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Property Location
| Location (Address) | 181 W SEMINARY AVE |
|---|---|
| County | Richland |
| City/Village | Richland Center |
| Township | |
| Unincorporated community | |
| Town | |
| Range | |
| Direction | |
| Section | |
| Quarter Section | |
| Quarter Quarter Section |
Property Features
| Year Built | 1889 |
|---|---|
| Additions | 1982, 1983 |
| Survey Date | 1987 |
| Historic Use | courthouse |
| Architectural Style | Romanesque Revival |
| Structural System | |
| Wall Material | Brick |
| Architect | J. D. Allen [a],Kenton Peters (A, C) |
| Other Buildings On Site | |
| Demolished | No |
| Demolished Date | |
| Additional Comments | 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 Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. From its founding in 1852, Richland Center was a mill community where local wheat farmers could bring their grain and trade it for goods. But only after a railroad branch line arrived from Lone Rock in 1876 did the community boom. Railroads linked hinterland communities like Richland Center to markets in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, and the East. Farm families brought their wheat, and, later, dairy products to market, and left town with mass-produced goods, which they bought from the businesses downtown. In this way, farm and city developed in tandem. Richland Center was also the county seat. The placement of the Richland County Courthouse (SE corner of Seminary St. and Central Ave.) in a separate square isolated from the business district symbolically elevated its importance and emphasized the presence of the rule of law in the county. J. D. Allen of Madison designed the 1889 building in the Richardsonian Romanesque manner, with its pronounced weightiness and Byzantine details. The two-and-one-half-story brick building stands on a raised basement of quarry-cut stone. Anchoring the building to the ground are a squat turret with a conical roof and a square three-story clock-tower crowed by a pyramidal roof. Between these two visual weights, a stone entry arcade springs from paired columns of polished marble topped by foliated cushion capitals. |
| Bibliographic References | Buildings of Wisconsin manual. |
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
| National/State Register Listing Name | Court Street Commercial Historic District |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date | Nov 13, 1989 |
| State Register Listing Date | Jan 01, 1989 |
| Contributing | Yes |
Architecture & History Inventory
The Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) is a digital source of information on historic buildings, structures, and objects that have been surveyed by the State Historic Preservation Office in Wisconsin. Each property has a digital record providing basic information about the property and images.
Questions?
Wondering about if your property is eligible or notice some information on this property needs to be updated, reach out today!
Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
Access Property Records
Some properties have more materials (correspondence, clippings, historical information, etc.) not in the digital record. If a 'Site File' exists, it's noted in the 'Additional Comments' field. Contact us for an appointment to view these materials.
155 TO 161 E SEMINARY
95338
Located in Richland Center, Richland County
