Property Record
315 E MAIN ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Theodore Prentiss; Brennecke Drugs; Gehrke Drugs |
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| Other Name: | Mallach Pharmacy |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 7179 |
| Location (Address): | 315 E MAIN ST |
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| County: | Jefferson |
| City: | Watertown |
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| Year Built: | 1865 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 19862020 |
| Historic Use: | retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Italianate |
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| Wall Material: | Brick |
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| Demolished?: | No |
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| National/State Register Listing Name: | Main Street Commercial Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 6/2/1989 |
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| Additional Information: | This building was constructed around 1865 for Theodore Prentiss, a pioneer attorney in Watertown. Prentiss was a Yankee who came to Watertown in 1845. He was Watertown's first mayor after the city was incorporated in 1853. He also attended the first two state constitutional conventions in 1846 and 1847, and was an assemblyman between 1860-61. Prentiss had his office here during much of his illustrious career. This building also housed some retail firms. It was the Brennecke and Steinfort drug store between 1880 and 1885, the Robert Brennecke drug store between 1889 and 1911, and the William Gehrke drug store between 1915 and 1930. This building is significant for local history under National Register criterion A and B; it is associated with Theodore Prentiss, a prominent early attorney and politician, and housed several historic drug stores there. There were several pioneers in Watertown who achieved prominence as community leaders. Theodore Prentiss was one of them. As Watertown's first mayor, he was forever remembered in the city's history. But he also contributed to government on the state level by participating in the constitutional conventions and serving in the legislature. For his reason, Prentiss' workplace, representing his professional career, is significant. The building is also contributing to the overall development of commerce in the Main Street commercial Historic District, because it housed a number of retail businesses during its historic period. However, because the building has not retained the architectural character of the earlier period when it was used as the office of Theodore Prentiss, it does not meet the NRHP criteria for historical significance. Originally built by Theodore Prentiss around 1866 to house his office and rental store, this cream brick, two-story building was altered at the turn of the century by addition of the large bay window that extends across the entire second story of the three-bay facade. Exhibiting a projecting cornice with modillions under the overhang, and a paneled frieze, the bay window is characterized further by round arched windows, in which the voussoirs are placed on fluted applied pilasters. Large round arched sashes fill the window opening, a wooden two-story open proch is located at the rear of the building. The Prentiss Office Building has been altered by the addition of a remodelled contemporary storefront featuring a shingled shed roof. The Theodore Prentiss Office and Store is a commercial vernacular cream brick building built around 1866 that received a new facade projecting in front of the original building characterized by a projecting cornice topped by a parapet and large articulated round arched windows associated with the Beaux-Arts or Renaissance Revival. Altered by a completely remodeled lower story, the historic Prentiss Buliding is not architecturally significant. However, the building contributes to the historic character of the proposed Main Street Commercial Historic District. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) Tax Records, City of Watertown, 1860-1910, Area Research Center, Library, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. (B) "Revised Tariff Rates for Watertown, Wis.," National Board of Fire Underwriters, April 13, 1876. (C) Sanborn Perris Insurance Maps 1886-1910. (D) C.W. Butterfield, The History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin, Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879, p. 621. (E) Watertown City Directories, 1866-1930. (F) Tax Rolls for the City of Watertown. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |