click zoom to display a high-res image
Property Location
| Location (Address) | 550 N PARK ST |
|---|---|
| County | Dane |
| City/Village | Madison |
| Township | |
| Unincorporated community | |
| Town | |
| Range | |
| Direction | |
| Section | |
| Quarter Section | |
| Quarter Quarter Section |
Property Features
| Year Built | 1887 |
|---|---|
| Additions | |
| Survey Date | 1974 |
| Historic Use | university or college building |
| Architectural Style | Romanesque Revival |
| Structural System | Steel Frame |
| Wall Material | Brick |
| Architect | Allan D. Conover And H.c. Koch |
| 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. SEE JMD DESK FILE FOR ADDITIONAL PHOTOS. BUILDING IS AN EARLY EXAMPLE OF STEEL BEAM CONSTRUCTION. ORIGINAL COST OF CONSTRUCTION WAS $285,000. NHL. Another of Koch’s designs, the massive, red-brick Science Hall squats at the base of the hill. Completed in 1887, it reflects the Romanesque Revival style, with its round-arched windows, rectangular turrets, and broad entrance arch. Notice the mix of textures: a rock-faced stone foundation, lively polychromy, ornamental brickwork, and glazed terracotta trim with flower and leaf patterns. Koch’s design called for load-bearing walls, but during construction Allan D. Conover, then a professor of civil engineering, revised the plans to make Science Hall only the second building in the nation (and the oldest surviving one) built with a steel skeleton. Here, Professor Charles Van Hise transformed the field of geology from a descriptive discipline to a science that incorporated physics and chemistry. Science Hall is also a contributing building in the Bascom Hill Historic District (listed 9-12-1974). Madison Historic Landmark:9/18/2007; National Historic Landmark: 11/4/1933 Science Hall is contributing to the Bascom Hill Historic District, NR listed 1974, NRIS #: 74000065 "As you walk through the building, note the wide stone-and-iron grillwork staircase and the elaborate stained-glass front entrance. Science Hall, which originally housed all the sciences, now includes Geography, Geography Library, Cartographic Lab, Map Library, State Cartographer, and the Institute for Environmental Studies instruction program and reference collection. Science Hall was the original home of the University radio station (now WHA), the "oldest station in the nation" in terms of continuous broadcasting. The station, known as 9XM, first transmitted voice and music in 1917 and began scheduled program transmission in 1919." University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Madison Tour Guide, 1988. |
| Bibliographic References | "A TABULAR HISTORY OF THE BUILDINGS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN" ALDEN AUST 1937. THE CAPITAL TIMES 5/12/1994. THE CAPITAL TIMES 5/17/1994. Buildings of Wisconsin manuscript. University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin-Madison Tour Guide, 1988. |
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
| National/State Register Listing Name | Science Hall |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date | Nov 04, 1993 |
| State Register Listing Date | Jan 15, 1993 |
| Contributing | Yes |
| National Historic Landmark Status Granted | Nov 4, 1993 |
| Additional Documentation | Jan 23, 2013 |
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.
Bounded by Observatory Dr., University Ave., and N. Park, Langdon, and State Sts.
74000065
Located in Madison, Dane County
550 N. Park St., University of Wisconsin campus
93001616
Located in Madison, Dane County
Bascom Hill, UW Campus, Madison
1880
Drawing of University Hall by D.C. Salisbury showing the view from the bottom, south side of the hill on the University of Wisconsin campus. Bascom Hall, built in 1859, was originally called Unive...
