Property Record
500 S 5TH ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | First Church of Christ Scientist |
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| Other Name: | Seventh Day Adventist |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 74918 |
| Location (Address): | 500 S 5TH ST |
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| County: | Jefferson |
| City: | Watertown |
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| Year Built: | 1924 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1986 |
| Historic Use: | house of worship |
| Architectural Style: | Colonial Revival/Georgian Revival |
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| Wall Material: | Cream Brick |
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| Demolished?: | No |
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| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | A 'site file' titled "Memorial Park Historic District" 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, Division of Historic Preservation-Public History. This church building was the home of the Christian Science Church in Watertown. The church was organized in Watertown in 1906 and met at a building at 500 S. Fifth St. In 1922 the congregation decided to build this new church building and it was dedicated in 1924. The development of the Christian Science Church in Watertown is consistent with the development in many communities. Although it has a local historical interest, it does not meet the criteria for local history significance. Dedicated in 1924 for the Christian Science Congregation, this cream brick church features a pedimented portico supported by brick piers with stylized classical raised brick ornament and corbelled capitals projecting from the low hip roofed main block. Steep gabled bays breaking the roof line on the north and south elevations have Palladian styled windows in the gable ends. Plain rectangular windows with multipaned window sashes on the remaining elevations and a large round arched entrance with fan-shaped transom further characterize this 20th century interpretation of the Georgian Revival style. The Christian Science Church is significant under criterion C as an example of 20th century Georgian Reviavl architecture. The only historic church exhibiting the classical style to remain in the city, this church exhibits the scaled down and simplified characteristics of the Georgian style often found in the 20th century including a pedimented portico, classical influence fan-shaped transom window as well as Palladian styled windows. Presently used as the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the Christian Science Church is not a full-blown example of the style. However, it is significant as the only example of the classical style of church architecture remaining in the city of Watertown. The most significant example of the Neo-Classical style, the 1855 St. Mark's Lutheran Church was demolished in the spring of 1987. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) Watertown Wisconsin Centennial, 1854-1954, Watertown: Jansky Printing Company, 1954, p. 22. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |