- Architecture - Janesville Sesquicentennial
-
- [Map showing Courthouse Park Historic District with numbers
for walking tour.]
-
- A walking tour of historic homes
- Styles of architecture changed like hemlines during Janesville's
early years as the city reflected the
- changing national trends.
- While original log homes are long gone, many other examples
of architectural history remain in
- Janesville. Here's a rundown of the different styles and
existing examples of each with the approximate construction date:
- Greek revival architecture was the earliest style to hit
Janesville. One of the first, built it 1848, is
- still in existence at 121 N. Parker.
- This rectangular style features orderly door and window arrangements
designed to give an overall
- clean, balanced effect. These homes often have returned cornices
and pedimented fronts, delicate eave moldings and corner pillar-like
touches. Other examples include the Greek Revival house at 233
S. Main, built about 1845, homes at 1218 Ruger (1850) and 903
McKinley (1855).
- Gothic Revival came next. Based on Medieval Europe, the style
has tall, narrow windows, angular
- drip molding with pointed arches and steep roofs. Among examples
is the home at 219 E. Centerway, built as a honeymoon cottage
around 1840, and homes at 317 Madison (1855), 303 Cornelia (1860)
and 1246 N. Parker (1860).
- Combining elements of both Greek Revival and Gothic Revival
is the "Belle Cottage" located at
- 1837 Center. Built in 1854, of three-inch round cobblestones,
the home is one of 13 remaining cobble- stone houses in Rock
County and the only one with Gothic details.
- The LAPPIN and FREDENHALL blocks on Main Street
were characteristic of Italianate
- architecture. The style remained popular in the 1850s and
'60s. It featured elaborate window hoods, cornice details, cupolas
and towers.
- The TALLMAN House is another example of Italianate
architecture as is the home at 55 S.
- Atwood. Built in 1858 it has significant similarities to
the TALLMAN home.
- The French Second Empire, which was popular in the later
part of the 1800s, featured a prominent
- central pavilion mansard roof as exemplified by the former
Court Street Methodist Church, located at 36 S. Main.
- The house at 418 St. Lawrence (1864) combines Second Empire
and Italianate styles and is one
- of the few homes of that style in Janesville. Another prime
example is the home at 170 S. Jackson.
- More picturesque designs evolved in the 1870s and 1890s.
An example is the home at 1018
- Oakland (1895) which retains Italianate-style windows and
columned porch, but added a steeper roof pitch, elaborate spindled
bargeboard and other favorites of picturesque design.
- The YWCA is of the Queen Anne style popular in the 1870-1910
era as is the KENT Block
- (1895), the London Hotel (1892-1893) and the LAPPIN-HAYES
block, built in 1855, remodeled in 1899.
- Queen Anne featured round towers, fancy cornices and varied
roof lines featuring spires and
- chimneys.
- Another notable Queen Anne example is the home at 220 St.
Lawrence. Designed by James
- DOUGLAS and built between 1881 and 1883, it features
gables, dormers, arches, brackets and used both wood and masonry
in its construction.
- Neo-classic architecture, like that at the old Janesville
Public Library, came into vogue for public
- buildings at the turn of the century.
- Columns were the most notable aspects of the neo-classic
buildings and were found in homes like
- the one at 102 Jefferson (1900).
- Simpler versions of Queen Anne became popular about the same
time in homes like those at 821
- Hyatt (1895), 853 Hyatt (1895) and 215 S. Division (1890).
Among the most ornate home of the Queen Anne style is at 69 S.
Atwood (1885).
- Combining classical and picturesque styles are two facing
homes at 220 and 221 E. Holmes (both
- 1898).
- An example of English Tudor architecture can be seen at 420
Bostwick (1930) and Spanish
- Colonial at 904 E. Court (1925).
- All the homes were part of an early-20th century revival
of historical architecture. Similar examples
- of such revival homes can be found on Columbus Circle.
- More information on these architectural trends can be found
in the book "Historic Janesville."
- Many homes of historic or architectural significance can
be found in the Courthouse Historic
- District.
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