Property Record
608 EMERSON ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | NORTH COLLEGE |
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| Other Name: | |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 58038 |
| Location (Address): | 608 EMERSON ST |
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| County: | Rock |
| City: | Beloit |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
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| Year Built: | 1854 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1977 |
| Historic Use: | dormitory |
| Architectural Style: | Greek Revival |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | LUCAS BRADLEY |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Near East Side Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 1/7/1983 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 1/1/1989 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: | Multiple Resources of Beloit |
| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property under the name "Beloit College." 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. Although remodelled in the century after its initial construction in 1854, North College still retains the simple classical lines deisgned by Racine architect, Lucas Bradley. The three story building, built of red brick (from the TUrtle Township kiln of Asa Curtis) is divided into bays by slightly projecting pilasters. Three bays wide (across the north and south facades) and two bays deep (east and west facades), each bay has one window per story, surrounded by flat stone lintels and projecting sills. A broad architrave and frieze cap the composition, below the projecting cornice and hip roof. Originally, the building featured recessed shallow arches running from the water table to the eaves, bracketed eaves, a sloping hip roof and a slight central dormer. But in 1940, a general campus remodelling attempted to unite buildings on the north end of the campus to conform with the new face of Middle College. Brackets were removed from below the eaves and the architrave and frieze were added to cover the shallow brick arches. A pedimented portico, supported by Doric columns, was added to the front entry. Nevertheless, the chaste lines and tall proportions of the original design remain. In the basement of the original building was a kitchen and a dining club, probably disappearing in the 1890s. North College was built in 1854 as the first college dormitory, in response to the need of more living space for men, and in part as a response to the coming of the railroad to Beloit, that brought laborers to town industry. Exhausted laborers were more preferable boarders for Beloit housewives than college students, given to irregular hours and unpredictable practices and pranks. The cost exceeded the estimate of $4,000 by $3,000 and the dormitory was built on borrowed funds. Lucas Bradley, Racine, was the architect. The building remained a dormitory until 1891-1892 when Chapin Hall was built as a residence for men. It was used for classroom instruction until the construction of Morse-Ingersoll in 1931, and reverted to dormitory use for women. Sometime in the 1950s, it again was returned to office and classroom use. Later, the infirmary and college nurse were housed there, and much later the basement became the accounting offices and the treasurer's office. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) Historical Sites and Points of Interest in Rock County, Wisconsin, Rock COunty Tourism Council 5/1994. (B) Robert H. Irrmann, "Data on Beloit College Buildings," on file at RCHS Archives. (C) Helon Patton, "Lucas Bradley: Carpenter, Builder, Architect," Wisconsin Magazine of History, Vol. 58, No. 2, Winter 1974-75, pp. 118-119. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |