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Property Location
| Location (Address) | 123 E DOTY ST |
|---|---|
| County | Dane |
| City/Village | Madison |
| Township | |
| Unincorporated community | |
| Town | |
| Range | |
| Direction | |
| Section | |
| Quarter Section | |
| Quarter Quarter Section |
Property Features
| Year Built | 1854 |
|---|---|
| Additions | 1880, 1883, 1901, 1858 |
| Survey Date | 1984 |
| Historic Use | lodging-hotel |
| Architectural Style | Queen Anne |
| Structural System | |
| Wall Material | Brick |
| Architect | Gordon & Paunack (1901) |
| 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. MAP CODE IS 0709-242-0208-2. This building was one of Madison's oldest hotels. Madison Landmark: 10/6/75. "The Fess Hotel, owned by the Fess family from the 1850s to 1970s, has one of the longest records of service to the public of any business establishment in the city. George E. Fess, an immigrant from England, and his wife, Anna, started out with a grocery store and "eating house" next door to this building. They expanded into the hotel business, adding the present buildings on the east, the street facades of which were constructed in Milwaukee cream brick in the early 1880s and St. Louis rose brick in 1901. Originally, the hotel included livery barns and an ice house. The Fess lodged a variety of visitors: jurors, legislators, travelling salesmen, and weekly boarders. Its location near the railroad stations and its reasonable rates made it a natural stop for rail passengers. Carrie Nation stayed in the Fess in 1901 because it did not have a bar, although several saloons were within a stone's throw." Madison's Pioneer Buildings: A Downtown Walking Tour, 1987. |
| Bibliographic References | Date of construction source and historical name source: NRHP nomination form, tax records. Sandstone and Buffalo Robes: Madison's historic buildings, third edition, 1975. Madison's Pioneer Buildings: A Downtown Walking Tour, 1987. Madison Landmarks Commission and Capitol Neighborhoods, The First Settlement Neighborhood: A Walking Tour, 1988. A Celebration of Architecture: Wisconsin Society of Architects Tour of Significant Architecture, 1979. |
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
| National/State Register Listing Name | Fess Hotel |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date | Sep 21, 1978 |
| State Register Listing Date | Jan 01, 1989 |
| Contributing |
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?
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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.
