| Additional Information: | The Dodge and Davis Department Store Building began in 1872, when G.T., Rufus S., and H.K. Dodge bought S.D. Jackson's building on the southwest corner of West Main and South Water Street, from Smith and Powers, who were located there (not extant). The Dodge Brothers Department store became one of Sparta's premier businesses. In 1872, they employed seven people, the largest employed by any mercantile company in Sparta. This business started under the management of G.T. and H.K. Dodge. In 1879, G.T. retired and H.K. Dodge died. From that time on, Rufus S. Dodge conducted the business. In 1891, Hal J. Davis (Rufus' brother-in-law) purchased an interest in the business, and in 1894, Davis was made a junior partner. By 1898, the business at 100 South Water Street was called the Dodge and Davis Department store. Since, its origination, there have been periodical additions and enlargements to the building. In 1893, a store adjoining on South Water Street was purchased and incorporated into the business. In 1897, a large brick addition to both stores was erected in the rear. And in 1900, the old part of the Jackson corner was removed and in its stead a brick structure was erected. The final store was divided into various departments, such as dress goods, silks, notions, cloaks, clothing, gent's furnishings, carpets, curtains, draperies and many others.
The Dodge and Davis Department store operated well into the 20th century. In 1904, Rufus Dodge died and Hal Davis became president and general manager of the corporation. Hal Davis ran the department store until 1926, when he retired. Davis later died in 1931.
The Dodge and Davis Department Store gain slocal historical significance under Criterion A in association with the topic General Merchandies, Dry Goods, and Furniture Stores under Sparta's Commercial Theme. It is clear that the building houses one of Sparta's predominant department stores, which had a fine record of service to the community. The building's period of historical significance ranges from the 1870's to the 1930's.
Located on the southwest corner of Water Street and Main Street, this Romanesque Revival two-story red brick comemrcial block is characterized mainly by an arcade of round arches above the rectangular windows on the second story that alternate with the three-bay pavilions projecting from the brick elevations. Three pavilions, one on the north end of the facade and two on the Main Street facade, feature an entablature comprised of a dentil trimmed cornice, an unadorned inscribed "R.S. Dodge," and a plain architrave that rest on capped applied brick pilasters that have corbeled stops at the level of the second floor. A cornice and freize similar to those on the pavilion further ornament the top of the building on the facade and on the Main Street facade. Stone lintels and lintel course at the top of the facade and on the Main Street facade. Stone lintels and lintel course at the top of the windows and a moulded string couse at second floor level further divide the building horizontally. Entresol windows are located on the upper part of the lower story of the Main Street facade. All of the windows [except the storefront windows] in the building are filled in with vertical and horizontal wood siding. A contemporary storefront with vertical siding over the transom area, large plate glass windows and an off-set recessed entrance with metal and glass doors presently is located on the lower story of the facade.
ALthough much of the architectural ornament remains on the building, the Dodge and Davis store building has been altered extensively by the replacement of the lights with wood panels. In addition, the historic character has been altered by the addition of an unsympathetic contemporary storefront. Originally, a decorative iron storefront with a recessed entrance placed under the pavilion on the facade wrapped around the building to the Main Street facade. Display windows also were located under the entresol windows on the Main Street facade. The new Dodge building constructed in 1900 was comprised only of five bays on the north end of the facade. The remaining two bays on the south end of the facade, constructed originally as part of the 1870s Italianate styled Tyler building [ornamented by a projecting bracketed iron cornice and decorative window heads], was reconstructed to match the rest of the building in the 1930s or early 1940s, possibly when the J.C. Penny Store remodeled the interior.
The present Dodge and Davis Store was constructed in its present form in 1900. Initially established [Dodge Brothers] in 1872 in the frame Jackson Store built on the corner site in 1857, the Dodge Dry Goods Store under the sole proprietorship of Rufus Dodge, one of the three Dodge brothers, purchased the adjacent brick "Tyler" building at 102 South Water in 1893. The two commercial spaces were connected in 1894 with the construction of stairway between the two buildings. In 1897, Dodge had a large brick 50 x 60 addition [two-story at the rear of the Tyler building and one-story at the rear of the frame corner building] constructed extending across the rear of both of his buildings as the first step of his plan to enlarge his facilities. In 1900, the next step--the erection of an elaborate two-story brick building in place of the frame building on the corner that initially housed the business--was completed. A second story also was added to the one-story brick addition at the rear of the earlier buildings. The old frame Jackson store was moved one block east to the north side of East Main Street where it functioned for many years until it was demolished in 1958.
The Romanesque Revival styled twos-tory section on the northeast corner of the building and the top floor of the rear section at its rear were constructed in 1900 under the direction of local contractor Harry Knauss according to the plans prepared by an "unnamed" architect. The stone and brickwork was done also by a local contractor, L.V. Huschka. The iron storefront was created locally at the foundry of Sparta Iron Works on East Oak Street. The new facilities, equipped with 19, 413 sq. ft. of space [60 ft. front with 133 ft. on Main St.], was divided into a dry goods department on the first floor of the new north section [40 x 113], a clothing department on main floor of the south section [20 x 113], Ladies clothing and rugs on second [40 x 113] and bargain department in the basement [40 x 113].
The Dodge and Davis Department Store does not meet the criteria of thr NRHP for architectural significance because of a lack of integrity. Although many of the Romanesque Revival influenced details remain on the building, its architectural character has been diminished particularly by the alteration of the windows. However, the Dodge and Davis Building has sufficient architectural character to contribute to the Water Street Commercial Historic District. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) Monroe County History Room. Sparta, WI, Photograph File, Photograph #380, 392, 374, 1409.
(B) Sanborn Insurance Map 1884, 1894, 1900, 1911, 1922, 1931.
(C) Sparta Herald March 6, 1894; March 27, 1894; April 27, 1897; Oct. 19, 1897; Jan. 18, 1898; May 15, 1900; May 22, 1900; Aug. 14, 1900; Feb. 16, 1942.
(D) "Sparta-Up-To-Date," Monroe County Democrat, June 30, 1899:32-36.
(E) City of Sparta, Community Development Office, Building Permit File.
(F) Building Inscription.
(G) Koehler, Lyle P., From Frontier Settlement to Self-Conscious American Community: A History of One Rural Village (Sparta, Wisconsin) in the Nineteenth Century. Evansville, Indiana: Unigraphic, Inc. 1977. pp. 29 and 43.
(H) "History of Sparta," Installment 31.
(I) Gregory, John G., West Central Wisconsin: A History. Vol. 3, Indianapolis: S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1933, pp. 203-204. |
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