Property Record
226 W CHURCH ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Centernary Mathodist Church |
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| Other Name: | CENTENARY METHODIST UNITED CHURCH |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 74646 |
| Location (Address): | 226 W CHURCH ST |
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| County: | Lafayette |
| City: | Shullsburg |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
| Direction: | |
| Section: | |
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| Year Built: | 1867 |
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| Additions: | 1898 1971 |
| Survey Date: | 1982 |
| Historic Use: | church |
| Architectural Style: | Italianate |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Stone - Unspecified |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Water Street Commercial Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 6/28/1990 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 1/23/1990 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| Additional Information: | A GREEK REVIVAL INFLUENCED CHURCH STRUCTURE, 40 X 70 FT. OF NATIVE LIMESTONE FROM THE RENNICK QUARRY THAT IS ACCENTED BY A 90 FOOT HIGH STEEPLE.(D) THE SLOPING ROOF HAS A PEDIMENTED STREET FACING GABLE AND AN ITALIANATE WOODEN BRACKETED CORNICE THAT RUNS AROUND THE BUILDING, FORMING THE LOWER BORDER OF THE PEDIMENTED AREA OF THE GABLE. A WOODEN BRACKETED PEDIMENT FORMS THE HOOD OVER THE RECESSED PANELED ENTRY. BRACKETS ALSO DECORATE THE ROOF OF THE STEEPLE BASE. A DECORATIVE PATTERN OF CUT SHINGLES COVER THE STEEPLE THAT IS TOPPED BY A FINIAL. STONE QUOINS AT THE CORNERS OF THE STRUCTURE AND STONE LINTELS OVER THE WINDOWS CHARACTERIZE THE STRUCTURE. ROUND ARCHED WINDOWS IN THE STEEPLE CONTRAST WITH THE SIMPLE RECTANGULAR WINDOWS OF THE MAIN STRUCTURE. STAINED GLASS WINDOWS WERE ADDED TO THE CHURCH IN 1897. A STONE PARSONAGE WAS ADDED TO THE COMPLEX IN 1960 AND A STONE ADDITION TO THE SOUTH WAS ADDED IN 1971. THE CHURCH HAS OBVIOUS ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE AS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE OF MID-CENTURY VERNACULAR GREEK REVIVAL CHURCH ARCHITECTURE WITH THE USUAL ADDED ITALIANATE FEATURES, A COMBINATION COMMONLY FOUND IN ARCHITECTURE FROM THIS PERIOD. IN ADDITION, THIS CHURCH IS IMPORTANT AS A VISUAL LANDMARK IN THE TOWN OF SHULLSBURG SINCE THE EARLY DAYS OF ITS DEVELOPMENT. THIS CHURCH IS IMPORTANT TO THE RELIGIOUS DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMMUNITY. BY THE 1820S, THE METHODIST MOVEMENT WAS WORKING THE WESTERN FRONTIER. THE EARLIEST KNOWN PREACHER IN THE SHULLSBURG AREA WAS JOB DEW, WHO WAS APPOINTED TO WORK THE GALENA CIRCUIT ON THE FEVER RIVER. DEW FIRST HELD SERVICES IN GRATIOT'S GROVE IN 1828.(A) THE FIRST REGULARLY HELD METHODIST MEETINGS WERE AT THE SHULLSBURG SCHOOL HOUSE BEGINNING IN 1845.(C) THE FIRST PASTOR, REV. ISAAC SEARLES, WAS SERVING THE COUNCIL HILL CIRCUIT WHICH INCLUDED HAZEL GREEN, BENTON, NEW DIGGINGS, AND COUNCIL HILL. A SMALL FRAME CHURCH WAS BUILT ABOUT 1852 ON THE CORNER OF CHURCH AND GRATIOT STREETS IN SHULLSBURG.(C) THAT YEAR THE SHULLSBURG CIRCUIT WAS FORMED WITH AN AGGREGATE NUMBER OF 130 MEMBERS.(C) IN 1866, THE FRAME CHURCH WAS MOVED TO THE CORNER OF CHURCH AND IOWA STREETS. THE NEXT YEAR THE PRESENT STONE CHURCH WAS ERECTED AT A COST OF $12,000. THE STONES WERE FROM THE RENNICK QUARRY SOUTH OF THE VILLAGE. THE PARSONAGE WAS BUILT EAST OF THE CHURCH. IN THE SPRING OF 1971, THE OLD PARSONAGE WAS MOVED AND AN ADDITION WAS BUILT FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSROOMS.(A) |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. "SEQ. HISTORY OF SHULLSBURG, 1827-1977" (SHULLSBURG, WI: HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 1977), P. 95. B. IBID., P. 96. C. BUTTERFIELD, "LAFAYETTE CO. HISTORY," 1881, P. 579. D. SHULLSBURG PLAT MAP, 1894. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |