Property Record
122 N MAIN ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Opera House Block |
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| Other Name: | Mr. G's Clothing Store |
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| Reference Number: | 73557 |
| Location (Address): | 122 N MAIN ST |
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| County: | Vernon |
| City: | Viroqua |
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| Year Built: | 1891 |
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| Additions: | C. 1989 |
| Survey Date: | 1995 |
| Historic Use: | theater/opera house/concert hall |
| Architectural Style: | Romanesque Revival |
| Structural System: | Unknown |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | This two-story brick Romanesque Revival Style-influenced multi-purpose building was constructed in 1891 and Sanborn-Perris maps show that its first story originally contained four stores and its second story a single large theatre space. Originally, the building's main facade was roughly symmetrical in design but its right half has now been covered over with metal siding. This building was previously surveyed by the SHPO in 1976, at which time its facade was still intact. 1995- "The large Romanesque Revival style-influenced Queen Anne style Opera House Block was built in 1891, its first story originally housed four retail stores and its second story consisted of a single large theatre space. The building is two-stories in height, is rectilinear in plan, measures 80-feet-wide x 60-feet-deep, and has a cut stone foundation and exterior walls that are clad in brick. The building's main facade faces east onto Main Street and historic photos show that its first story originally consisted of four storefronts, two of which were located on each side of a still extant centered semicircular arched entrance door opening that once served the second story theatre. These storefronts have now been either covered over or replaced by modern ones serving the retail businesses that still occupy the first story space. The second story of the facade was originally eleven-bays-wide and the left half ot this story and the five left-hand bays are still intact, although the original one-over-one light double hung wood sash window units in these bays have now been replaced with modern units. The entire right (north) halt of the second story of this facade, however, has now been covered over with modern metal siding, and the five small window openings that puncture this siding are now the only visible sign of the window openings that once occupied the five original right-hand bays. This siding also now covers the right half ot the tall stepped brick parapet wall and cornice that originally crowned the facade as well, but the left half is still uncovered and chances are that the right half is also still intact under the siding. This cornice is crowned by a small centered semi-circular pediment that has the words "Opera Block" and the date "1891" set into it. Sanborn maps and other sources show that the first story stores have been occupied by many different businesses over the years, one of the best known ot which was the C. C. Brown Music Store in the northernmost store. Today, the first story is occupied by the Mr. G's Clothing Store (18) and the Jacobson Photography Studio (122). Although altered, the Opera Block is believed to still retain sufticient integrity to be considered a contributing resource in the district. This building was also surveyed by the SHPO in 1976, and at that time the right halt ot the second story was still visible." - "USH 14 Transportation Study ", WisDOT ID #1646-07-00, Prepared by Timothy F Heggland (1995). |
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| Bibliographic References: | The building name and construction date is contained in a pediment centered on the building cornice. Take a Walk on Main Street: Historic Walking Tours in Wisconsin's Main Street Communities, Wisconsin Main Street Program, 1998. Zalewski, June. "Main Street meandering: Historic Walking Tour in Viroqua, Wisconsin." Wisconsin Humanities Commission, 1990. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |