Property Record
HIGHWAY 11, E OF W CITY LIMITS
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | CALVERT, WILLIAM HOUSE |
|---|---|
| Other Name: | |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 66608 |
| Location (Address): | HIGHWAY 11, E OF W CITY LIMITS |
|---|---|
| County: | Lafayette |
| City: | Benton |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
| Direction: | |
| Section: | |
| Quarter Section: | |
| Quarter/Quarter Section: |
| Year Built: | 1911 |
|---|---|
| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1982 |
| Historic Use: | house |
| Architectural Style: | American Foursquare |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Clapboard |
| Architect: | O.E. BROWN; H. ALDERSON |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date: | |
| State Register Listing Date: |
| Additional Information: | H. ALDERSON, BUILDER. A VERNACULR, CLASSICAL, REVIVAL TWO STORY WITH A STEEP HIP ROOF THAT IS PENETRATED BY TWO HIPPED ROOF DORMERS AND ONE GABLED DORMER. THE UNUSUAL FRONT FACING GABLED DORMER IS PEDIMENTED AND IS DECORATED BY DOUBLE COLUMNS ON BOTH SIDES SO THAT VISUALLY A SMALL TEMPLE FORM APPEARS TO REST ON THE ROOF OF THIS CLASSICAL, DETAILED SQUARE, HEAVY APPEARING HOUSE. ELONGATED DIAMOND PANED SASHES AND A SERIES OF FOUR ELONGATED RECTANGULAR PANED SASHES IN COMBINATION WITH DIVIDED SHEETS OF PLATE GLASS DECORATE THE HOUSE. A FIEDLSTONE TWO-SIDED PORCH WITH CLASSICAL DETAILED COLUMNS RESTING ON A FIELDSTONE BASES, FURTHER CHRACTERIZES THIS EXCEPTIONAL, WELL MAINTAINED POST VICTORIAN HOUSE. THE DESIGN OF THE HOUSE SEEMS TO BE AN ARCHITECT'S VERSION OF DESIGN #6 IN RADFORD'S CATALOG OF PLANS FOR IDEAL HOMES, A CATALOG OF THE ERA, STILL RETAINED BY THE CALVERT FAMILY.(B) THIS HOUSE IS ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT AS AN EXCEPTIONAL EXAMPLE OF THE VERNACULAR CLASSICAL REVIVAL STYLE THAT OVERWHELMED AMERICAN TASTE IN ARCHITECTURE IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY. IN ADDITION, AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE WORK OF A LOCAL ARCHITECT, O. ELLSWORTH BROWN AND A LOCAL BUILDER AND CONTRACTOR, J. C. ALDERSON, THE HOUSE IS IMPORTANT TO THE ARCHITECTURAL HISTORY OF THE COMMUNITY OF BENTON. |
|---|---|
| Bibliographic References: | WILLIAM CALVERT, BENTON, WISCONSIN "THE RADFORD IDEAL HOMES" DESIGN, NO 6, P. 22. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |