Property Record
1002 S 2ND ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Watertown City Gas Company |
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| Other Name: | Wisconsin Gas Company |
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| Reference Number: | 74772 |
| Location (Address): | 1002 S 2ND ST |
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| County: | Jefferson |
| City: | Watertown |
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| Survey Date: | 1986 |
| Historic Use: | industrial bldg/manufacturing facility |
| Architectural Style: | Astylistic Utilitarian Building |
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| Wall Material: | Cream Brick |
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| Demolished?: | No |
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| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | Multipaned plain rectangular windows; angled northeast corner. This building has been used for the local gas service in Watertown since 1856. The first utility formed in Watertown was the gas service. A private company, the Watertown City Gas Company began making gas at a plant at this location in 1856. But in 1864 the plant was on the verge of closing because of difficulty in obtaining raw materials and a lack of customers. A citizen committee purchased the gas plant after raising money by selling bonds. The company was saved and eventually the company proved successful. By 1903 almost 1900 customers were served by the company. In 1905 Watertown Gas and Electric Company purchased the gas company, and in 1915, it became part of the Wisconsin Gas and Electric Company. In 1928 the gas-making plant closed, as natural gas became available from producing fields. This plant still functions as a service building for the Wisconsin Gas Company, the modern utility serving Watertown today. This building is significant for local history under National register criterion A because it is the building used to make gas for the old Watertown City Gas Company, in operation from 1856 to 1905. A city booster publication in 1856 lauded the fact that Watertown had gas service, and indeed, it was a significant enterprise in the community. Having gas service signaled that Watertown was a modern community with the latest conveniences. Gas was manufactured at this location beginning in 1856 and was continued here until 1928. But the building still serves a related function for the gas company in town, probably one of the longest periods of occupancy for a related company of any building in the city, if not the longest. Because of the significance of the early etsbalishment of this now considered essential service, and the many years this building was the site of the manufacturing of this service, this building is significant for local history. One of the few xetant historic industrial buildings in the city of Watertown, the Watertown City Gas Company building has retained a fair degree of integrity and exhibits some architectural interest. However, as one of the group exhibiting moderate architectural character, this building is not an architecturally significant example of industrial architecture. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) "Illuminating Gas Was Piped Into Homes of 100 Residents of Watertown Back in 1856," Watertown Daily Times Centennial Issue, June 26, 1954, n.p. (B) C. Hugo Jacobi, "Reminiscences of Early Days in Watertown," Watertown Daily Times, February. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |