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Property Record

129 E MAPLE ST

Historic Name:
FARMERS TELEPHONE COMPANY BUILDING
Other Name:
CUNNINGHAM MUSEUM
Reference Number:
44963

Property Location

Location (Address)
129 E MAPLE ST
County
Grant
City/Village
Lancaster
Township
Unincorporated community
Town
Range
Direction
Section
Quarter Section
Quarter Quarter Section

Property Features

Year Built
1923
Additions
Survey Date
2005
Architectural Style
Structural System
Wall Material
Brick
Architect
Other Buildings On Site
Demolished
No
Demolished Date
Additional Comments
CONSTRUCTED IN 1923, THE FARMERS TELEPHONE COMPANY BUILDING APPEARS TO BE ARCHITECTURALLY INTACT. A RECTANGULAR PLAN CONFIGURATION, A FLAT ROOF, A RAISED BASEMENT, AND STONE LINTLES AND SILLS ARE OTHER FEATURES OF THIS TWO STORY BUILDING. IT WAS FOUND TO BE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE INTENSIVE SURVEY LISTS THE CURRENT/COMMON NAME OF THIS LOCATION TO BE THE FARMERS TELEPHONE COMPANY. THE HISTORIC COMMERCIAL USES OF THIS STRUCTURE WAS AS A TELEPHONE COMPANY BUILDING. (A).

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
THE FARMERS TELEPHONE COMPANY WAS ORGANIZED IN 1899. ITS PREDECESSORS WERE INDEPENDENT LINES THAT DATED TO 1894 WHEN JOHN A. JAMISON, A BLACKSMITH IN NEARBY BEETOWN, RAN A LINE FROM HIS SHOP TO HIS FATHER'S FARM A MILE OR SO FROM THE VILLAGE. IN 1895, THE LINE WAS EXTENDED TO BURTON AND LATER FROM BEETOWN TO CASSVILLE AND CASSVILLE TO BURTON, MAKING A COMPLETE CIRCUIT. (B)

IN 1922, THE COMPANY UNDERWENT A FINANCIAL REORGANIZATION WITH CHRIS KARTMAN NAMED PRESIDENT AND GEORGE PETERSON, MANAGER. DURING THE NEXT YEAR, THE UTILITY BUILT THE PHONE COMPANY BUILDING IN LANCASTER AND ACQUIRED THE CITY'S BELL SYSTEM WHICH REMOVED THE NEED FOR MAINTAINING TWO PHONES IN LOCAL BUSINESSES AND HOUSEHOLDS. (B)

IN 1969, THE FARMERS TELEPHONE COMPANY WAS DESCRIBED AS "ONE OF THE LARGER ENTERPRISES IN OUR AREA, SERVING ABOUT 5000 STATIONS..." (B)
Bibliographic References
MONTFORT RURAL REGISTER 8/10/1995. A. 1927 SANBORN PERRIS MAP. B. GRANT COUNTY INDEPENDENT, 11 DECEMBER 1969, P. 18. C. CITY OF LANCASTER TAX ROLLS. 2005, Timothy F. Heggland. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, Courthouse Square Historic District, Lancaster, WI.

National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings

National/State Register Listing Name
Courthouse Square Historic District
National Register Listing Date
Apr 07, 2006
State Register Listing Date
Jan 20, 2006
Contributing
Yes
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Attribution

For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier. 

The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.

For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.

 

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