click zoom to display a high-res image
Property Location
| Location (Address) | W7307 Blackhawk Island Rd |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson |
| City/Village | |
| Township | Sumner |
| Unincorporated community | |
| Town | 5 |
| Range | 13 |
| Direction | E |
| Section | 13 |
| Quarter Section | |
| Quarter Quarter Section |
Property Features
| Year Built | 1946 |
|---|---|
| Additions | 1963 |
| Survey Date | 2013 |
| Historic Use | house |
| Architectural Style | One Story Cube |
| Structural System | |
| Wall Material | Log |
| Architect | |
| Other Buildings On Site | |
| Demolished | No |
| Demolished Date | |
| Additional Comments |
Lorine Niedecker was born in 1903 on Blackhawk Island. Her father operated a small resort along the Rock River during the early twentieth century, and despite her parent’s unhappy marriage, Lorine developed an attachment to Blackhawk Island, where she lived most of her life. It served as the inspiration and subject of much of her work. After briefly attending Beloit College in 1922, Niedecker returned to Blackhawk Island and worked a number of jobs including proofreading for Hoard’s Dairyman, writing scripts for a radio station in Madison, and working as a librarian. She soon began to write poetry, which she had published six times during her life. In 1946, after her eyesight became increasingly poor, she moved into a non-extant small log cottage on Blackhawk Island Road in the Town of Sumner. She supplemented her income during this time by cleaning at Fort Atkinson Memorial Hospital. In 1963, Lorine married Al Millen. The following year, the couple constructed a large cottage on the same property that she had inherited from her family. Niedecker’s fame has largely come after her death in 1970. Her poetry falls under the auspice of modernist American folk poetry. Writing poetry in both short, haiku-like and long forms, her work is marked by its nuance, sometimes ironic tone, condensed and tightly crafted work. Niedecker’s poetry is often considered to be associated with objectivist approaches to the art form: focusing on the object rather than the feelings of the poet and conveying meaning along a distinctly musical line. 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 State Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation. |
| Bibliographic References | Biography, Lorine Niedecker, Poet of Place website. <www.lorineniedecker.org/biog> accessed June 11, 2013. Peters, Margot. Lorine Niedecker: A Poet’s Life. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2011. Janesville Gazette 11/2/1997. |
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
| National/State Register Listing Name | Niedecker, Lorine, Cottage |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date | Feb 20, 2018 |
| State Register Listing Date | May 19, 2017 |
| Contributing | Yes |
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.
Questions?
Wondering about if your property is eligible or notice some information on this property needs to be updated, reach out today!
Email UsAttribution
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.
W7307 Blackhawk Island Rd
100002106
Located in Town of Sumner, Jefferson County
Lorine Niedecker Historic Marker
Blackhawk Island Rd., Town of Sumner, near Fort Atkinson
