Property Record
518 E WALNUT ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Eckhart Leaf Tobacco Co. |
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| Other Name: | Viroqua Leaf Tobacco Co. |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 72623 |
| Location (Address): | 518 E WALNUT ST |
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| County: | Vernon |
| City: | Viroqua |
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| Year Built: | 1906 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 2000 |
| Historic Use: | warehouse |
| Architectural Style: | Neoclassical/Beaux Arts |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | Parkinson & Dockendorff |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| National Register Listing Date: | |
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| Additional Information: | Originally built as the Fred Eckhart Leaf Tobacco Warehouse, this building was then later used by the Northern Tobacco Pool, created in 1922 when the growers felt they needed greater control of the market. Fred Eckhart, a German immigrant from Alsace, moved to DeSota and entered into the grain and live-stock business as a buyer. Eckhart soon moved to Viroqua to take advantage of the opportunities of rail road transportation that came to Viroqua in 1878. Reportedly, Eckhart built the first tobacco warehouse in Viroqua. The Eckhart warehouse is one of three, brick, well-preserved tobacco warehouses (map codes 36/13 and 41/21) adjacent to one another that contributed to the tobacco industry. Approximately 7 additional tobacco warehouses, of which most are metal covered and now used for other purposes, remain along the old railroad track at the rear [north] of the three brick warehouse. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Datestone. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |