123 N Blount St

Summary

Badger State Shoe Company
123 North Blount Street, Madison, Dane County
Architect: Ferdinand Kronenberg
Date of Construction: 1910

The factory building of the Badger State Shoe Company in Madison The building was designed by well-known Madison architect Ferdinand Kronenberg for a shoe company previously based in Milwaukee, looking to consolidate and increase production. At its peak, the factory was employing 250 workers and producing two-thousand pairs of shoes a day.

The German born architect, Kronenberg incorporated classical details and proportions into the massive structure by means of a classical metal cornice and corbelled brick piers, arches, and belt courses. With very few exterior alterations, it is an excellent example of a medium-sized factory building of the early-twentieth century.

Furthermore, the Badger State building was constructed during a brief but long-awaited industrial boom in Madison, in an industry that was one of Wisconsin’s most prevalent. Production halted during the Great Depression in the 1930s, and the building was converted to warehouse space while the windows were removed and bricked in. The Badger State Shoe Company building is now known as Das Kronenberg Condominiums, named in honor of the structure’s famous architect.

This property is private. Please respect the rights and privacy of the owners.

Property Details

Criteria	Event,Architecture/Engineering
Area Of Significance	Architecture,Industry
Period of Significance	1900-1924,1925-1949
Architectural Style	Classical Revival
Architect	Kronenberg,Ferdinand
Resource Type	Building
Historic Use	Manufacturing Facility,Warehouse

Resources Within The Property

Contributing Buildings	1
Contributing Sites	0
Contributing Structures	0
Contributing Objects	0
Non-Contributing Buildings	0
Non-Contributing Sites	0
Non-Contributing Structures	0
Non-Contributing Objects	0

Designations

Historic Status	Listed in the National Register
National Historic Landmark Listing Date	Apr 11, 1989