Property Record
80 MARKET ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | First Congregational Church |
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| Other Name: | First Congregational Church of Christ |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 46409 |
| Location (Address): | 80 MARKET ST |
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| County: | Grant |
| City: | Platteville |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
| Direction: | |
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| Year Built: | 1869 |
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| Additions: | 1895 |
| Survey Date: | 1976 |
| Historic Use: | house of worship |
| Architectural Style: | Romanesque Revival |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | G. NETTLETON |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | First Congregational Church |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 6/19/1985 |
| 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 BRICK, MID-CENTURY CHURCH STRUCTURE FEATURES A SLOPING TERNEPLATE ROOF, GABLE ROOFED BRICK-VENEERED EXTENSION AT THE REAR OF THE CHURCH, AND A SQUARE TOWER WITH AN OCTAGONAL STEEPLE ADJOINING AT THE SOUTHEAST CORNER. COUPLED, ROUND ARCHED WINDOWS, A LAYERED ROUND ARCHED ENTRANCE PORTAL (THE ENTRANCE ALSO HAD BEEN IN THE BASE OF THE TOWER, NOW FILLED IN), ROUND ARCHED LOUVERED OPENINGS IN THE THIRD STORY OF THE TOWER AND STAINED GLASS WINDOWS ACCENT THIS VERNACUALR INTERPRETATION OF PREVALENT MID-CENTURY REVIVAL STYLES. A JANESVILLE ARCHITECT NAMED G. NETTLETON DESIGNED THIS CHURCH. (SEE BIB. REF. A) ARCHITECUTRAL SIGNIFICANCE: ONE OF THE TWO MOST ELABORATE OF THE SURVIVING 19TH CENTURY CHRUCHES IN PLATTEVILLE (THE OTHER IS TRINITY CHURCH AT 230 W. MARKET), THIS CHURCH IS ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT AS AN EXAMPLE OF MID-19TH CENTURY VERNAUCLAR CHURCH OF ROMANESQUE INFLUENCE MAINTAINED FOR THE MOST PART AS IT WAS BUILT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO THE CITY BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY REMAINING CHURCH WITHOUT THE POINTED WINDOWS OF THE GOTHIC STYLE AND IT HOLDS AN IMPORTANT VISUAL SITE, FRONTING ON THE CITY PARK. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE: THE CONGREGATIONAL CHRUCH WAS FIRST ORGANIZED AS A PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATION IN AUGUST OF 1839. THEIR FIRST CHURCH WAS BUILT AT THE CORNER OF BONSON AND FURNACE STREETS IN 1846. IN 1849 THE CONGREGATION VOTED AND CHANGED CHURCH GOVERNMENT FROM PRESBYTERIAN TO CONGREGATIONAL. THE FIRST CHURCH WAS RAZED AND THIS ONE ERECTED IN 1869. |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY, 1881, P. 729. B. HOLFORD, HISTORY OF GRANT CO., 1900, PP. 502-503. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |