| Additional Information: | The present-day Olin Block on the corner of West Oak and Court Streets was constructed and completed by E.E. Olin on May 15, 1896 - a longstanding and successful grocer in Sparta's past. This business block was divided between two businesses. At 125 West Oak Street, Toby George's Billiard parlor was located, while at 127 West Oak Street E.E. Olin's grocery store.
E.E. Olin's grocery originally began in the Greve's or Opera Block sometime before 1875. However, at some point in time, he moved his establishment to the corner of West Oak and South Court Street. In 1896, on this corner, Olin built his brick building which became known as the Olin Block. E.E. Olin, Jr. continued to run a grocery there until at least 1900.
After the new Olin block was erected, a number of businesses situated themselves on this corner. At 125 West Oak Streets address, there was an unknown cigar factory (1911), and then the Royal Theater run by Otto Bell (1916).
At 127 West Oak Street address, they included the E.E. Olin Grocery and Crockery (1900), the Owsley and Sutherland flour and feed dealership (1903) an unknown garage (1911), and an unnamed supply store (1922).
At some point in time after 1922, an office of the Northern States Power was also located on this corner.
The Olin Block gains local significance under Criterion A from the topic Grocery Stores under the Commerce Theme and the topic Motion Pictures Theatres under the Sparta Entertainment Theme. The building's period of significance ranges from 1896 and its erection to 1919, when the Bell Theatre moved from the building.
Located on the southeast corner of Oak and Court Streets, this Queen Anne influenced building displays red brick facades [presently painted] on Oak Street and on Court Street ornamented by a projecting metalcornice, a frieze decorated by scroll designs pressed into the metal and a brick corbel table directly below the metal frieze. An iron clad, one-and-a-half story octagonal turret or overhanging corner tower [which lighted the upper story residential quarters of the owner] is the dominate characteristic of this Victorian building. The turret featuring an overhanging octagonal conical shingled roof is also ornamented by pressed metal designs. Classical swag designs in the metal panels under the roof overhang, and geometric designs pressed into metal covering the spandrels between the windows give the metal covering a textured surface. The turret is further ornamented by stained glass windows located on its attic story crafted in a geometric pattern and enframed by raised metal panels. Plain rectangular windows on the lower story of the turret are located above pressed metal panels around the base of the turret. The rectangular windows with one over one lights in the remainder of the building are topped by flat white stone lintels. Groups of three windows [one large window flanked by two smaller windows] that are divided by iron mullions with articulated capitals are located in the two east bays of the Oak Street facade above the white stone sill course. A pair of windows on the upper story and entresol windows [presently filled in with wood panels] on the lower story further characterize the Court Street facade. A contemporary metal and glass storefront with siding over the transom area presently is located on the building. A single door flanked by a small windows is located on the south end of the west facade. A one-story brick garage addition fronting on Court Street is attached to the rear of the building.
Well-preserved, this building has been altered only by the replacement of its original iron storefrton featuring large expanses of plate glass and a recessed double entrance area with a contemporary storefrton. Although slightly damaged, no structural damage resulted from the fire, which destroyed the adjacent frame buildings at 121 and 123 West Oak in 1900. The service building has been altered by the filling in of the service doors with wood paneling and windows.
This Victorian building, 50 ft x 65 ft, was constructed in 1896 by local contractor, L.V. Huschka for E.E. Olin. Designed by Racine architect J.C. Chandler, who also designed the Sparta High School (not extant) the year before [1895], this building replaced Olin's frame flour and seed store previously on the site, which was moved to the rear of the lot and torn down when the new building was completed. Built to accomodate two store spaces on the lower story, this building also was designed to house Olin personal residence on the upper story. Originally, the Olin Grocery Store occupied the west store while the east store was used for rental purposes. The garage addition constructed c. 1920 was used initially for an auto repair business and later for the service vehicles of the Northern States Power Co. located in the Olin building.
The Olin Block is significant under the Criterion C as an example of the Queen Anne style. One of three well preserved examples of the Queen Anne style in the proposed Water Street Historic District, this building designed by J.C. Chandler, an architect noted for his Queen Anne styled commercial buildings, displays the irregularity of surface, texture and plan typical of the Queen Anne style. This well-preserved building continues to display an iron clad corner turret, pressed metal designs on the cornice and turret, as well its original one over one windows on the upper facade. Other well-preserved examples of the Queen Anne influence are the buildings at 125 West Oak (MO 34/8) and 103 North Water (MO35/28). |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) Monroe County History Room, Rt. 2, Sparta, WI, Photograph Collection, Photograph #101.
(B) Sparta Herald Aug. 6, 1895; March 31, 1896; April 7, 1896; Jan. 30, 1900.
(C) City of Sparta Tax Records, 1870-1930.
(D) Sanborn Perris Insurance Maps 1884, 1889, 1894, 1900, 1911, 1922, 1931.
(E) Julia Middleman, Interview, Sparta, WI, June 6, 1990.
(F) City of Sparta Property Tax Rolls, 1870-1940.
(G) Monroe County Democrat May 15, 1896.
(H) Annual Directory of Sparta, Wisconsin. Vol. 1. Chicago: Interstate Directory Co., 1897.
(I) Sparta City Directory, 1903-1904. Sparta: R.C. Glover, Publisher, 1904.
(J) City Directory of the City of Sparta, Wisconsin. Sparta: compiled and published by E.B. Bell, 1916.
(K) Sparta Local History Room, Photographic Album, Sparta, Wisconsin and Sparta Schools.
(L) French, Bella, "History of Sparta, Wisconsin." The American Sketchbook. La Crosse: Sketch Book Company, Publishers, 1875, p. 70-74. |
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