Property Record
33 2ND STREET
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | John and Margaret Owen House |
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| Other Name: | |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 85315 |
| Location (Address): | 33 2ND STREET |
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| County: | Rock |
| City: | Milton |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
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| Year Built: | 1894 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1977 |
| Historic Use: | house |
| Architectural Style: | Queen Anne |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Clapboard |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Owen, John and Margaret, House |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 8/23/2016 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 5/20/2016 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| Additional Information: | THIS HOUSE WAS BUILT FOR JOHN H. OWEN THE CO-FOUNDER OF CHAMBERS AND OWEN, WHICH IS TODAY ONE OF THE MIDWEST'S LEADING CONVENIENCE STORE SUPPLIERS. THE BUSINESS BEGAN WHEN OWEN AND S. C. CHAMBERS BEGAN A TOBACCO WHOLESALE BUSINESS AND RETAIL NOTIONS BUSINESS. THE COMPANY SPENT ITS FORMATIVE YEARS IN MILTON AND OCCUPIED A LARGE BUILDING IN OLD MILTON JUNCTION ON VERNAL STREET. TOBACCO WHOLESALING WAS A SIGNIFICANT BUSINESS IN MILTON AND CHAMBERS AND OWEN OPERATED THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OF THESE BUSINESSES. THEY BECAME EVEN MORE SUCCESSFUL WITH THEIR NOTIONS AND TOBACCO-RELATED RETAIL BUSINESS. THE COMPANY BECAME ONE OF THE LEADING WHOLESALERS IN NOT ONLY LEAF TOBACCO, BUT IN FINISHED PRODUCTS, SUCH AS CIGARS AND RELATED ITEMS. AFTER THE COMPANY MOVED TO JANESVILLE, IT EXPANDED ITS TERRITORY AND SUBSEQUENT GENERATIONS OF THE OWEN FAMILY OPERATED THE COMPANY, AS THEY STILL DO TODAY. ITS WHOLESALE TOBACCO PRODUCTS BUSINESS GREW INTO SUPPLYING CONVENIENCE STORES IN THE 1970S, AS THIS TYPE OF RETAIL BUSINESS DEVELOPED INTO A SIGNIFICANT COMMERCIAL FIELD. JOHN H. OWEN LIVED IN THIS HOUSE DURING THE FORMATIVE YEARS OF THIS IMPORTANT MILTON BUSINESS. THE HOUSE IS ALSO SIGNIFICANT AS A FINE EXAMPLE OF THE QUEEN ANNE STYLE. IT IS SECOND ONLY TO THE CHAMBERS HOUSE. ITS FINE USE OF MULTIPLE SURFACE TEXTURES, IRREGULAR FEATURES, AND COMPLEX FORM AND MASSING MAKES IT STAND OUT AS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS POPULAR STYLE. COMPARISON WITH THE OLDER PHOTOGRAPH SHOWS THAT THE HOUSE HAS BEEN RESTORED AND POSSESSES A HIGH LEVEL OF INTEGRITY. |
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| Bibliographic References: | TAX ROLLS FOR MILTON JUNCTION/TOWN OF MILTON, ROCK COUNTY COURTHOUSE; SANBORN-PERRIS FIRE INSURANCE MAPS; MILTON TELEPHONE, APRIL 5, 1894, P. 5. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |