Property Record
101 4TH ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Gust Brothers Store |
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| Other Name: | Cornerstone Gallery |
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| Reference Number: | 80952 |
| Location (Address): | 101 4TH ST |
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| County: | Sauk |
| City: | Baraboo |
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| Unincorporated Community: | |
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| Year Built: | 1877 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1989 |
| Historic Use: | small retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Italianate |
| Structural System: | Balloon Frame |
| Wall Material: | Stone - Unspecified |
| Architect: | Michael Hire |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Gust Brothers' Store |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 8/5/2002 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 4/12/2002 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| Additional Information: | A site file titled "Gust Brothers, Baraboo Savings Bank" 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 WI Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation. The two story three bay corner building has a bracketed pressed metal cornice and rounded windows with heavy stone hoods. Veneered walls are of concrete block and capstone. Three arched openings on the south elevation for the entrance and two windows are capped with voussoirs, producing an arcade effect. Semi-circular panels of stained glass above contemporary glass windows fill these first-floor arches. A second entrance at the southwest corner of the building front on Oak Street has been replaced with a window which corresponds to those on Fourth Strreet. A third entrance on Oak Street has been similarly altered. The small office building, which is in good condition, is constructed using a rectangular shaped plan configuration, a stone and concrete foundation, a stone exterior, a stone and metal trim and a tar covered flat roof. Architectural/Engineering Significance: The visually prominent corner building is an excellent example of late 19th-century commercial architecture. The stone veneer is unusual in Baraboo, and works well with the heavy stone window hoods and "arcade" to produce the sense of weight and mass which allows this relatively small (22 x 51) building to act as an anchor for the commercial block. Small alterations have preserved the original design of the south and west elevations, and the building retains a high degree of integrity. It is considered contributive to the architectural character of the downtown commercial district, as one of the finest examples of Italianate design in the city. Historical Background: The building was erected in 1877 by mason Michael Hire and housed the Gust meat market until 1882, when it became the Valliket meat market. In 1889 the Baraboo Savings Bank was established here, which remained until about 1904. By 1915 it had become the Ruggles Law Office. In the 1930s the building housed the Square Tavern, until it became a medical office in the 1940s, housing the medical practice of John Moon. The dental practice of Robert Konen was located here in the 1980s. The Cornerstone Gallery has been located here since 1993. Historical Significance: Two early banking concerns were housed in this building. The Baraboo Savings Bank was organized in 1889 by F. T. Brewster, E. W. Young and R. B. Griggs with a capital of $50,000. Unable to compete with the Bank of Baraboo and the First National Bank, the Savings Bank ceased to exist about 1905, although whether it was acquired by another bank is to date unclear. The Farmers and Merchants bank was established in 1917 with the help of E. Trimpey, and operated from this site until the bank was merged with the First National Bank in October of 1929, just prior to the crash of the stock market. This merger created the First National Bank and Trust, the largest banking concern in Sauk County at that time. |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. Baraboo News Republic, 9/5/1877. B. Mercantile Appraisal Card, Office of the City Assessor. C. Baraboo Business and Telephone Directories. D. Baraboo News Republic, 4/18/1997. BARABOO NEWS REPUBLIC 10/19/1995. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |