Property Record
411 UNION ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Charles L. James House |
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| Reference Number: | 41869 |
| Location (Address): | 411 UNION ST |
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| County: | Eau Claire |
| City: | Eau Claire |
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| Year Built: | 1874 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1981 |
| Historic Use: | house |
| Architectural Style: | Side Gabled |
| Structural System: | Balloon Frame |
| Wall Material: | Asbestos |
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| Demolished?: | No |
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| National/State Register Listing Name: | James, Charles L., House |
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| Additional Information: | The James House is a simple one story frame dwelling (asbestos siding was applied in 1954) covered by a gable roof and characterized by a veranda supported by columns. An addition, extending to the west, is attached at the rear of the building. The Charles L. James house is historically significant for its association with a nationally recognized scholar within the anarchist movement in the United States. An anomaly in the city of Eau Claire, James was a voluminous writer, contributing to a number of anarchist publications including Free Society, Lucifer the Lightbearer, and Mother Earth. In his community, James worked as a journalist, was one of the founders of the public library, and served a term on the city council (B,C). Because James' distinction came from beyond the state's borders, he is considered a nationally significant figure. 2016- "Born in 1846 in Germany, Charles L. James settled in Eau Claire with his family in 1865. Leading the quiet life of scholar and writer, he became a nationally recognized influence in the anarchist movement in the United States. James contributed to a number of anarchist publications including Free Society, Lucifer the Lightbearer and Mother Earth. In the community he worked as a journalist, was one of the founders of the public library and served one term on the City Council. Well-known figures within the anarchist community described him as "the most learned American anarchist" and "one of the most striking figures" in the movement. James also lectured on temperance (a popular topic in Eau Claire) and religious issues and was a prominent figure in the city's waterworks strike, where he advocated non-violence and stressed the importance of labor unions. He died in Eau Claire in 1911." -"Eau Claire Landmarks: Designated Historic Properties in Eau Claire, Wisconsin", Eau Claire Landmarks Commission, P.O. Box 5148, 2016. James was born in 1846 in Baden-Baden, Germany, the son of George Payne Rainsford James, the distinguished English historian and novelist. In 1865 James and his family settled in Eau Claire where his father had earlier invested in land. Leading the quiet life of scholar and writer, James made a significant contribution to the intellectual development of anarchist thought. His articles included: "Law of Marriage," "Origin of Religious Systems," "An Appeal to Women," "Origin of Anarchism," and "Economy as Viewed by an Anarchist." (E) These intellectual works appeared in Free Society, which originally was named the Firebrand. It "was the mouthpiece of native born Americans who came upon the philosophy of anarchism without the aid of any formal instruction or ideological indoctrination," claimed Mother Earth, a periodical established in 1906 by Emma Goldman, and Lucifer the Lightbearer, another nationally distributed publication (B). James most critical discourse, "Vindication of Anarchism," was described at the time of his death as "really a great work, and does for anarchism what Marx did for socialism in his 'Capital'. It traces the origin of religious, political and economic authority, and evolves the Anarchist conclusion of the inductive method after a strictly scientific investigation of the facts." (C) James rarely ventured out of Eau Claire, only occassionally addressing or attending conventions. Despite this low profile, the Eau Claire resident was highly respected by the more well known figures within the anarchist community. Voltairine de Clyre and Hippolyte Havel, two activists, described James as the "most learned of American Anarchists" and "one of the most striking figures in the movement." (B) In addition to the community involvements mentioned above, James also lectured on temperance (a popular topic in Eau Claire) and religious issues. He was a prominent figure in the city's 1885 waterworks strike where he advocated non-violence and stressed the importance of labor unions (D). James died in Eau Claire in 1911. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) Tax Assessment Rolls - Univ. of Wis.-Eau Claire Area Research Center. (B) Reichert, W. 1976. Partisans of Freedom: A Study in American Anarchism, pp. 244-246, 261. (C) Mother Earth, October, 1911, pp. 245-248. (D) Eau Claire Daily Leader, May 13-14, 1885. (E) Mother Earth, August, 1911, pp. 172-174. Eau Claire Landmarks booklet published by the Eau Claire Landmarks Commission in 2002. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |