| Additional Information: | Gable roof with cornice returns on original secton; hip roofed addition with a projecting three sided bay on west side; screened front porch with rectangular Tuscan styled posts.
The R.E. McCoy House was built in 1876. R.E. McCoy (a.k.a. Brice E. McCoy) came to Sparta in 1876 and two years later built the Sparta Mill, which was either located at the southeast corner of Rusk and Maplewood Streets, or it was located at the northeast corner of Cottage and North Water Streets. Little more is known about this enterprise.
However, r.E. McCoy continued in the mill business. By 1894, Bruce E. McCoy had taken over the G.A. Gillman mill site on the La Crosse River near South Court Street. McCoy ran the flour mill from circa 1894 to at least 1912. It had a large clientele among the farmers of western Wisconsin. By 1916, this mill was again called the Farmers Mill and was located at 625 South Court Street.
R.E. McCoy and members of his family lived in this dwelling from 1876 to 1916.
The R.E. McCoy house gains local historical significance under Criterion B in association with the productive life of R.E. McCoy. He was an early businessman associated with the milling industry which operated during the years of historical significance of his dwelling from its construction in 1876 to 1916. R.E. McCoy thus fains importance in association with the Milling topic unnder the industry theme.
The east section of this house displays the mid-19th century Greek Revival characteristics such as a street facing gable form with cornice returns. The west section featuring a three-sided bay projecting from the facade was added between the years 1911 and 1922.
The historic McCoy house has been altered by the addition of metal windows. The front porch evidently was added also. The house was remodeled as apartments in the 1950s.
This house was constructed around 1876 and received an addition between the years of 1911 and 1915. It was built for B.E. McCoy, who was associated with the establishment of Camp McCoy and the McCoy Mill on the La Crosse River on South Court Street.
The McCoy House does not meet the criteria of the NRHP for architectural significance because of a lack of integrity. However, this historically important house had sufficient architectural integrity to meet the criteria for historical significance. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) City of Sparta Tax Records, 1870-1945.
(B) Sanborn Insurance Maps 1884, 1889, 1894, 1900, 1911, 1922, 1931.
(C) No Author, History of Northern Wisconsin: Containing an Account of its Settlement, Growth, Development and Resources: An Extensive Sketch of its Counties, Cities, Towns, and Villages...Etc. Chicago: The Western Historical Company, 1881, p. 637.
(D) Annual Directory of Sparta, Wisconsin. Vol. 1. Chicago: Interstate Directory Co., 1897.
(E) Sparta City Directory, 1903-1904. Sparta: R.C. Glover, Publisher, 1904.
(F) City Directory of the City of Sparta, Wisconsin. Sparta: compiled and published by E.B. Bell, 1916.
(G) Richards, Randolph A., History of Monroe Country, Wisconsin: Past and Present, Including an Account of the Cities, Towns and Villages of the County. Chicago: C.F. Cooper & Co., 1912, p. 321. |
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