200 S. North St. | National or State Registers Record | Wisconsin Historical Society

National or State Registers Record

200 S. North St.

National or State Register of Historic Places
200 S. North St. | National or State Registers Record | Wisconsin Historical Society
NAMES
Historic Name:Star Theatre
Reference Number:80000154
PROPERTY LOCATION
Location (Address):200 S. North St.
County:Lafayette
City/Village:Argyle
Township:
SUMMARY
STAR THEATER
200 South North, Argyle, Lafayette County
Architect: Alanson Partridge
Date of Construction: 1878/1881

Alanson Patridge, a carpenter from New York, constructed the first part of this simple wood frame building as a carpenter's shop in 1878. Three years later, a second floor addition created a large hall for public and private useand the building became Argyle's community center. Partridge rented the private hall for a variety of purposes, including meetings, dances and dinners. The hall eventually became as important to Partridge¿s income as his carpentry business. Events at the hall were advertised by sending "barkers" into the street to sell tickets. A typical ticket might pay for the play, dinner and a dance, as well as lodging for the family horse in the blacksmith's stable across the street.

In 1908, Partridge sold the hall, which had been enlarged with another wing, to the local chapter for the Modern Woodmen of America, a fraternal organization. The Woodmen continued to lease the hall for social functions, in addition to using it for their own activities. In 1920 the hall took on the name of the "Star Theatre" and for another two decades showcased motion picture movies, six and seven reel silents, and "talkies."

The theater is privately owned and open during normal business hours.

PROPERTY FEATURES
Period of Significance:1875-1899
Area of Significance:Architecture
Area of Significance:Social History
Applicable Criteria:Architecture/Engineering
Applicable Criteria:Event
Historic Use:Recreation And Culture: Auditorium
Historic Use:Commerce/Trade: Specialty Store
Historic Use:Social: Meeting Hall
Architectural Style:No Style Listed
Resource Type:Building
Architect:Partridge,Alanson
DESIGNATIONS
Historic Status:Listed in the National Register
Historic Status:Listed in the State Register
National Register Listing Date:11/07/1980
State Register Listing Date:01/01/1989
NUMBER OF RESOURCES WITHIN PROPERTY
Number of Contributing Buildings:1
Number of Contributing Sites:0
Number of Contributing Structures:0
Number of Contributing Objects:0
Number of Non-Contributing Sites:0
Number of Non-Contributing Structures:0
Number of Non-Contributing Objects:0
RECORD LOCATION
National Register and State Register of Historic Places, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin

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National Register of Historic Places Citation
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