Property Record
516 E MAIN ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Washington Hotel |
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| Other Name: | Washington Inn Hotel; Golden Dragon Restaurant |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 7111 |
| Location (Address): | 516 E MAIN ST |
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| County: | Jefferson |
| City: | Watertown |
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| Year Built: | 1877 |
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| Additions: | C. 1905C. 1920 |
| Survey Date: | 19862020 |
| Historic Use: | lodging-hotel |
| Architectural Style: | Commercial Vernacular |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Main Street Commercial Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 6/2/1989 |
| 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. This building is the historic Washington House hotel. The Washington House was built on this location in 1855. It burned in 1877 and was rebuilt in 1877. Since then it has had numerous additions made to it until it is the size it appears today. This building is significant for local history under National Register criterion A because it is the long-time location of the historic Washington House. There are four historic hotels extant in Watertown today. They are all slightly different types of hotels, and all are important remnants from the era when Watertown was an important stopping off place from Milwaukee to the interior of the state. The plank road, then the railroad connections, made Watertown a bustling center for travelers doing business in the community, or just those passing through to other destinations. At one time Watertown had numerous small hotels that were an adjunct to those in the commercial district which were large facilities. The Washington House, because it is one of the large, extant hotels from Watertown's historic period, is significant for local history. A 1868 building that was rebuilt after the fire in 1877, the historic Washington Hotel was enlarged considerably between 1915 and 1924 when the west end was added and the rear extended. The center brick section was added between 1901 and 1909. Although the early construction was done for Adigo Schroeder, the majority of the construction was done under the proprietorship of Fred Kronitz and his son, H.W. Kronitz. A simple vernacular brick buiding built over a period of about 40 years, the hotel exhibits a plain projecting cornice with parapet above and plain rectangular six over six windows with brick voussoirs on the facade. A variety of window son the west elevation includes wide rectangular windows on the lower story while narrow windows are on the upper story. The nine-bay facade features three similarly styled storefronts characterized by multipaned store windows, three-step stoops, recessed entrances and plain projecting cornices. Both the west and center storefronts are characterized further by recessed double leafed entrance doors with transom windows with iron columns flanking the entrances. The east storefront has been altered by the addition of a metal and glass door. The irregularly shaped rear elevation has rectangular windows with metal storm windows and a tan brick chimney. the Washington Hotel is significant under criterion C as an example of commercial vernacular architecture. Among the three best preserved of the simple vernacular brick buildings in the proposed Main Street District, the Washington Hotel features a plain projecting cornice and parapet, and plain six over six windows along with three storefronts exhibiting an historic format, Other good examples of the utilitarian brick commercial building exhibiting little or no historic ornament include the Johnson Building at 220 W. Main (66-10) and the Evans Building at 222 W. Main (63-11). Also the Washington Hotel is one of two historic hotels with a good degree of architecture remaining in the proposed Main Street District. Also see the Commercial Hotel (36-6) at 115 S. 1st Street. Built over a period of 40 years beginning in 1877, the Washington Hotel was constructed mainly under the proprietorship of H.W. Kronitz. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) Tax Records, City of Watertown, 1860-1910, Area Research Center, Library, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. (B) Sanborn-Perris Insurance Maps 1884, 1890, 1901, 1909, 1915, 1926. (C) C. Hugo Jacobi, "Reminiscences of Early Days in Watertown," Watertown Daily Times Feb. 13, 1924 and March 18, 1924. (D) "Half-Way Point for Travelers, City's Hotels Prospered During 1800s," Watertown Daily Times Centennial Issue, June 26, 1954, n.p. Watertown Daily Times 7/16/1997. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |