Property Record
401 E SOUTH ISLAND ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | PATEN PAPER MILL |
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| Other Name: | A-C COMPRESSOR CORP. |
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| Reference Number: | 26978 |
| Location (Address): | 401 E SOUTH ISLAND ST |
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| County: | Outagamie |
| City: | Appleton |
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| Year Built: | 1881 |
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| Additions: | 1934 1900 1893 1962 |
| Survey Date: | 1991 |
| Historic Use: | mill |
| Architectural Style: | Astylistic Utilitarian Building |
| 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: | 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 State Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation. The mill was built in 1881 by Azel W. Paten, a prominent paper manufacturer at the turn of the century. Paten, who settled in Neenah in 1856, became connected with the paper industry when he built the Neenah Paper Co. mills in 1873. Eith years later he came to Appleton to build and in Feb. 1882 he organized the Paten Paper Co., Ltd., with his son, Thomas Paten, and son-in-law, John McNaughton. The elder Paten actively managed the paper firm until his death in 1902, when McNaughton succeeded him as head of the firm. fox River acquired the property and its water power in 1938. In the 40's the plant switched from paper mfg. to iron works. In 1959 plans were announced by the Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co. to purchase Valley Iron Works. The 2-story building has a flat roof, is rectangular in shape and has segmental arched windows. THE PART 1 WAS DENIED ON 3/11/1994. THE NEGATIVE FOR 8/33 IS FILED WITH THE FOX CANAL SURVEY NEGATIVES. THIS THREE AND ONE HALF STORY UTILITARIAN BUILDING HAS A GROUND STORY OF COURSED ASHLAR STONE AND BRICK UPPER WALLS WITH EIGHT BAYS OF SEGMENTAL-ARCHED WINDOWS THAT HAVE STONE SILLS AND WOODEN HEADS AND FRAMES. AN ENLARGED OPENING IN THE LEFT BAY OF THE GROUND STORY, FLANKED BY A WOODEN FRAMED WINDOW, HAS A METAL DOOR AND A CANOPY HUNG ON RODS. A DOORWAY IN THE SECOND BAY FROM THE RIGHT IS COVERED BY A PANEL, AS ARE THE REST OF THE SEGMENTAL-ARCHED GROUND-STORY WINDOWS. AN ATTIC GABLE WITH CORBELLED RETURNS AND A TRIO OF ROUND-ARCHED WINDOWS SPANS THE RIGHT SIX BAYS OF THE UPPER WALL. THE FACADE OF THE BUILDING IS FLUSH WITH ABUTTING LATER STRUCTURES. A-C COMPRESSOR SAYS PLANT ACTUALLY CONSISTS OF ABOUT 8 BUILDINGS (MOST CONNECTED) AND THAT THE OLDEST MAY DATE TO 1856 OR 1863. Resurveyed December 2010; some windows boarded over. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Factory Mutual Insurance Data. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |