Property Record
109 N MAIN ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | HEIM GARAGE - AUDITORIUM BUILDING |
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| Other Name: | HALVERSON AUTO CLINIC |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 44298 |
| Location (Address): | 109 N MAIN ST |
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| County: | Grant |
| City: | Cuba City |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
| Direction: | |
| Section: | |
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| Year Built: | 1915 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1983 |
| Historic Use: | |
| Architectural Style: | Front Gabled |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Stucco |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| National Register Listing Date: | |
| State Register Listing Date: |
| Additional Information: | ARCHITECTURAL STATEMENT: A TWO-STORY STRUCTURE CONSTRUCTED OF REINFORCED CONCRETE THAT HAS A ROUGH, STUCCO-LIKE EXTERIOR SURFACE. A SCULPTRURED PARAPET AND SIMPLE WINDOW OPENINGS CHARACTEREZE THE STRUCTURE. THE PARAPET IS A LATER ADDITION. THE STRUCTURE IS ARCHITECTURALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS AN EARLY REINFORCED CONCRETE BUILDING AND IS IMPROTANT TO THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF AN EARLY ALTERNATIVE BUILDING PRACTICE IN THE COMMUNITY. HISTORICAL STATEMENT: THE AUDITORIUM BUILDING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CIVIC AND COMMERICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CUBA CITY. THE STREET LEVEL PORTION WAS UTILIZED BY A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS, WHILE THE UPPER STORY AUDITORIUM SERVED AS THE PLACE FOR DANCES, MOVIES, LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND BASKETBALL GAMES. THE AUDITORIUM BUILDING ERECTED IN 1915, SERVED AS THE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER FOR THE COMMUNITY. THE CONCRETE BUILDING WAS BUILT WITH A SPACIOUS SECOND FLOOR, LARGE STAGE ON THE WEST END AND DRESSING ROOMS ON EACH SIDE. SILENT MOVIES WERE ORIGINALLY SHOWN HERE. IT WAS ALSO A PLACE FOR LIVE ENTERTAINMENT. TRAVELING SHOWS WOULD STOP AND PERFORM HERE, AND MANY DANCES WERE HELD. HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL GAMES WERE PLAYED IN THE AUDITORIUM DURING THE 1920'S AND 1930'S UNTIL THE WPA GYM AND THE HIGH SCHOOL WAS ERECTED IN 1937. AFTER WORLD WAR I, THE STAGE AND DRESSING ROOMS WERE REMOVED AND A LARGE ROLLER SKATEING RINK PUT IN. (B) IN 1926, THE CUBA CITY MOTOR COMPANY BOUGHT THE BUILDING. THE LOEFFELHOLZ BROTHERS AND JOHN WAGNER HAD BEGUN A FORD DEALERSHIP IN 1917. THE BROTHERS BOUGHT OUT WAGNER AFTER THE FIRM MOVED TO THE AUDITORIUM BUILDING. AFTER CHARLES LOEFFELHOLZ DIED IN 1926, ALBERT EUSTICE AND C. H. BARTLETT BOUGHT THE DEALERSHIP AND CHANGED THE NAME TO THE CUBA CITY MOTOR COMPANY. THE PARTNERS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS UNTIL THE 1960'S WHEN LAVERNE, BURNETT AND DOUGLAS CONTINUED THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL 1973. THE BUILDING HAS NOW BEEN CONVERTED INTO APARTMENTS. J. HEIM OWNED THE FORD GARAGE IN 1915, AND THE LOEFFELHOLZ BROTHERS OWNED IT IN 1920. |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. ED O'NEIL, CUBA CITY CENTENNIAL, 100 YEARS, 1875 TO 1975. B. ED O'NEIL, INTERVIEW, 12/07/82. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |