Property Record
100 N 6th Ave
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | West Bend City Hall |
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| Other Name: | |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 14665 |
| Location (Address): | 100 N 6th Ave |
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| County: | Washington |
| City: | West Bend |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
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| Year Built: | 1901 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 19872022 |
| Historic Use: | city/town/village hall/auditorium |
| Architectural Style: | German Renaissance Revival |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Cream Brick |
| Architect: | Van Ryn and De Gelleke |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | West Bend Downtown Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 3/17/2023 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 11/18/2022 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| Additional Information: | 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. Another map code for this building is 19/8 found on the Hand Drawn map. West Bend City Hall is an impressive high-style municipal building for such a small city. Prominent architects Van Ryn and de Gelleke of Milwaukee, winners of a regional design contest, opted for a small-scale German Renaissance Revival composition, suggested by the Germanic origins of many of the city’s residents. This two and a half story building features an irregular shaped plan configuration, a brick foundation, a cream brick exterior, and a stone and wood trim. The steeply pitched gable roof is interruped by varied roof shapes including dormers and a cupola with a tower. The central dormer has Tudor styled coping and windows. A round window with stilted lintel appears in a dormer as well. Another dormer window has a stilted lintel and round arched pediments are visible on the side dormers. The four story tower has an octagonal belfry with a spire. The tower was a facility used to dry hoses. An ogee dome crowns the cupola. Other architectural elements include a stamped metal trim and corner quoins. The building is in fair condition. Attached to the rear is the fire department building, notable for its four-story hose tower, where firemen hung up fire hoses to drain and dry. Claim Management Services in Building in 1987. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Historic name, date of construction: on building. ZIMMERMANN, RUSSELL "THE HERITAGE GUIDEBOOK" (HERITAGE BANKS 1976). WEST BEND DAILY NEWS 4/18/1995. WEST BEND DAILY NEWS 5/1/1995. West Bend Daily News 8/20/1998. Washington County History and Driving Tours presented by the Washington County Landmarks Commission, 1999. Buildings of Wisconsin manuscript. West Bend Historic Building Tour, Rathbun Associates, undated. The 1900 Sanborn map includes city hall but cites that the footprint is “From plans”; “The West Bend City Hall,” Paper prepared by Dorothy Weiss, 1941-42, Paper on file at The Tower Heritage Center. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |