Property Record
115 S 1ST ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Commercial Hotel |
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| Other Name: | Carlton House; Floyd's Barbershop |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 74639 |
| Location (Address): | 115 S 1ST ST |
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| County: | Jefferson |
| City: | Watertown |
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| Year Built: | 1877 |
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| Additions: | C. 1885C. 1905 |
| 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 |
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| 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. The Commercial Hotel began as a structure built in 1843 for a store and offices. After being converted into a hotel, in 1878 it was rebuilt as the Commercial House. It was remodeled around 1900 and christened the "New Commercial Hotel." It still operates today as the Carlton House. This building is significant for local history under National register criterion A because it is the long-time Commercial Hotel. There are four hotels that are extant from the group of large historic hotels that operated in Watertown during the nineteenth and early twentieth century. The Commercial Hotel is one of these four. Watertown was an important point on the road and railroad network from Milwaukee to the state's interior and watertown had a number of large and small hotels. Those that are still extant are historic because they represent the important commercial activity surrounding the hotel business in Watertown. A cream brick block characterized by a Palladian styled window in the center bay of the second story of the original building and by triangular pediment shaped window heads on the remaining windows of the facade, this historic hotel was originally built was a frame structure, the Watertown House, in the 1840s and rebuilt as a five-bay brick building known as the Commercial Hotel in 1877. The two-story kitchen was added to the rear of the building between 1884 and 1890, while the two-story addition on the north side was added between 1901 and 1909. The 1880s brick stable located at the rear and to the north of the main structure was connected to the hotel and converted to a saloon and extra sleeping rooms between 1884 and 1890. Large segmentally arched windows on the lower story and single arched windows on teh second and third stories further characterize the hotel. The old stable building featuring segmental arched windows with four over four lights has a garage door on the lower story. The historic hotel has been altered by the addition of a contemporary storefront and hotel entrance. The building has been altered further by the applications of paint to the brick surfaces. The Commercial Hotel is a commercial vernacular brick block characterized by a Palladian style window and projecting Italianate styled window heads. Although this building has not retained enough integrity to be architecturally significant, the historic Commercial Hotel contributes to the historic character of the Main Street Commercial Historic District. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) Half-way Point for Travelers, City's Hotels Prospered During 1800s," Watertown Dailt Times Centennial Issue, June 26, 1954, n.p. (B) Tax Records, city of Watertown, 1860-1910, Area Research Center, Library, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. (C) Photograph, Folio, City of Watertown, 1886, Archives, Octagon House, Watertown Historical Society. (D) Hugo Jacobi, "Reminiscences of Early Days in Watertown," Watertown Daily Times 13 February 1924. (E) Sanborn Insurance Map, City of Watertown, 1884. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |