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Property Location
| Location (Address) | 901 Park Ave |
|---|---|
| County | Racine |
| City/Village | Racine |
| Township | |
| Unincorporated community | |
| Town | |
| Range | |
| Direction | |
| Section | |
| Quarter Section | |
| Quarter Quarter Section |
Property Features
| Year Built | 1836 |
|---|---|
| Additions | 1842, 1848, 1911 |
| Survey Date | 1980 |
| Historic Use | park |
| Architectural Style | NA (unknown or not a building) |
| Structural System | |
| Wall Material | |
| Architect | Joshua Hathaway, Surveyor |
| 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. Set aside for use as a public square when the so-called "school section" in Racine was surveyed and laid out in both 1836 and 1842. West Park was redesigned in 1911. In 1925, E.W. Leach asserted the the State of Wisconsin, and not the City of Racine, owned both West Park and East Park since title had never changed hands. [B] West Park never became as fashionable as East Park, so fewer of its original houses were razed or replaced, although most of the were altered or added to over the years. It is, as a result, an area of "architectural archeology" where one can discover- both on and below the surface- examples of almost every architectural style that was popular in Racine from its early settlement to the 1940s. West Park also has an association with Senator James Rood Doolittle (1815-1897). He was born in Hampton, New York, and did not come to Racine until 1851. Six years later he was elceted to the United States Senate- the only Racine resident ever to achieve that office. He served for two terms, then retired to practice law- both in Chicago and Racine. Senator Doolittle had a house just south of Racine College, but about 1895, just two years before his death, he moved to his daughter's at 932 Park. She was Sarah Pease, the widow of E.H. Pease, who had been a manufacturer of fram equipment in Racine. |
| Bibliographic References | Racine Journal News, ?/16/1925 by E.W. Leach, "Who Owns West Park?" 1836 Hathaway survey of Racine's southside. The Grassroots History of Racine Co., p. 149. [B] Southside Historic District Walking Tour. Racine Landmarks Preservation Commission, May 1993. |
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
| National/State Register Listing Name | Southside Historic District |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date | Oct 18, 1977 |
| State Register Listing Date | Jan 01, 1989 |
| Contributing | Yes |
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?
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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.
E SIDE OF 1000 BLOCK OF S MAIN ST
11095
Located in Racine, Racine County
