Village of Clinton seeks caretaker for historic home
More information
To learn more about Clinton’s history and the Clinton Historical Society, go online to clintonhistory.org.
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What: Annual meeting of the Clinton Historical Society
When: 10 a.m. Saturday, March 6.
Where: In the conference room next to the Clinton Public Library, 214 Mill St.
Details: In addition to the society’s regular business meeting, members will talk about the future of the cobblestone house on Milwaukee Street that is Clinton’s oldest home. The village recently bought the property in hopes that a group can step forward to maintain it. The public is encouraged to join the discussion.
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The village of Clinton recently purchased this house at 607 Milwaukee St. The house, constructed of cobblestones, is reported to be the oldest structure in the village.
CLINTON — They don’t make them like that anymore.
The next step is finding someone to take care of it.
The village of Clinton in late 2009 bought from Rock County a cobblestone home at 607 Milwaukee St. It is the oldest home in the village and one of three cobblestone homes in Rock County listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The property was on the county’s delinquent tax role and would have gone to auction. The village board chose to buy the property rather than have someone buy the lot and tear down the house, Village Administrator Philip Rath said.
“What we didn’t want to see is the building get torn down and lose its historic value,” Rath said.
The village bought the house for about $12,000 plus taxes, Rath said.
The village agreed to maintain the home for up to three years—keeping snow removed and keeping the heat on. Village officials hope that in that time, someone can step forward to protect the home.
One group could be the Clinton Historical Society. The society will talk about the issue at its annual meeting in March, Director Joyce Splan said.
The public is welcome to attend the meeting and join the discussion, she said.
While it seems like a great fit for the society to take over the home, Splan is keeping an open mind, she said. The village is spending tax dollars to maintain the home, and she wants to make sure residents get back what they deserve.
But it would be a dream come true for the society to move into the historic house, she said.
The Clinton Historical Society does not have a permanent home, she said.
A COBBLESTONE HOUSE
Alanso Richardson built his home in 1843 on his 80-acre farm. The walls are 16 to 18 inches thick. The tan, gray, green and black river stones contrast with limestone cornerstones. Much of the original mortar is sound.
“The Richardson-Brinkman home is significant as one of the finest early examples in southern Wisconsin of this once fairly well represented vernacular style of building,” according to the National Register of Historic Places nomination form.
The home was listed on the register in 1977.
When the railroad came in the 1850’s, the village of Clinton grew up around the home.
Source: the National Register of Historic Places
Feb 24, 2010 at 9:46 a.m.
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FYI, I interpreted the current state of the list based on using bird's eye view in Bing Maps.
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Sarah, written history indicates that downtown Beloit used to have a concentration of these built by the early settlers (some came from the Rochester area, and Beloit was intentionally modeled on a New England town), many of which were lost as early as the late 19th century to commercial development.
Feb 24, 2010 at 12:32 a.m.
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Thanks, Janesvillean. The one listed on Prospect in Beloit is the one that also sits along Bushnell Street. Also, the one listed on Bluff Street remains intact (thank goodness).
Feb 23, 2010 at 5:32 p.m.
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In 1975 there were at least thirteen cobblestone buildings inventoried in Rock County:
* Kellogg-Damrow house, 1837 Center Ave., Janesville (NRHP, razed)
* 910 Broad St, Beloit (horse barn - razed)
* Kidder-Brown house, Hwy 51 & Philhower, Beloit Twp (altered or razed)
* Riverside Motel, Beloit Twp (heavily altered, not eligible)
* 548 Broad, Beloit (Bryden Motors complex, razed?)
* 517 Prospect, Beloit (intact, on NRHP, state landmark)
* Jones house, Hwy 15, Clinton Twp (NRHP, razed?)
* Richardson-Brinkman House, Clinton (intact, NRHP)
* Hesgard House, Orfordville-Hanover Rd, Plymouth Twp (altered?)
* outbuilding, Nelson Rd, Spring Valley Twp (razed?)
* Avon Cmty Church Hall, Beloit-Newark Rd, Avon Twp (razed? NOT the church which burned in 2009)
* Trescher farmstead, Hwy 140, Bradford Twp (intact?)
* 417 Bluff, Beloit (altered?)
* Lathrop-Munn house, 524 Bluff, Beloit (NRHP, intact?)
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As you can see even in the space of 35 years the toll is grim. Even National Register nomination does little (by itself it is not a legal protection).
Feb 23, 2010 at 2:43 p.m.
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I agree with the others in that I am thrilled that Clinton has rescued this house. I grew up about a block from a similar-styled cobblestone house in Beloit. It sits on Bushnell Street, just across from Beloit College, and is owned by the Daughters of the American Revolution. I know there is at least one other cobblestone house in Beloit on Bluff Street (near West Grand Avenue). However, I thought there were two of these structures on Bluff Street; perhaps, one is not on the registry.
Feb 23, 2010 at 10:39 a.m.
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What an awesome piece of history! Hopefully someone will step up to the plate to care for this lovely historic home!
Feb 23, 2010 at 5:09 a.m.
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I would love to see this house. I am glad the city 'saved' this house. Such a piece of history.
Feb 22, 2010 at 4:41 p.m.
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Cobblestone architecture is quite rare and found in only a few parts of the US. 3/4 of the existing structures are in the Rochester, NY area and the largest cluster outside of NY is in the four Wisconsin counties Rock, Walworth, Kenosha and Racine. As they are so unusual losing even one would be a great loss.
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/dictiona...
Feb 22, 2010 at 4:13 p.m.
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shouldn't that read "1850s"..?
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