118 N MAIN ST | Property Record | Wisconsin Historical Society

Property Record

118 N MAIN ST

Architecture and History Inventory
118 N MAIN ST | Property Record | Wisconsin Historical Society
NAMES
Historic Name:Potosi House/White's Hotel
Other Name:
Contributing:
Reference Number:46767
PROPERTY LOCATION
Location (Address):118 N MAIN ST
County:Grant
City:Potosi
Township/Village:
Unincorporated Community:
Town:
Range:
Direction:
Section:
Quarter Section:
Quarter/Quarter Section:
PROPERTY FEATURES
Year Built:1845
Additions:
Survey Date:1984
Historic Use:house
Architectural Style:Side Gabled
Structural System:
Wall Material:Brick
Architect:
Other Buildings On Site:
Demolished?:No
Demolished Date:
NATIONAL AND STATE REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
National/State Register Listing Name:Not listed
National Register Listing Date:
State Register Listing Date:
NOTES
Additional Information:THIS TWO-STORY HOUSE, SIDE GABLED IN STYLE AND RECTANGULAR IN PLAN, FEATURES A CUT-STONE FIRST FLOOR, A PAINTED BRICK SECOND STORY AND A GABLE ROOF. WOODEN STAIRS HAVE BEEN AFFIXED TO THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING, SO AS TO ALLOW ACCESS TO DOORS ON BOTH FLOORS. A CONCRETE BLOCK ADDITION EXISTS TO THE REAR. THE OVERALL CONDITION OF THE BUILDING IS CONSIDERED TO BE GOOD.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:

BUILT BY JAMES WHITE IN THE 1840S, THIS BRICK STRUCTURE WAS ORIGINALLY USED AS A HOTEL AND KNOWN AS THE POTOSI HOUSE. MRS. WHITE CONTINUED THE BUISINESS FOLLOWING HER HUSBAND'S DEATH (THE HOTEL WAS THEN KNOWN AS WHITE'S) AND THE HOTEL "BECAME ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR... IN THIS PART OF THE STATE." (SEE BIB. REF. A). GUESTS AT THE POTOSI HOSTELRY INCLUDED CHARLES DUNN, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE WISCOSIN SUPREME COURT; GOVERNORS' DEWEY AND RANDALL; AND ULYSSES S. GRANT WHO TRAVELED THROUGH THE AREA IN 1858-1859. (SEE BIB. REF. A).

THE BUILDING IS SHOWN AS A DWELLING ON THE SANBORN PERRIS MAPS FOR POTOSI. (SEE BIB. REF. B).
Bibliographic References:A. GRANT COUNTY HERALD , 30 MAY 1923. B. 1894, 1900, 1912 SANBORN PERRIS MAPS.
RECORD LOCATION
Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin

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