Property Record
122 W JAMES
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | H. M. BROWN BUILDING |
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| Other Name: | |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 3480 |
| Location (Address): | 122 W JAMES |
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| County: | Columbia |
| City: | Columbus |
| Township/Village: | |
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| Year Built: | 1876 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1977 |
| Historic Use: | small retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Italianate |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Cream Brick |
| Architect: | W.W. BOYINGTON (architect); Richard VanAken (builder) |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Columbus Downtown Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 3/5/1992 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 1/22/1992 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| Additional Information: | PEDIMENTED CORNICE W/DENTILS AND CARVED STONE BRACKETS, DECORATIVE STONE WINDOW HOODS. BUILT BY LOCAL CONTRACTOR RICHARD VANAKEN. THE JOLIET STONE WAS CUT AND CARVED BY LOCAL MONUMENT MAKER W.J. TURNER. CONSTRUCTION COST WAS $4,500. COLONEL BROWN, AN EARLY DEVELOPER IN COLUMBUS, HAD THIS BUILT FOR HIS STATIONARY, BOOK, AND JEWELRY STORE. THE SECOND FLOOR HOUSED THE PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIO OF W. HOSKINS. THE BUILDING REMAINED A GIFT STORE UNTIL 1969 WHEN THE FIRST FLOOR WAS REMODELED TO HOUSE AN OPTOMETRIST. "W.W. Boyington of Chicago, an architect known for his Chicago hotels and the Water Tower, designed this building. It was built by the prolific local contractor, Richard Vanaken. The Joliet stone used was cut and carved by local monument maker W.J. Turner. The construction cost $4,500. The Columbus Democrat of Dec. 6, 1876 described it at length and editorialized that "only such a person as Brown, who walked from Madison to Columbus in 1851 - without money for stagecoach or dinner - could appreciate such luxury". Col. H.M. Brown, an early and influential developer in Columbus, had this built as his stationery, book and jewelry store. The second floor housed the photographic studio of W. Hoskins. The building remained a gift store until 1969, when the first floor was remodeled to house an optometrist." Columbus Historic Architecture Tours, undated. |
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| Bibliographic References: | COLUMBUS DEMOCRAT 12/6/1876. COLUMBUS HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE TOURS, COLUMBUS HISTORIC LANDMARKS AND PRESERVATION COMMISSION, 1994. Columbus Historic Architecture Tours, undated. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |