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Property Location
Property Features
ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:
THIS STRUCTURE IS ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT AS ONE OF THE FEW MID-19TH CENTURY STRUCTURES IN ITS ORIGINAL STATE REMAINING IN THE CITY. IT IS A VERY SUBSTANIAL EXAMPLE OF ARCHITECTURE FROM THIS PERIOD AND HAS BEEN A VISUAL LANDMARK FOR THE COMMUNITY OF PLATTEVILLE SINCE THE EARLY DAYS OF ITS HISTORY.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE:
THIS BUILDING, NOW CALLED THE MINING MUSEUM, WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED THE "ROCK" OR "STONE" SCHOOL WHEN IT WAS BUILT BETWEEN THE YEARS 1858 AND 1863. THE SCHOOL WAS LOCATED ON ROUNTREE'S LAND NEAR THE BEVANS MINE. THE SHAFTS WERE FILLED WHEN THE SCHOOL WAS COMPLETED. AT FIRST THE LOWER GRADES WERE TAUGHT IN THE ROCK SCHOOL, THEN WHEN A HIGH SCHOOL CLASS WAS ORGANIZED, IT WAS USED IN SECOND FLOOR. THE HIGH SCHOOL MOVED TO ITS OWN BUILDING IN 1905 (SEE AHI #46265) AND THE ROCK SCHOOL BECAME AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. BETWEEN 1928 AND 1963 THE AMERICAN LEGION LEASED THE BUILDING AS A HALL. THE MINING MUSEUM OPENED IN THE ROCK SCHOOL BUILDING IN 1966. IN 1976, A PORTION OF THE BEVANS MINE WAS REOPENED AS PART OF THE MUSEUM.
The museum complex contains the former Platteville High School, also known as Hanmer Robbins School (AHI #4626, completed in 1906); the Rock School (AHI #46277, built between 1858 and 1863); and a headframe structure (AHI #241656) and a depot building serving as the entrance to the former Bevans lead mine (AHI #241659), both constructed in 1976.
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
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.
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