Property Record
W SIDE OF MAIN ST, W SIDE, 100 FT. NORTH OF RAILROAD ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | GRATIOT UNITED METHODIST |
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| Other Name: | EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 74604 |
| Location (Address): | W SIDE OF MAIN ST, W SIDE, 100 FT. NORTH OF RAILROAD ST |
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| County: | Lafayette |
| City: | Gratiot |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
| Direction: | |
| Section: | |
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| Year Built: | |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1983 |
| Historic Use: | church |
| Architectural Style: | Front Gabled |
| 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: | STYLE- PICTURESQUE. EXT.-CLAPBOARD. 1 STORY, GABLE ROOF. SPECIAL FEATURES-OCTAGONAL, BRACKETED ITALIANATE BELL CUPOLA, SEGMENTAL WOODEN ARCH LINTELS WITH GOTHIC ARCHES INSCRIBED IN THE STAINED GLASS. RECTANGULAR ADDITION TO SOUTH; CUPOLA ENCLOSED. A VERNACULAR CHURCH DESIGN FEATURING AN OCTAGONAL BELFREY DECORATED WITH BRACKETS, SEGMENTAL ARCH OPENINGS WITH PROMINENT MOLDINGS (THE FRONT FACADE OPENINGS ARE ADDITIONS--SEE HISTORIC PHOTO), AND A CLASSICALLY DETAILED (PILASTERS, ENTABLATURE) ENTRANCE. ACCORDING TO A HISTORY OF METHODISM, "GRATIOT HAD SERVICES AS EARLY AS 1840, CONDUCTED BY ELDER CRUMMER, A CIRCUIT RIDER OF THE EARLY DAYS." (D) GRATIOT WAS ALSO PART OF THE STATE LINE CIRCUIT WHICH WAS ORGANIZED IN 1860.(D) IT IS NOT KNOWN WHEN THE METHODIST CONGREGATION WAS OFFICIALLY ORGANIZED IN GRATIOT OR WHEN THE CHURCH BUILDING WAS CONSTRUCTED, ALTHOUGH AN ESTIMATED DATE OF 1875 HAS BEEN GIVEN. THE CHURCH WAS EXTENDED TO THE SOUTH IN 1967-68.(C) OTHER ALTERATIONS INCLUDE THE ADDITION OF THE FRONT WINDOW OPENINGS. SEE HISTORIC PHOTO IN THE BICENTENNIAL PUBLICATION. |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. SURVEYOR'S ESTIMATE. (THE 1881 (COUNTY HISTORY (B) STATES THE CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS BUILT IN 1869-70, WHILE THE METHODIST CHURCH "IS OF A LATER DATE.") B. "HISTORY OF LAFAYETTE COUNTY, WISCONSIN," (CHICAGO: WESTERN HISTORICAL CO., 1881), P. 597. C. "THE LAFAYETTE COUNTY BICENTENNIAL BOOK," (MADISON: STRAUS PRINTING, 1976), PP. 121-122. D. EDNA JOHNSON, "THE HISTORY OF METHODISM IN SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN AND OF THE SOUTH WAYNE CHURCH," SOUTH WAYNE, 1954. (TYPEWRITTEN) |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |