Property Record
106 N WATER ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | C.E. Rich BStationary Store |
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| Other Name: | Golden Griddle Cafe |
| Contributing: | No |
| Reference Number: | 27977 |
| Location (Address): | 106 N WATER ST |
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| County: | Monroe |
| City: | Sparta |
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| Year Built: | 1896 |
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| Additions: | 1966 1903 |
| Survey Date: | 1989 |
| Historic Use: | retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Commercial Vernacular |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
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| National/State Register Listing Name: | Water Street Commercial Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 11/12/1992 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 7/3/1992 |
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| Additional Information: | In 1896, the present structure was erected. It was owned by Charles E. Rich. The first establishments in this building were the C.E. Rich Stationary and Bookstore and the G.F. Lord Tonsorial or barbershop. These two businesses occupied a previous building at this location from 1888 to 1896. The first building on this site was built by Ira Hill in 1888. After its erection, a variety of establishments existed in this building related to books, stationary and barbershops. In 1903, Van Antwerp and Brroks Tonsorial or barbershop and C.E. Rich book and stationary store was located here, and in 1916, C.M. Van Antwerp's barbershop and E.R. Williams bookstore occupied the building. The C.E. Rich building gains local historical significance under criterion A under the overview section of the nomination. In the decade of the 1890's, the year 1896 marked the "greatest growth that Sparta has ever enjoyed." In this banner year, $115,400 was put into the construction of new business, residential, civic and church buildings of the improvement of standing structures. The C.E. Rich building was one of the buildings constructed in this year. In addition, the building housed several well-established and stable businesses that were an important part of the community's daily life. This long, rectangular, one-story brick building has a contemporary storefront with metal and glass double leafed doors and a brick apron. The upper facade is covered by vertical wood siding. This building was built originally in a late 19th century vernacular brick form exhibiting a red brick facade with a false front characterized by a central bay rising above the two end bays. A Palladian styled window comprised of an arched window flanked by two smaller rectangular window sin the upper part of the center bay, corbeled brick cornices along the top of the facade and an iron storefront further characterized this small three-bay building. The iron storefront was removed and the facade altered in 1966. Constructed in 1896 to house C.E. Rich's Stationary Store, this building was built to replace his earlier frame stationary store previously on the site. Originally, this building had two small store spaces. The second store was rented to the Lord and Van Antwerp Tonsorial firm in 1896. The Rich Stationary Store does not meet the critera of the NRHP for architectural because of a lack of integrity. Also, it does not contribute to the Water Street Commercial Historic District because its historic character has been altered. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) "A Centennial Portfolio," The Sparta Herald, [photograph] June 6, 1983. (B) City of Sparta, WI, Tax Records, 1879-1930. (C) Sparta Herald June 9, 1896; July 7, 1896; July 14, 1896. (D) Sanborn Insurance Map 1889, 1894, 1900, 1911, 1922, 1931. (E) City of Sparta Property Tax Rolls, 1870-1940. (F) Annual Directory of Sparta, Wisconsin. Vol. 1. Chicago: Interstate Directory Co., 1897. (G) Sparta City Directory, 1903-1904. Sparta: R.C. Glover, Publisher, 1904. (H) City Directory of Sparta, Wisconsin. Sparta: compiled and published by E.B. Bell, 1916. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |