Eliza Prange House
605 Erie Avenue, Sheboygan, Sheboygan County
Date of Construction: 1923
Architect: William C. Weeks
In 1923, Eliza Prange had this house constructed and lived there until her death in 1928. Eliza shared the house with her older sister, Anna Prange. Eliza Prange, a prominent citizen in the Sheboygan community, was most notable for her role as one of the founders of H.C. Prange Co., a local store which grew into the largest department store in the state of Wisconsin outside of the city of Milwaukee. She was an important contributor in the success of the business being co-owner and co-founder and leading its operations for 41 years. Her contributions within the company were varied; she served as clerk, assistant manager, treasurer, and vice president. Few women in Sheboygan held the leadership role that Eliza did and her accomplishments, demonstrated in the success of the company she co-owned, allowed her to amass a fortune and in turn to give generously to her church and community. In addition to her business acumen, she was lauded for her quiet charity work for the poor families of Sheboygan where her benefactors did not know to whom they were indebted.
The Eliza Prange House is an excellent example of the Mediterranean Revival style. The house displays distinctly Mediterranean Revival stylistic features including flat brick exterior wall surfaces broken by arched terracotta and cement plaster trim surrounding the first-floor windows. Other architectural elements consistent with this style include a low-sloped clay tile hipped roof with broadly overhanging boxed eaves and terracotta porch columns. The Eliza Prange House was designed by local architect, William C. Weeks, one of the most prolific architects in the history of the City of Sheboygan.
Since the settling of Eliza’s estate, there have been only two owners to this property. Currently, this building houses office space for Legacy Architecture. |