r PRESERVATION - RACINE, INC. NEWSLETTER

SUMMER I98U

The Fourth - A Hundred Years Ago

Friday morning, July U, l88i|, dawned in The parade was followed by the annual a drizzle as the United States Revenue reunion of the Old Settlers' Society at Cutter Andrew Johnson—anchored in the the Blake Opera House where, the program lake opposite Market Square—fired a of events assured everyone, "a large twenty-one-gun "sunrise salute" to start member of distinguished gentlemen from the celebration of Racine's fiftieth various parts of the West, are expected anniversary, to be present, and eloquent speeches made," Afterward, picnic Ixmches were "A Grand Trades Procession, illustrating served all over downtown by the ladies the growth and progress of Racine," was of Racine's many churches. scheduled to begin precisely at nine o'clock, according to a handbill advert The highli^t of the day's festivities, tising the day's events. "All the however, was the dedication that after­ incoming morning trains were filled with noon of the newly-erected soldiers' si^t-seers," reported the Racine Daily monument on the square. At 1;30 the Journal; "and by nine o'clock the crowds reassembled to listen to patri­ streets were packed with a dense throng otic addresses—honoring the soldiers to witness the procession, and it is who served the Union in the Civil War— estimated the number was 10,000." The by General Edward S, Bragg, a former crowd stood waiting in the rain; but by commander of the gallant "Iron Brigade" 9:U5» when the Grand Procession finally (in which many young Racine men had stepped off, the showers had dissipated fou^t and died); by General Lucius and umbrellas were folded away. Fairchild, three times governor of the state, who had lost an arm at Gettys­ On the reviewing stand at the square burg; and by District Attorney Henry , were Jeremiah M. Rusk, Governor of Wis­ Allen Cooper and other local officials. consin; Gilbert I^app, Racine's first Fairchild sat on the rostrum with ten settler, as well as other members of the more veterans of the war, each of whom Racine Coiinty Old Settlers' Society; and had also lost an arm or leg in battle. a number of guests of the city, "Along In front of the platform stood many more the line of march the buildings were veterans wearing their blue army uni­ tastefully and elaborately decorated forms of twenty years before. ' with bunting, flags and other appropri­ ate material," wrote the Daily Journal; Miss Flora Erskine was supposed to "and looking upon the handsome business unveil the monument, but she deferred to structures and beautiful private resi­ Mr. Lemuel C. Porter, "the originator of dences, the pioneers could not but won­ the Soldiers* Monument," the Daily der at the marvelous prosperity and Journal declared, "he being the gentle­ growth which has marked the first fifty man who first suggested its erection." years of Racine's history," At 2:35 when Mr. Porter pulled the cord cohtinued on page three New Members

Fran & Emmett Bedford 165U College Ave. 03 Doris Duncan 206 15th St. #12 03 Catherine A. Gister 2028 12th St. 03 Carol Haynes 1808 S. Wisconsin Ave. 03 George Mangold 1222 S. Main St. 03 Janet Nielsen 2056-^ Douglas Ave. 02 Gene Noll 21 E. Chestnut St. Apt. l6C Where Is This? Chicago, IL 6O6II Mr. & Mrs. George Oess CoTild you have seen this in Mound Ceme­ 1216 S. Main St. 03 tery? Dr. Helen Patton Route 10 Box 99 Franklin, N.C. 2873U . J-i--'.- ;. ; • li', ; Sill: .:-rt KjttV Bruce & Judy Renquist Wanted - - - " 711 Tower Circle 02 Donna Rykal If you have served as a tour guide for r>c" any of Preservation-Racine's Annual 91+0 Echo Lane 06 Tours of Historic Places and still Nan Slovachek have your to\ir script, would you please 2502 Green Haze Ave. 06 consider donating it to ou:c files, which are incomplete. Margaret Wemmert I3U0 N. Green Bay Rd. 06 Please mail them to Presersration-Racine, John Cogan Inc. P.O. Box 383, Racine, WI 53U01. 725 Lake Ave. #512 03 Mrs. A. DeVere Harnett 1610 College Ave. 03 Gilbert Thomsen - Life Member Officers IU36 College Ave. 03

fSCHK President Ma:ry Ann Staupe Vice President Mary Whitman Secretary Linda Fouste Treasurer IKathryn Rouse

Preservation-Racine, Inc. Newsletter Editors Dorothy Osborne Lithograph on cover: A share of stock Don Rintz that sold for $1.00 to help raise funds Roberta Fiene for the pzx>posed soldiers' monument. A HUNDRED TEARS AGO contimied "A hundred years shall pass away," he continued, "Another assemblage shall gather around the base of this monument to celebrate this birthday of freedom. Among them will be our descendants but so distant that we shall be vaguely remembered." He called the audience's attention to the alert soldier on picket duty at the top of the shaft. "But that assemblage, standing where we stand today, may commune with us throu^ this pale, patient sentinel. ... So may future generations see reflected in his face the patriotism and gratitude that bum so brightly in our hearts today. Still shall our sentinel scan the far eastern horizon for the breaking of that glorious morning, sure to dawn, when the influence of this Republic shall prevail against Czars and Kings, and equal rights be accorded to all men." His words would serve this year to rededicate our mon\ament on the square. Throu^ a century of events which no one co\ild possibly have foreseen, they ring true enougji, even today. that held the flag covering the column, Don Rintz "a cheer went up from the ten thousand people; the bell in the court house rang forth its peals, and the government steamer Andrew Johnson . . . fired a National salute of 21 guns." Near the ^ll ^fj i-^H end of the ceremony, Mr. Stephen Free­ Coming Up man, an alderman who was seated at the south end of the platform, rose and Cedarburg Stone and Century House Tour offered a spontaneous resolution: That June 1,2 the name of the square be changed, " Racine Covinty Historical Society and "immediately and forthwith,," from Market Museum Annual Meeting Sqiiare to Monument Square. The motion Old Settlers' Park was carried unanimously by a roar of June 2 "ayes" from the crowd, which obviously had no authority to change the name; but Monument Square Art Fair it has been so ever since. June 9,10 Of the myriads of words which were spo­ Root River Canoe Race ken that day to dedicate the monument, June 16 the most eloquent and worthy of remem­ Sesquicentennial Picnic ; brance were probably those of Joseph V. J\ine 30 Quarles, the chairman of the Committee for the Semi-Centennial Celebration. Triathlon His speech was frequently interrupted by August U cheers and applause, and he ended it by Starving Artists' Fair Vi*;5fi -larijO urging his fellow citizens to dedicate August S the monument—"Dedicate it as a sponsor for human rights and a protest against Preservation-Racine Ninth Annual Tour human wrongs in every nation and every of Historic Places '< u^^^^ clime. ^jfijj September 30 ^^^'''^ '--•*•

.;nn JLeiCLXOl JO i.*>« i'i%_ Share in the onument Monument Square Mug

A hundred years ago Racine was also Preservation-Racine's second mug (198U) raising money for a community project. is now available. It follows a very The goal, then, was $8,000.00 and the successful first mug of the Wind Point project was the soldiers' monument on Lighthouse. The second depicts the the square. Picnics were held, dances soldiers' monument on Monument Square, and dinners—even a Soldiers' Monument which this year is celebrating its one Pair—all of whose profits were pledged hundredth anniversary. The illustra­ to the fund for the monument; and of tions on both are by local artist course, there was a memento that mi^t Robert Johansen, be bou^t. It was the lithograph which is reproduced on our cover. The mugs are available at the Racine County Historical Society and Museimi In celebration of the monument's one Gift Shop or by calling 63U-5U63 or hundredth anniversary, the Racine 633-27U7. Coimty Historical Society and Museum has reprinted a limited ntmiber of these In this Sesquicentennial year, 10% of lithographs in full size (12^ in, x the profits of all mug sales have been 18 in.) from an original in the muse­ pledged to the downtown festival site. um's collection. They are being offered at $5'00 each and can be pur­ chased at the museiom's gift shop. A hundred years ago, this "share in the monument" cost $1,00. When you con­ sider that the average wage for a work­ ing man in 188U was $1.50 a day, to­ day's price is a pittance. But that mite is mistily needed to support the museian. Buy several, if you can. Landmarks Commission Heritage Days The Racine Landmarks Preservation Com­ mission has just revised and reissued Heritage Days at Colonel Heg Memorial for the city's sesquicentennial three Park, Racine County, has heen scheduled publications about historically signif­ for June 16 and 17, 198U» as announced icant architecture in the area. The by the Town of Norway Hist6rical Society "Downtown Racine Walking Tour Guide" is of Wind Lake. a convenient pocket sized map and list The Heritage Days weekend features a of over 20 properties within walking Revolutionary War reenaotment group distance in the city's downtown. encamped within Heg Park. The group For more ambitious travelers with access presents a continuous schedule of authen­ to a car the Commission has updated tic Revolutionary war activities from "Racine Landmarks; A Map Guide," This 10:00 a.m. to 5^00 p.m. each day. Some guide shows the location of 53 proper­ of the activities include two battles ties designated to date by the Landmarks each day, colonial fashion shows, artil­ Commission including several listed on lery and tomahawk e3±iibitions, and the National Register of Historic Places demonstrations of colonial crafts and and the Historic American Buildings camplife• Survey, Other activities offered by the Norway A third publication just reprinted is Historical Society during the Heritage Robert D. Long's "Racine's Historic Days weekend are an arts and crafts Firehouses," This booklet includes fair, a square dance, a pie and ice photographs and brief descriptions of cream social, and a pancake breakfast. the early surviving city firehouses. All scheduled activities are free. Copies of these guides can be obtained For more information: free from the Architectural Conservation Marilyn Canfield 1-UlU-ii25-3575 Office at City Hall and at the Racine Barbara Palmer 1-U1U-895-21+2U County Historical Society and Museum. Dear Preservation-Racine Members and Friends, As you know, the Ninth Annual Tour of Historic Places will be coming up on September 30. Since the tour is our major fundraiser of the year, we wo\ild like to encourage everyone to contribute his time and effort. We will need people to serve as guides5 sell tickets, bake cookies, and sell ads for our tour booklet. In order to have a successful tour, the participation of all our members is essential. This year we are including a patron list in the tour booklet, and donations from everyone are welcome. If you are unable to serve as a guide, consider becoming a patron to support and promote preservation. The money generated from the tour helps support the Blake House, enables us to publish educational material, provides free bus tours of historic Racine, and allows us to give slide presentations of local architecture to schools &d organizations. All of these events promote preservation, as well as enrich the life of the community. The success of the tour in the past has indicated that you feel it is a worthwhile event and we look forward to your continued support. Please check off as many areas as you are able to help with or call one of us.

Kathy Rouse 639-IU8U Carol Chaplin 632-8629 Mary Ann Staupe 637-9179

Name Telephone Address City Zip

I will support the tour bys making a donation purchasing tickets selling tickets selling ads _being a tour guide ^baking cookies

Mail to: Preservation-Racine, Inc., P.O, Box 383, Racine, WI 531+01 The Oldest House?

Securing exact dates of the building of the older houses in Racine (or in any other town) is extremely difficult, but we believe that these are probably the oldest houses in town, all built in the l8UOs. 1201+ Highland Avenue Built for Lorenzo Janes at Seventh and Main Streets in 181+2. I2J47 South Main Street Built on the southeast comer of Main and Ninth Streets in l8i+i+, and later moved to Ninth and Lake, and in 1912 to its present location. 1028 Erie Street Purchased by George Fellows in I8U8, at which time it had only the south wing. 50U Park Avenue Built in 1814,6 by Daniel Slauson, who gave the southern half of the house to the Methodist church for a parsonage. 800 LaSalle Street Moved from a garden location on the river where the Case factory buildings are now located, and called the Lucky Answer: House, because so many early residents moved from there to luxurious mansions Since we've featxired the soldiers' monu­ on Main Street. ment on Monument Square this issue, we thought we'd test your ability to recog­ We would welcome any challenges, correc­ nize a portion of it. tions, or additions. Call 63U-5352.

Italianate Greek Revival From the President New Booth vi .i As I reported in the last nsjwsletter, representatives of Preservation-Racine, Old Main Street, and Johnson Redevelop­ ment Corporation were meeting to dis­ cuss the future of the 200 block of Main Street. Two such meetings were held, with the discussions revolving arovmd the need to provide parking for the Shoop building and at the same time attempting to preserve the six b-uild- ings. Johnson Redevelopment Corpora­ tion said that they would tell their architect. Bob Virth, to do everything he could to save as many of the build­ ings as possible. They assiired us that they would meet with us again as their architect's plans developed. As you are by now probably aware, the final design of the parking ramp, with its entrances and exits as developed by Pam Shipman and Jack Kazarian were Mr. Wirth, required that four buildings Preservation-Racine volunteers when the to the north be removed and that two be above picttire of our new booth was truncated. The buildings were removed taken at Regency Mall's Community Pair, in early May. We were not given the April 28th and 29th. opportunity to see or comment on these Thanks again to member George Blaustein plans. for designing this handsome booth for Designs of several alternatives that UB. would have placed the ramp in the block and still allowed the buildings to remain were presented to Jolinson Rede­ New Officers velopment Corporation. Oxir appeal to them was based on the fact that a vi­ We are very fortunate that Mary Ann able alternative to demolition had been Staupe and Kathy Rouse have consented found; that these buildings were an to serve again in their respective important part of Racine's architec­ offices as president and treasurer. tural heritage; and that with develop­ They have both been energetic and ment of the Shoop and increased activ­ enthusiastic in carrying out their ity in the area, tenants for the build­ duties the past two years. ings covild be found. However, the buildings were in private ownership and Ovir new vice president is Mary Whitman. there were no legal avenues open to She has been an active member of prevent the removal of them, Preservation-Racine since its early days and has previously served as vice Althou^ we are disappointed at the president and annual tour chairman. loss of the four buildings, Mr. Wirth She has been a member of the board of assxired us that the design of the pro­ Blake House Restoration, Inc. for many posed parking ramp, to be constructed years and works part-time at Office behind the two remaining buildings, Equipment Corporation. provides for the exposed part of the Linda Fouste, our secretary for the ramp to be faced with brick in a manner coming year, is new to Preservation- that is compatible with the style of Racine but has been interested in the Shoop building and the :remaining preservation goals and ideas for buildings in the 200 block. several years. She is executive sec­ Mar;y^ Ann Staupe retary at the A-Center of Racine and is active in her church. An innovation this year was a quilt show on Thursday afternoon and evening in St. Luke's hall. More than forty is taking cai^ antique and contemporary handmade quilts were displayed in a homespun setting of primitives and collectibles of America, from Mary Kaprelian's Main Street Preservation Week May 13-19,1984 General Store. Several hundred people National Trust for Historic Preservation stopped to view the quilts and to par­ take of coffee, tea, and the muffins baked and donated by members of Preser­ Preservation-Racine's seven day cele­ vation-Racine, We thank the bakers bration of National Preservation Week and the donors, and we thank, particu­ began at the Gtolden Rondelle on Sunday, larly, Carolyn Chaplin, Roberta Fiene, May 13th, for "Nature Patterns in and Kathy Rouse who conceived and Frank Lloyd Wri^t Architecture"—a organized the show. program by Don Kalec from the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio Founda­ Pam Shipman designed and executed a tion, It was co-sponsored by S. C. subtly decorous poster in commemoration Johnson and Son, Inc, to whom we are of the event. She printed an edition very grateful, and Preservation-Racine. of fifty and signed them. The posters Esther Kaufmann saw to the scheduling were offered for sale at the quilt show and to the arrangements, and we thank for 15.00 each. Some are still avail­ her for it. able and they will be offered to mem­ bers at the June meeting. The "mini tours" at noon each day were well attended—between 30 and i^O people We thank the Racine County Historical took each one. Fran Trumbull conducted Society and Muse\ua for lending quilts the Monday tour of the Henrietta Ben- for the display, and we thank the many stead residence for student nurses at members and friends of Preseirvation- 116 Tenth Street, St, Luke's Hospital Hacine who also lent their quilts to generously allowed the house to be be shown. We are particularly grateful open. Tuesday, Rod Botts took a siz­ to Geneva Watts who shared her exper­ able group on a "stroll down Sixth tise in the history and the making of Street," and on Wednesday, "Captain quilts with us and with those who and Mrs. Knapp" visited with John visited the show. Batikis and those he took on the tour Our thanks must go again to Esther of the V5V clubhouse at 820 Main, where Kauftaann, who designed the poster and Gilbert Knapp lived and died. On prepared the publicity for the entire Thursday, Elizabeth Walker conducted a week's activities, and to Pam Shipman, tour of St, Luke's Episcopal Church, who co-ordinated the work of the cbm- and on Friday, Esther Kauftaann took a mittee this year and has agreed to do group throu^ the handsome old house it again next year. at 731 Main which Fidelity Title adapted for its offices. We thank National Preservation Week those who conducted the tours and the Committee people who helped them. We are grateful to Charles Rice for his talk, Tuesday evening, on one of the most important aspects of preservation- restoring old houses; and we thank Katie Nordeen and Carol Piggins for leading a children's walk throu^ Racine's historic south side on Satiuv day. Road Company (the "Lake Shore Road"), Racines Own Railroad That junction lent its name to the street which ran to it from Washington The "abandoned" signs which were put up Avenue and to the station which was recently along railroad tracks that built there by the Lake Shore Road. have run throu^ our city for 130 years mark the last vestiges of what was once The Racine, Janesville and Mississippi Racine's very own railway. The ties reached Burlington in 1855 and headed that are being dug up today lead back for Beloit, because Janesville had not to Racine's earliest years and to its provided sufficient financial support earliest aspirations. for the line. In 1856 the name was From the mid I83OS throu^ the l850s, changed to the Racine and Mississippi Racine was in competition with Chicago, Railroad, but by 1859 it ran only to Milwaukee, and a number of other cities Freeport, Illinois (where one could to become the major port on the western transfer to the Illinois Central and shores of Lake Michigan, The founders travel to Dunleith on the Mississippi), of our city realized that a direct The last 35 miles of the road were route from Racine to the Mississippi completed to Savanna, Illinois, in River—and thereby to St, Louis, New December of 1862, when the line finally Orleans, and the vast lands of the ran its full 136 miles from Racine to Louisiana Purchase—was essential to the Mississippi.River. the growth of the city as a center of Having arrived rather late in the game, trade and transport. As early as I838, Racine*s railroad did not prosper. plans were made for a rail line west to Chicago and Milwaukee dominated the Janesville and the Rock River (which east and west rail routes, as well as flows into the Mississippi). The the ones north and south. Financing Racine and Rock River flail Road Company the line became almost impossible dur^ was incorporated, but the line was ing the financial panic of 1857. By never built. 1859 the company had defaulted on its bonds and control of the railroad Chicago and Milwaukee had already begun passed from the local managers to the laying track to the west; Sheboygan, eastern financiers who held its securi­ Manitowoc, and Kenosha were laying ties. In 1866 the line was incorpo­ plans to do the same, when in April of rated into the Western Union Railroad, 1852, the Racine, Janesville, and Mis­ which later became a part of the Chi­ sissippi Rail Road Company was char­ cago, Milwaukee, and St. Paiil. tered. Henry S, Durand was its presi­ dent, Charles S, Wri^t, its secretary, Now the ri^t-of-way has been abandoned; and Henry J. tfllmann, its treasurer, the tracks have been ripped up for according to the first annual report of scrap, and the ties have been carted the company published early in 185U. away to garden supply stores. Segments Serving on the board of directors were of the land have been bou^t, for the a number of other pioneers of Racine's most part, by the industries which abut past: Elias Smith, Isaac Taylor, Mar­ the old tracks. All traces of the shall M. Strong, Reuben M. Norton, Racine and Mississippi are being wiped Charleys Herrick, John Dickson, and away. The lands along the river which Simeon D. Clou^, The line was cer­ were the commercial railroad yards^of tainly a local undert€iking. the nineteenth centiiry are becoming the recreational boat yards of the twenty- By the summer of l853i track had been first, laid north of Second Street from the Don Rintz lake west to the Root River and along its banks to Stannard Street where it cTirved south, crisscrossing the Blue River (a tributary of the Root which once meandered south between Center and Mead Streets). The track curved west about Seventeenth Street to a junction with the newly-completed tracks of the Green Bay, Milwaukee and Chicago Rail O (D H- O 09 0 • (0 - bd -4 O BJ «: K «+ H- M- (0 Vx) O O CO 0 O VJO I m ¥ 0 VA

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