Property Record
116-118 W MAIN ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Jefferson County Bank; Daniel Jones Building |
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| Other Name: | J.D. Enterprises Publ.; D.J. Pet Supply |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 7167 |
| Location (Address): | 116-118 W MAIN ST |
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| County: | Jefferson |
| City: | Watertown |
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| Unincorporated Community: | |
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| Year Built: | 1885 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 19862020 |
| Historic Use: | bank/financial institution |
| Architectural Style: | Italianate |
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| Wall Material: | Cream Brick |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Main Street Commercial Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 6/2/1989 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| Additional Information: | This was the location of the Wisconsin National Bank and Straw and Murphy paint store. The history of this building begins with Daniel Jones, a pioneeer businessman and financier who owned and probably built this building in 1855. Jones came to Watertown from New Hampshire in 1845. He operated a store and branched out into financial services in 1852. He then organized the Jefferson County Bank, housed in the east half of this building, but it suspended business in 1862. Jones then merged with the Wisconsin National Bank which had been founded as the Bank of Wisconsin in 1858 by William Dennis, another pioneer. The Bank was located here until 1927 when it moved to 104 W. Main St., the old Wiggenhorn cigar factory building (demolished). In 1934 the bank changed its name to the Wisconsin First National Bank and today is part of the Valley Banks chain. On the western part of the building was the Straw and Murphy paint store, a long-time and prominent decorating business. Later this became Murphy and Dobbratz, the J.B. Murphy, which left this location around 1915. This building has significance for local history under National Register criterion A because it was the long-time home of the Wisconsin National Bank, an important financial institution still in operation today. The building also has historical interest as the home of several retail businesses important in the development of comemrcial history in the Main Street historic district, especially the Straw and Murphy company. Financial institutions have been important to the economic development of communities and Watertown has had several successful banks that have assisted economic growth in the community up until the present time. The Wisconsin National Bank is one of these institutions. It was the result of merging two pioneer financier's assets and grew and developed at this lcoation until 1927. The building takes on more significance because it is the oldest bank building in Watertown, and with the recent demolition of the second location of this important bank, it is the only remaining historic resource associated with this bank still extant. During the historic period, the bank's neighbor to the west was the long-time home of Straw and Murphy, a prominent early paint store. Later Louis Schmutzler operated a paint store in this location. These businesses are important to the overall development of commerce in this commercial district. Built in 1855 for Daniel Jones who established the Jfferson County Bank on the site, this property originally included the entire eight bay brick block. Characterized by a massive Italianate bracketed projecting cornice, the cream brick Jones building is further ornamented by segmentally arched metal window heads with console ends in a leaf design. Although many of the original window frames have been replaced, four of the long six over six window frames remain on the third story of thr four west bays. Split into two properties c. 1871 when Drew Straw purchased the west half and the Wisconsin National Bank remained as the owner of the east half, the Jones building has continued as two separate stores until the present. Cast iron columns flanking the recessed entrance as well as a double-leafed central entrance door topped by a transom window (now painted) remains on the west store front. Exhibiting a cast iron lintel extending across the top of the storefront, the east front has an offset entrance door and a door to the upper stories topped by a transom window along with a brick paneled window apron. A one and a half story addition and second story porch is located at the rear of the west section while a metal stairway leading to the second and third floors is situated at the rear of the east end. The Daniel Jones Block also known historically as the Jefferson County Bank is significant under criterion C as an example of the Italianate commercial style. One of the five best examples of the Italianate influence in the proposed Main Street Commercial Historic District, the Jones Block exhibits the prerequisite projecting bracketed cornice as well as decorative window heads associated with Italianate style in the proposed Main Street Historic District include the Misegades Wagon Works at 202 North Water (63-4), the building at 103-105 E. Main (62-6), 413 E. Main (65-2), and 208-210 W. Main (64-31). Built in 1855 as the Jones Block, the west half of the building originally occupied by the T.J. Jones Co. store was sold to Drew Straw for retail use while the east half continued to be used as a bank building, then known as the Wisconsin National Bank. Although some of the windows have been replaced and the storefronts altered somewhat, the Jones Block has suffered minimal alterations over the years. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) Tax Records, City of Watertown, 1860-1910, Area Research Center, Library, University of Wisconson-Whitewater. (B) Photograph of 200 Block West Main Street c. 1924, Watertown Daily Times, Centennial Issue, June 26, 1954. (C) Watertown Democrat April 26, 1855. (D) John H. Ott, Ed., Jefferson County Wisconsin and Its People, Chicago: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1917, pp. 246-247. (E) C.W. Butterfield, The History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin, Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879, pp. 430-431, 611. (F) "Eight Business Firms Have Been in Operation in City over 100 Years," Watertown Daily Times Centennial Issue, June 26, 1954, n.p. (G) Watertown City Directories, 1866-1930, Watertown Public Library. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |