Property Record
272 S MAIN ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Lake Mills Fish Hatchery Shop |
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| Other Name: | |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 77367 |
| Location (Address): | 272 S MAIN ST |
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| County: | Jefferson |
| City: | Lake Mills |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | 7 |
| Range: | 13 |
| Direction: | E |
| Section: | 13 |
| Quarter Section: | NW |
| Quarter/Quarter Section: | SW |
| Year Built: | 1945 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 19912014 |
| Historic Use: | hatchery/nursery |
| Architectural Style: | Side Gabled |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Aluminum/Vinyl Siding |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | Y |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| National Register Listing Date: | |
| State Register Listing Date: |
| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the State Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation. This one and a half-story astylistic utilitarian office building features a rectangular shaped plan configuration, a concrete block foundation, a wood frame construction, a wooden and aluminum sided exterior, a wood trim, and an asphalt shingled gable roof. A basement is also included in the architectural design. The U.S. Wildlife & Fish Service was the previous owner of this building. BACKGROUND: The Lake Mills State Fish Hatchery was purchased by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1931 with money made available through the Federal White Act of 1930. This act authorized acquisition of land to develop the hatchery at a cost of $16,349.50. Ponds were built by the WPA (Work Projects Administration) during the Great Depression, in what was in a swamp. The hatchery was operated until 1983 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 1983, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources agreed to operate the hatchery until congressional legislation was passed which turned the hatchery permenantly over to the Wisconsin DNR. Many species of fish are raised at the Lake Mills Hatchery. The only coldwater fish present is coho salmon. Warm/coowater gamefish include walleye, hybrid striped bass, small mouth bass, largemouth bass and muskelluge. Suckers and minnows are raised as food for the gamefish. The hatchery is located on Main Street, just south of Lake Mills, in a faily residential area. The research facility and office is in a residential type of building, painted white, and quite similar to its context and surrounding houses. Most of the other buildings (oil shed, hatchery, feedshed) and rearing ponds are located behind this office. The hatchery buildings are all primarily sided with white aluminum siding on the second floors and brown wood board siding on the first floors. The hatchery buildings are in average condition and the residences appear in better condition. Lake Mills Fish Hatchery is one of only a few fish hatcheries with a show pond which is used and in good condition. The Lake Mills Fish Hatchery is located within a residential area immediately south of the commercial downtown. It occupies three adjoining parcels on the east side of South Main Street that total approximately 75 acres in size. The majority of the hatchery property is not visible from the street. The property consists of office/laboratory, residence, shop, garage, holding house, open-air raceways, sheltered raceways, and 37 earthen ponds. Land for the hatchery was acquired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in 1931 and construction began in 1932. The c.1932 office/laboratory (AHI# 77369) is a one-and-one-half-story building that fronts South Main Street and is accessed by a concrete ramp with metal pole railings. The front (west) facade is built into a small hill leaving the basement level of the side (north and south) and rear (east) elevations exposed. The building is clad in aluminum siding and rests on a concrete block foundation. The front gable roof is covered with asphalt shingles. It has an interior brick chimney, shed roof dormer on the side (north) elevation, and wide overhanging boxed eaves supported by decorative knee braces. A gable portico with exposed rafters and knee braces shelters an entryway on the front facade. A one-story flat roof addition with a gable dormer was added to the rear elevation c.1980. Windows are a combination of one-over-one, double-hung and awning. A wood sign reading “Lake Mills State Fish Hatchery State of Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources” is located in front of the structure. The property also includes a c.1932 one-and-one-half-story front-gable residence clad in aluminum siding (AHI# 77368), c.1945 one-and-a-half-story gable shop clad in aluminum siding (AHI# 77367), c.1960 five-bay garage of concrete block construction, c.1959 holding house clad in aluminum siding with service doors, two c.1990 open-air concrete and earthen raceways, and 37 earthen ponds. The Lake Mills Fish Hatchery House #4142 (AHI# 77371) and Lake Mills Fish Hatchery Show Pond (AHI# 77370) are nonextant. |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. Date of construction source: DNR. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |