135 W WATER ST

135 W WATER ST

Lafayette

Shullsburg

1905

1982

small retail building

Boomtown

Stone - Unspecified

No

A two-story coursed random width rough stone structure with a brick front that is built in front of a slightly sloping gable roof. Denticulated and cut-brick work decorates the cornice area and the top of the recessed area of the plain front facade. The end walls visually form full length pilasters because of the large reversed brick area in the facade. Bricks placed longitudinally form a lintel over the windows. Access to the 2nd floor is gained from an exterior stairway. This building is an important structure in combination with three other buildings of similar scale in the streetscape of the north side of the 100 block of downtown Shullsburg. Furthermore, it is a representative of native stone construction occurring at the turn of the century in Shullsburg. This building has played a significant role in the post-19th century commercial development of Shullsburg's downtown. It was the location of the Pick and Gad Newspaper office for over 50 years and the Fair Store, a branch of the Fair Department Store in Darlington. Thomas Law resurrected the Pick and Gad in 1882. It had been published previously during the 1850s. Law's printing office was located on the second floor of the Stanley Building, built by his father-in-law, A.R. Stanley in 1857. The Stanley building, however, burned and was completely destroyed by a fire started in the building adjacent. The fire was started in a cigar factory on Christmas eve, 1902. W.R. Law from Darlington rented the lower floor space of the Stanley Building beginning in 1884. He established a branch of the Darlington Fair Store there. After the building burned, The Pick and Gad was moved to the second floor over C.J. Meloy's Hardware Store (LT 12/7). The Fair Store was moved to P.C. Meloy's building. Law published the newspaper until his death in 1906. It is assumed that this building was erected before then. After Law's death the paper continued to be published by three different editors. Thomas Law's son, A.W. Law bought the Pick and Gad back in 1923. When Harty (Count) Law acquired the newspaper in 1847, he moved it across the street. Since the 1930's various owners have operated the first floor variety store: Ray and Leone Edwards, Irvin and Inez Jan, and Paquette'es Variety and Drug Store. Dorothy Hodgeson has now taken over the business known as Dorothy's. The top floor has been converted into an apartment by Mr. C.E. Crowley.

(A) Seq. History of Shullsburg, 1827-1977 (Shullsburg, WI: Badger Historical Society, 1977), p. 61. (B) Simpson, Luella, History of Shullsburg, Wis.: 1827-1927, p. 14-15. (C) Pick and Gad, 1884; 2/21/1903; 6/11/1903. (D) Sanborn-Perris Maps, 1900, 1908. (E) Benton Advocate, 1/1/1903.

Water Street Commercial Historic District

Jun 28, 1990

Jan 23, 1990

Yes