Property Record
310 DEWITT
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Munson Building |
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| Other Name: | |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 41573 |
| Location (Address): | 310 DEWITT |
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| County: | Columbia |
| City: | Portage |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
| Direction: | |
| Section: | |
| Quarter Section: | |
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| Year Built: | 1880 |
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| Additions: | 1917 1892 |
| Survey Date: | 1992 |
| Historic Use: | large retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Commercial Vernacular |
| Structural System: | Brick |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Portage Retail Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 4/27/1995 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 10/24/1994 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| 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 Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. Parapet with concrete coping; concrete best course; pilasters; recessed brick panels; bands of windows; second floor windows blocked; display windows; rear cream/brick portion of building built before red brick front. George and Alexander Murison, Scotch cabinetmakers, opened their shop in Portage in 1853. George Murison continued the shop as sole owner after 1857-1858. In 1880, Goerge Murison moved from the Emporium Block at the northeast corner of DeWitt and Conant to a new building at 310 DeWitt (25/18), then the south portion of the current building. In 1892, Murison added the north wing, replacing a frame grocery. Portage contractor Alexander Carnegie completed the wing. At the turn of the century, Murison purchased furniture from wholesalers and closed his craft shop. His undertaking business had also grown from fabricating occasional coffins for home funerals to managing the funeral itself. Wallace Murison joined him as Murison and Son Company in 1893. In 1914, the partnership incorporated as George Murison and Sons Company with George Murison, Sr. and his two sons Wallace and George A. Murison. After George Murison's death in 1914, the firm included Wallace Murison as president and director of the funeral parlor and ambulance service and George A. Murison as its secretary and treasurer and director of the furniture portion of the business. In 1917, the company remodeled Murison's Furniture Emporium adding the two story glass front and the third floor. George Murison, Jr. sold the business to Jack Weiss and Saul Black in December, 1950. Otto Pflanz became employed with the Murison Funeral Service in 1944. In 1946 at Wallace Murison's retirement, he purchased this portion of the business which became known as the Murison-Pflanz Funeral Service. One year after Weiss and Black purchased the store, Pflanz moved the funeral service to the former J.B. Wells home at 430 W. Wisconsin (35/1). By 1955, Black and Wells ran Black's Furniture Mart. Black's Furniture closed in 1983 (Portage Daily Register 12/13/1917; 1943 [9/15: 1/3-4]; 1944 [9/15: 1/5-6]; 1/12/83; 8/8/1950; Democrat 9/14/1928; Columbia County Historical Society 1982;Milwaukee Journal 1951 [4.1L 4.1-3, 6/1-2]; Columbia County Historical Society 1982). |
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| Bibliographic References: | Sanborn-Perris Map Co. 1929: 3 story store divided into two sections 1918: 3 story building divided into two sections: furniture 1910: 2 story building divided into two sections: furniture and undertaking 1901: 2 story building divided into two sections; furniture 1894: 2 story building divided into two sections; furniture 1889: center bldg; furniture, ones to north and south different bldgs; grocery and millinery 1885: same as 1889 1882 (Stoner): building appears to be present Columbia Co. Treasurer 863- 1918-1930: Murison & Sons Co. own north two-thirds and rise in assessment indicates no extensive additions. 1917: building is assessed for half the value of 1918 1880 and 1890: drop in valuation, George Murison 1879: Murison purchased land from L.H. Wells. Murison had erected the south portion first in 1880, the north portion in 1892 and three story front and third floor in 1917-18 (also see below). Directories: 1865: not listed (Hawes) 1870: Geo. Murison listed (Chapin) 1886: Murison, Geo. Furniture dealer (Rockwood and Goodell) 1890: Geo. Murison, furniture and undertaker-w.s. of DeWitt (Wright) 1908-09: 308-10 Geo. Murison and Son, furniture and undertaker (S.H. Moore) 1910: 310: furniture dealer and funeral director, Murison & Son (Voshardt) 1917-18: Geo Murison & Sons Co., furniture and undertaker 1948: Murison and Pflanz Funeral home and George Murison and Sons Co.., furniture dealers (Commonwealth Telephone Co.) 1955: Black and Wells furniture mart (Johnson Printing Co.) Historic Portage, WI: Downtown & Waterfront Walking Tour, 1995. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |