Property Record
1700 DURAND AVE
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Seeger's Motel |
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| Other Name: | Seeker Motel |
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| Reference Number: | 230035 |
| Location (Address): | 1700 DURAND AVE |
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| County: | Racine |
| City: | Racine |
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| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
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| Year Built: | 1960 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 2015 |
| Historic Use: | lodging-hotel |
| Architectural Style: | Side Gabled |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | This one-story, gabled motel (AHI#230035) is linear in plan. Oriented on an east/west axis, the primary wing includes twelve units on each side, each delineated by a door and a slider window. The facility terminates at the east end with an intersecting gabled wing with four additional units. To the north and at 2906 James Boulevard (AHI#230036), is the motel office, which is comprised of a 1956 Ranch-style home with a carport-style extension to the south. The motel structure was built circa 1960 as the Seeger Motel, which was owned and operated until 1970 by Norman Seeger and his wife Doris. Norman also maintained his “day job” as a sergeant with the Racine Police Department, from which he retired in 1977. The motel reportedly catered to many people in town on business. As the story goes, at check-in, the guests would often ask directions to the corporate headquarters or other offices that they were in town to visit. As no official city map was in production at that time, Norman would then offer a hand-drawn map to their respective destinations. Recognizing that a city map was needed, Norman established in 1971 the Seeger Map Company, Inc., a Racine-based business that continues to provide maps for distribution. The name of the motel changed in 1970 to the Seeker Motel, when ownership changed to Mervin Brandt, who had previously served as Pewaukee village president. Brandt died in 1975. The motel continues today as the Seeker Motel. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Michael Burke, “Mapping It Out,” Racine Journal-Times, 10 March 2002; “Norman R. Seeger,” Obituary, Racine Journal-Times, 18 January 2014; Racine City Directories; Local Briefs (re: Mervin Brandt), Waukesha (WI) Daily Freeman, 22 January 1969, page 33; “Mervin Brandt,” Death Notice, Milwaukee Sentinel, 17 May 1975. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |