Property Record
347 MAIN ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | DAVID SCHREITER STORE |
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| Other Name: | THE FILLING STATION |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 31126 |
| Location (Address): | 347 MAIN ST |
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| County: | Lafayette |
| City: | Darlington |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
| Direction: | |
| Section: | |
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| Year Built: | 1879 |
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| Additions: | C. 1891 |
| Survey Date: | 1976 |
| Historic Use: | retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Italianate |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Cut Stone |
| 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: | STOREFRONT WAS ALTERED TO CURRENT CONFIGURATION C. 1891. THIS TWO-STORY, BRICK COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE WITH A FLAT SLOPING ROOF HAS A RAKED STONE FACADE CARRIED AROUND TO INCLUDE THE FIRST BAY OF THE NORTH SIDE. SIMPLE, LONG 2 OVER 2, SEGMENTAL ARCHED WINDOWS ACCENTED BY A KEYSTONE DESIGN ELEMENT AND A BRACKETED CORNICE WITH DENTIL TRIM EXTENDING AROUND TO THE NORTH ELEVATION CHARACTERIZES THE UPPER FACADE. A SIMPLE PROJECTING CORNICE OUTLINES THE STREET LEVEL FACADE THAT HAS A RECESSED CORNER ENTRANCE IN A CHAMFERED CORNER BAY. CAST IRON COLUMNS WITH CORINTHIAN CAPITALS VISUALLY SUPPORT THE CHAMFERED CORNER AND THE STREET LEVEL CORNICE. THE ENTRANCE, AN ALTERATION FROM THE ORIGINAL CENTRAL ENTRANCE IN C. 1890, HAS A TRANSOM OVER HEAD AND SIDE LIGHTS. THE SKYLIGHTED, BRICK, REAR, TWO STORY ADDITION USED FOR A PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO WAS ADDED BETWEEN 1884 AND 1889. AN EXTERIOR CAST IRON STAIRWAY LEADS TO THE 2ND STORY DOOR FRAME BY SIDE LIGHTS AND A TRANSOM WINDOW. THIS COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE IS ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT IS AN EARLY REPRESENTATIVE OF COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURE IN DARLINGTON. IN ADDITION, IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THE STRUCTURE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED EXCEPTIONALLY WELL IN ITS ORIGINAL 19TH CENTURY STATE. THE SCHREITER STORE IS HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OD ARLINGTON'S COMMERCIAL DISTRICT. BUILT IN 1879 BY DAVID SCHREITER, AND STILL BELONGING TO THE SCHREITER FAMILY WAS AND REMAINS TODAY ONE OF THE "FINEST STORES IN DARLINGTON."(D) DAVID SCHREITER WHO EMIGRATED TO DARLINGTON FROM THE KINGDOM OF SAXONY, A GERMAN STATE IN 1856 WAS A HARNESS MAKER. HIS SHOP WAS ON THE LOWER END OF MAIN STREET. HE WAS A SUCCESSFUL MERCHANT AND IN 1879 HE ERECTED THIS BUILDING, DESCRIBED IN THE 19TH CENTURY HISTORY AS "THE FINEST STORE IN DARLINGTON."(D) E. R. STEPHENS WHO WAS "THE FIRST MAN TO PAY CASH FOR COUNTRY PRODUCE AND ESTABLISH A CASH MARKET FOR IT," OCCUPIED THE BUILDING FIRST.E HE DEALT IN GROCERIES AND PROVISIONS FOR ABOUT 16 YEARS UNTIL 1895. HERMAN SCHREITER, SON OF DAVID SCHREITER BOUGHT INTO THE BUSINESS WITH STEPHENS IN 1891.(F) THEY OPERATED TOGETHER FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS UNTIL STEPHENS SOLD OUT AND FRANK WEST WENT INTO THE BUSINESS WITH HERMAN SCHREITER, KNOWN AS SCHREITER AND WEST GROCERY.(G) HERMAN SCHREITER CARRIED OUT THE GROCERY BUSINESS ALONE BY 1911 UNTIL 1916. IN THAT YEAR HIS SON KENNETH, THE CURRENT OWNER, WENT INTO THE BUSINESS WITH HIS FATHER. IT WAS KNOWN FOR SEVERAL YEARS AS HERMAN SCHREITER AND SON, GROCERS.(C) KENNETH HAS CONTINUED THE BUSINESS TO THE PRESENT, ALTHOUGH BUSINESS HAS DWINDLED. TODAY SCHREITER CARRIES A FEW GROCERY ITEMS AND A SMALL LINE OF SPORTING GOODS. THE UPPER STORY WAS UTILIZED AS A NEWSPAPER OFFICE FROM ABOUT 1889 TO 1915. THE DARLINGTON DEMOCRAT HAD THEIR OFFICES AND PRESS IN THE UPPER STORY AFTER THE TURN OF THE CENTURY. CHARLES F. PALMER, A DENTIST ALSO HAD HIS OFFICE ON THE 2ND FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN THE EARLY PART OF THE 20TH CENTURY.(C) |
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| Bibliographic References: | "HOMETOWN SATURDAY NIGHT" 1994 CALENDAR. BUILDING PLAQUE. SANBORN-PERRIS MAP, DARLINGTON, 1884, 1889, 1894, 1900, 1908, 1915, 1924. KENNETH SCHREITER, INTERVIEW, 1-10-83. C.W. BUTTERFIELD, "HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY," 1881, P. 728. IBID., P. 729. "WISCONSIN STATE GAZETTEER," 1886, P. 213; 1891, P. 241. IBID., 1895-96, P. 256. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |