT SIMILAR TO THE MAIN CORNICE. CAST IRON PILASTERS AND COLUMNS FRAME THE STORE FRONT AND RECESSED ENTRANCE. THIS BUILDING IS ARCHITECTURALLY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMUNITY OF DARLINGTON BECAUSE IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF A 19TH CENTURY STRUCTURE IN THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT THAT HAS RETAINED ITS HISTORIC DETAILS AND STYLE. THE ROY HARDWARE STORE HAS HAD AN INTERESTING ROLE IN THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF DARLINGTON. IT WAS A FAMILY OPERATED BUSINESS PROVIDING PRODUCTS FROM THE TINSHOP LOCATED IN THE REAR AND HARDWARE REQUIRED DURING THE 19TH CENTURY INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY. THE ROY HARDWARE BUSINESS WAS BEGUN BY JOHN BAPTISTE ROY, BROTHER OF FRANK L. ROY LEARNED THE TINSMITH TRADE FROM HIS BROTHER EDWARD WHO HAD A SHOP IN SHULLSBURG DURING THE MID-19TH CENTURY. JOHN ROY WORKED FOR A SHORT TIME FOR RUSSELL AND MINTRE IN DARLINGTON DURING 1866. HE MOVED TO CALIFORNIA AND WORKED AS A TINSMITH THERE THE NEXT YEAR. IN 1868 HE RETURNED TO DARLINGTON AND BOUGHT OUT THE FIRM OF HALLORAN AND BOWERS DEALERS IN STONES AND TINWARE. A FEW MONTHS LATER ROY BOUGHT THE LOT UPON WHICH THE PRESENT ROY HARDWARE STORE IS LOCATED. IN THE SPRING OF 1869 HE HAD A FRAME STRUCTURE ERECTED ON THE LOT. IN 1887 THE FRAME BUILDING WAS TORN DOWN AND THE PRESENT BRICK BUILDING ERECTED. THE SPACE WAS TWENTY-TWO BY ONE HUNDRED FEET, ALL UTILIZED BY THE ROY HARDWARE ESTABLISHMENT.(C) FRANK L. ROY AT AGE SEVENTEEN CAME TO DARLINGTON AND WORKED FOR HIS BROTHER JOHN B., LEARNING THE TINSMITH TRADE. ABOUT 1900 FRANK L. ROY BOUGHT THE HARDWARE BUSINESS FROM HIS BROTHER.(C) FRANK ROY CONTINUED THE BUSINESS FOR ANOTHER THIRTY YEARS, BRINGING HIS SONS STILLE AND CLARENCE INTO THE BUSINESS. EVENTUALLY ROY TURNED OVER THE MANAGEMENT TO HIS SONS, RETAINING A THIRD INTEREST. THE BUSINESS WAS CARRIED ON UNDER THE NAME OF F.L. ROY AND SONS, INC.(D, E) |
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| Bibliographic References: | BUILDING CORNICE SANBORN-PERRIS MAP, DARLINGTON, 1884, 1889 JOHN GREGORY, "SOUTHWESTERN WISCONSIN," 1932, VOL 3, P. 260-262. IBID., P. 454-455. "WISCONSIN STATE GAZETTEER," 1924-25, P. 293. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |