Property Record
2110 N MAIN ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | THE EMPIRE HOUSE |
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| Other Name: | THE EMPIRE HOUSE APARTMENTS |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 44445 |
| Location (Address): | 2110 N MAIN ST |
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| County: | Grant |
| City: | Hazel Green |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
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| Year Built: | 1845 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1976 |
| Historic Use: | lodging-inn |
| Architectural Style: | Federal |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Clapboard |
| 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: | 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. ALLEGEDLY A HOUSE OF ILL REPUTE. SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS THE "AMERICAN HOUSE." ONCE SERVED AS HOTEL FOR PEOPLE TRAVELLING ON STAGECOACH TO GALENA. CURRENTLY OWNED BY BERRGMAN. ARCHITECTURAL STATEMENT: A FRAME TWO AND A HALF STORY HOTEL WITH A SLOPING ROOF THAT HAS THE LONG SIDE OF THE HOUSE FACING THE STREET. THE BUILDING HAS A SYMMETRICAL FIVE BAY FACADE, A TWO-STORY BALUSTRADED PORCH AND A BALUSTRADED WIDOW'S WALK ON THE CUPOLA. THE ORIGINAL SIDE LIGHTED DOOR REMAINS ON THE STRUCTURE. THE HOUSE IS OF HAND HEWN BEAM (6x8, 36 FT. LONG) AND MORTISE CONSTRUCTION. THIS STRUCTURE IS ARCHITECTURALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE (RECONSTRUCTED) OF 19TH CENTURY STAGECOACH INNS AND BECAUSE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE STREETSCAPE OF VILLAGE GREEN. IN ADDITION, IT HAS BECOME A LANDMARK FOR THE COMMUNITY OF HAZEL GREEN. HISTORICAL STATEMENT: THE EMPIRE HOUSE IS A STAGECOACH INN ERECTED IN HAZEL GREEN ON THE ROAD CONNECTING GALENA, HAZEL GREEN AND MINERAL POINT. HAZEL GREEN, KNOWN AS "HARDSCRABBLE" BEFORE 1838, WAS ONE OF THE EARLIEST LEAD MINING SETTLEMENTS IN WISCONSIN. LEAD MINERS IN SEARCH OF NEW DEPOSITS STRUCK OUT FROM GALENA AND MADE THE FIRST SETTLEMENT AT "HARDSCRABBLE" ABOUT 1825. THE EMPIRE HOUSE WAS THE FIRST HOTEL BUILT IN HAZEL GREEN. IN 1838, R.R. YOUNG ERECTED A STORY AND A HALF FRAME ON THE GROUND NOW OCCUPIED BY THE 'EMPIRE HOUSE.' HE OPENED IT AS A HOTEL, THE FIRST IN THE VILLAGE, AND IT STILL DOES DUTY AS PART OF THE EMPIRE. (D) IN THE SAME YEAR, "PRESTON AND CHANDLER" PUT UP A FRAME BUILDING ON THE PRESENT SITE OF THE CRAWFORD BLOCK WHICH WAS OCCUPIED AS A SALOON AND A BOWLING ALLEY. IT IS STILL STANDING AS PART OF THE "EMPIRE HOUSE." (D). ALDEN ADAMS, THE "FOUNDER AND LANDLORD OF THE EMPIRE HOUSE" CAME TO HAZEL GREEN IN 1844 AND OPENED THE HOTEL THE NEXT YEAR. THUS THE TWO CONSTRUCTION DATES, 1838 AND 1845 ARE ESSENTIALLY CORRECT. THE PRESBYTERIANS HELD SERVICES IN THE HOTEL IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE SETTLEMENT. (B) CORNELISSEN, FROM PRUSSIA, KEPT THE HOTEL AFTER 1867 THROUGH THE TURN OF THE CENTURY. (D) ACCORDING TO THE INTENSIVE SURVEY FORM, B. CORNELISSEN AND FAMILY OWNED THE BUILDING FROM 1867 TO 1975. (C) VISITING POLITICIANS USED THE SECOND FLOOR BALOCNY AS A PLATFORM TO SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE. DANCES WERE ALSO HELD IN THE HOTEL AS REPORTED BY MRS. FANTE, WHO OWNED AND LIVED IN THE EMPIRE HOUSE FOR MANY YEARS. (F) |
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| Bibliographic References: | SEE CUBA CITY TRI CO, 6/20/90/. A. HOLFORD, C., HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY, (LANCASTER: TELLER PRINT, 1900) P. 544-545. B. WESTERN HISTORICAL CO.M HISTORY OF GRANT CO., WISCONSIN (CHIGAGO, 1881), P.736. C. IBID, P. 1007 AND HAZEL GREEN PLAT MAP, 1868. D. HISTORY OF GRANT CO., 1881, P. 736. E. GRANT COUNTY FILES, STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF WISCONSIN. F. "THE STAGECOACH INNS SURVIVE," WISCONSIN WEEK-END, 3. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |