Architectural Artifacts | Iron and Metals

Join the WTHP and members of Milwaukee’s historical preservation community for the Historic Preservation Institute’s fourth workshop this season.

This workshop will exam several creative ways to deal with historic iron structures. The intent is to dispel the many myths associated with the obsolescence of iron structures, either as buildings or as engineering feats, particularly in brutal freeze-thaw northern climates.

Presentation #1 will document the struggle to save Milwaukee’s unique 1861 iron-clad building and its associated technical challenges. The second will cover innovative programming and design solutions for reusing massive, rusting engineering structures. Presentation #3 will show the saving, scanning, recreating, and reusing of the zinc fountain statue from the 1893World’s Fair in Chicago.

Lecture details:

RESTORING ESTORING THE IRON BLOCK BUILDING IRON BLOCK BUILDING

Scott Hoppenworth - Bond Façade Services

REUSINGTHE MKE RIVER SWING BRIDGE MKE RIVER SWING BRIDGE

John Everitt - Bray Architects

1893 CHICAGO EXPOSITION CHERUBS

Kendall Breunig, Sunset Investors
Amanda Wagner, Davenport Industries

Architectural Artifacts | Strategies for Finding & Reusing

Join the WTHP and members of Milwaukee’s historical preservation community to meet special guests Mike Jackson and H. Russell Zimmerman.

Mike Jackson, FAIA
National Building Arts Center, St. Louis, MO

Mike Jackson, FAIA, is a preservation architect in Springfield IL, where he was the chief architect for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency for more than 30 years. He is the founding director of the APT Building Technology Heritage Library and the current board president of the National Building Arts Center.

This presentation will bring together the complementary artifact collection of the NBAC and the archives of the BTHL as research sources for the historic built environment.

H. Russell Zimmerman
Milwaukee’s Architectural Historian

H. Russell "Russ" Zimmerman is an accomplished author, historian, architect, founder of the Milwaukee-based Zimmerman Design Consultants and the Chairman of the Wauwatosa Landmark Commission from 1976-1980. Zimmerman currently resides in Wauwatosa.

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Topics for Discussion:

National Building Arts Center
The National Building Arts Center (NBAC) holds the largest collection of built environment artifacts in the Unites States. The core of the collection comes from buildings in St. Louis but also includes artifacts from New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and other U.S. cities. This collection was assembled by Larry Giles over a 50-year period starting in 1973. The NBAC aims to be a leading lender of building artifacts from exhibition and research on the historic built environment. In 2023, the NBAC partnered with the Pulitzer Arts Foundation on a major exhibit - Urban Archaeology: Lost Buildings of St. Louis.

Apartment Building Technology Heritage Library
The Association for Preservation Technology (APT)’s mission is to advance appropriate traditional and new technologies to care for, protect, and promote the longevity of the built environment and to cultivate the exchange of knowledge throughout the international community. In 2010 APT launched the Building Technology Heritage Library (BTHL), an online archive of period architectural trade catalogs, builders’ guides, house plan books and related technical publications that are rarely found in traditional libraries. Since that time, the BTHL has grown to almost 15,000 publications from North America, Great Britain and Australia. These documents, as primary source materials, can assist in the preservation of the historic built environment and other research goals.

Jarob Ortiz comes home to Milwaukee document landmarks

Ansel Adams National Park Service Photographer, Jarob Ortiz Ortiz, was hosted by the Historic Preservation Institute of UW-Milwaukee’s School of Architecture & Urban Planning in November to photograph sites and landmarks.

As part of the visit, Jarob participated in a “meet and greet” reception on Wednesday, Nov. 15, where he presented his work at at the historic Pritzlaff Building in Milwaukee (315 N. Plankinton Ave.).

The support of Pritzlaff owner Kendall Breunig – who is passionate about Milwaukee history – and TechRender made the visit possible.

Ortiz visited his hometown of Milwaukee, WI in large part to document the Mitchell Park Conservatory domes for the Library of Congress and National Archives. He also documented other landmarks, too, including the Pritzlaff Building and the Pabst Mansion pavilion.

Ortiz is a 2013 graduate of the Milwaukee Area Technical College photography program and he graduated from Oak Creek High School in 2001.

Ortiz landed his gig at National Park Service’s Heritage Documentation Services – often called the “Ansel Adams Photographer” position because it mirrors, somewhat, the work that the famed lensman did for the Department of the Interior in the 1940s – in 2016, beating out about 4,000 other applicants.

Read more about Ortiz’s visit: "Ansel Adams photographer" Jarob Ortiz comes home to document landmarks - OnMilwaukee.com.

Preservation Post: Tillman Brothers Furniture Building (Leithold Music), La Crosse

Tillman Brothers Building looking northwest.  Circa 1911.  Courtesy of Murphy Library Special Collections, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.

Frozen Music in the City of La Crosse!

What is now the Leithold’s Music building began its life in early 1890 as the Tillman Brothers Wholesale and Retail Furniture Store (est. 1859). Historic photos of this building show a wood storefront at ground level with a Queen Anne style transom in the center of the three bays.

The second-floor storefront featured an oriel window. Two cast iron columns extended from grade to the top of the second-floor windows. Windows on the third and fourth-floors are separated by a brick belt course. Fifth-floor features window openings defined by massive brick arches. Small arched attic windows, detailed brick corbeling, and a pressed tin sign capped the building. Later renovations removed the original storefront, cut down the sign board, and introduced a prism glass transom.

Leithold Music: Ownership and Modernization

In 1964, Leithold’s Music took ownership of the building and modernized the façade by covering the storefront transom with a large red sign, removed the second-floor windows and installed stucco panels, a new aluminum storefront replaced the bronze storefront, and the cast iron columns were clad with a yellow enamel metal panel system.

Leithold’s Music photo, courtesy of Marc Zettler, 2019

Leithold’s Music photo, courtesy of Marc Zettler, December 2021

Historic Restoration Work

This building was already contributing to the La Crosse Commercial Historic District and eligible for State and Federal Historic Tax Credits. An architecture and engineering study was completed in December 2019. Zettler Design Studio, LLC completed architectural drawings in August 2020. Construction started in early 2021 and is scheduled to wrap up this winter!

Façade restoration work included: a new aluminum storefront, new storefront lighting and vestibule on first floor, restoration of the historic prism glass transom, a new wood frame storefront on second floor, restoration of original windows on the third floor up to the attic; masonry restoration including tuckpointing, paint removal (to reveal the original brownstone), minor structural corrections; HVAC alterations to remove exhaust vents from window openings; rear window restoration on first through fifth floors and masonry restoration on the entire façade.

Preservation Post: Newburg Menswear Building, La Crosse WI

The past 133 years have brought a lot a change to the four buildings at 320-326 Pearl Street. Originally four separate structures, a series of purchases by the Newburg Menswear Company combined the buildings into the single structure that we see today. 

The buildings were originally known as the following: 

• 326 Pearl Street, historically the Gund Building, c. 1888 by Gund Brewing

• 324 Pearl Street, historically the Newburg Menswear Building, c. 1888 as residence and commercial space for Peter Newburg Company

• 322 Pearl Street, historically the Miller & Horne Building, c. 1889

• 320 Pearl Street, historically the Trane Building, c. 1889 by James A. Trane & Company. This was the beginnings of what would become The Trane Company, a global leader and innovator in Heating, Venting and Air Conditioning.

View looking south at Gund Building, 326 Pearl Street.  Circa 1892.  Courtesy of Murphy Library Special Collections, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.

View looking south at Trane Buildings 320 Pearl Street.  Circa 1892.  Courtesy of Murphy Library Special Collections, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.

View looking southwest at 324 Pearl Street.  Circa 1950s.  Courtesy of La Crosse Public Library Archives – La Crosse.

Expansion: The Gund Building

Historic photos of these four buildings show first floor wood storefronts with cast iron columns dividing the bays and recessed door alcoves. Each second floor is composed of brick broken up by double-hung windows capped by arched headers with limestone keystones and anchored by a lug stone sill. Each building a variation on the same theme. 

Circa 1896 Peter Newburg purchased the adjacent Gund Building and expanded his clothing store.  The brick party wall was removed on first floor and was replaced with a row of cast iron columns.  Sometime prior to 1921, the front of the two buildings was removed and replaced with a white terra cotta façade with what was probably a bronze storefront.  The building was again remodeled circa 1937 when the adjacent Miller and Horne Building was acquired at 322 Pearl Street.  A new Carrara Glass Storefront was installed over all three bays of the building to unify the store’s appearance.

View of 320-328 Pearl Street looking south.  Circa 1980s.  Courtesy of Murphy Library Special Collections, University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.

Expansion: The Trane Building

The final expansion occurred circa 1973 when the Newburg Menswear Company purchased the former Trane Building at 320 Pearl Street. With this purchase, the entire front façade was ‘modernized’.  A black metal slip cover was installed over the second floor, pre-cast concrete panels covered the storefront transoms and a new aluminum storefront with brown tiles was installed for the first floor storefront. 

The main entrance was moved to the center of the renovated façade.  The Newburg Menswear stayed in this location until 1986 when it closed its doors for good after 100 years in business.  After a couple years of vacancy, the building was used as a beauty school, but the school was gone by 2010 leaving most of the building vacant. Sometime around 2010 the metal slip cover was removed, revealing the once grand facades of the building.

320-328 Pearl St, photo courtesy of Marc Zettler, 2017

Historic Restoration work

A questionnaire was submitted to the WI Historical Society in early 2019 – the result was that the building’s historic status was changed to contributing in the La Crosse Commercial Historic District. Once approved, the building became eligible for State and Federal Historic Tax Credits. Architectural drawings were completed by Zettler Design Studio, LLC in late summer of 2019, construction commenced in late fall of 2019. 

Work Included

Front façade restoration of all 4 bays of the building, creation of 4 luxury apartments on second floor, roof terrace (for residents), rehabilitation of back and side facades, and “white box” preparation for a first floor commercial tenant.

Construction for Phase 1 - focusing on the exterior and new second floor apartments - was completed in November 2021! Phase 2 will be the build-out for a commercial tenant on first floor.

For more information, please reach out to Marc Zettler, of Zettler Design Studio. Marc served as Preservation Architect for the project.

The Orphan Bridge that Cobban Adopted: How It Was Lost

The year is 1912, the Titanic had sunk and some visionaries changed the Chippewa Valley forever. Logs were no longer flowing down rivers to the sawmills with the end of the Wisconsin logging industry. When the power company realized more electricity was needed, they decided to build an additional dam which would create Lake Wissota.

Moving the Orphan Cobban Bridge

This water wonderland, combined with Yellowstone Trail improvements which also began in 1912, brought tourists (and their money) in new horseless carriages to North Central Wisconsin. All great news for nearby Cobban except a new, nearly-500-feet-long pin-connected overhead truss bridge had just been placed over the Chippewa River. The bridge, deem too short for its new location, was scheduled for demolition.

But there was hope!

The community of Cobban realized a free bridge could replace their ferry over the same Chippewa River. During the winter, farmers disassembled the giant erector set of the truss bridge and moved each member 17 miles north, one-by-one via horse and sleigh. The structure was reassembled on both shores and pulled into position by a horse and cable across the river the following winter. The Cobban Bridge is now the last of this type still standing in Wisconsin.

Rehabilitation and Relocation

Over time road salt deteriorated components of the Cobban Bridge significantly. In 1996, it was closed and underwent major rehabilitation. In 2017 it was again closed to all traffic, vehicles and pedestrians. After the 2016 general election, information flowed down to the states regarding infrastructure improvements, the state adopted a new policy known as “Replace-In-Kind” in 2017.

While the total spending on bridge projects increased, this policy set spending limits on each, which channeled a way to maximize the number of bridges to be replaced. This same year, the Chippewa County Board authorized the replacement of the Cobban Bridge. The shortest and cheapest distance across the Chippewa River is where this historic bridge stands today.

Historic Registration Considerations

The Cobban Bridge is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, but because it is not currently listed, the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), Section 106 process was invoked. Consultation meetings were intended to solicit public mitigation ideas from stakeholders and the public in general. At the very first meeting, the preservation consultant suggested two commonly used mitigations:

1. Sending high quality photographs to the Library of Congress

2. Expanding the historical marker

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) was in attendance and indicated that there was precedence for allocating demolition funds to relocation. The Cobban Bridge Preservation, Inc (CBPI) concluded that the estimated demolition engineering cost would be sufficient for the project with reimbursement occurring after contractor bids validated the estimates.

By this time, CBPI had been formed with five team members: (1) the owner of a civil drafting and engineering firm , (2) the owner of a metal fabrication and welding firm, (3) a retired WisDOT bridge inspector, ((4) a retired educator as secretary and treasurer, and (5) the history-concerned founder/president.

At this first consultation meeting, we suggested relocating one span across the adjacent highway onto donated farmland to become a roadside park, as shown below.

Suggested re-location: Roadside park from donated farmland, along the adjacent highway

Relocation Procedures

Following this first meeting, dozens of bridge repurposing sites were visited in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois. CBPI further concluded the same relocation procedures from a hundred years ago could be used again today and research and experimentation ensued (video above).

Railroad track would replace multiple wood cribbing columns on the ice. And across the adjacent highway, a tow truck would replace a horse. A house moving company would move the span 1/8 mile south to its ultimate destination on the donated property. An engineering firm was engaged to evaluate and it was determined the process was technically feasible given additional strengthening.

Simultaneously, WisDOT and SHPO were preparing the Memorandum of Understanding. The final mitigations approved were only the two original ones provided by the consultant in the beginning plus making the bridge available for ownership transfer with conditions. No other stakeholders were contacted to pursue mitigation ideas.

 Diverted Flow: Running into Challenges

The ownership transfer solicitation announcement contained a new long list of insurmountable requirements. CBPI chose to propose their relocation based on the requirements as publicized from the beginning. WisDOT ultimately decided that CBPI was not qualified, did not have the expertise or experience nor sufficient independent funding. The reimbursement had changed from the new bridge’s contract award time to after its completion. The proposal was denied. WisDOT engineers concluded that the only viable relocation process was to “pick” the spans using massive cranes on land and river barges.

 In retrospect, two tragic strategic errors were made. First, there was a lack of communications among CBPI and various agencies. All other repurposed bridge projects were either a public or  public/private partnership, where there were formal arm’s-length communications among the agencies. In fact, it was a competitive proposal process that prevented CBPI from learning that a township to the north had expressed an interest in the other span.

The second strategic error was not involving media or press from the very beginning. The intention was to maintain a low profile and good relationships. In hindsight however, both decisions contributed to the ultimate project failure.

 Digitally Preserving the Bridge

With the bridge heading for demolition, a jewel in the sand arose in the form of an article in the Merrill Foto News covering the imminent demotion of the T.B. Scott Mansion. The structure had been laser-scanned for documentation. CBPI contacted Matt Jarosz, the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation. His immediate and overwhelmingly-optimistic response resulted in three of his staff members spending an entire day at the Cobban Bridge, documenting the structure with tripods and drone scanners. This work generated three dimensional computer model for public viewing.

Even though the historic Cobban Bridge could not be physically preserved, the hi-res, detailed authentic rendition of what was lost due to a short-sighted vision of history can be viewed forever by generations to come.

Chamberlin Rock: a Painful Symbol of Racism Removed from UW-Madison Campus

On August 6, the University of Wisconsin—Madison removed the former Chamberlin Rock, a more than 2-billion-year old boulder that has sat at the crest of Observatory Hill on campus since 1925.

The Wisconsin Black Student Union, in partnership with Wunk Sheek, an Native American student organization, led the effort to remove the rock. The University Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lori Reesor commented, “In the midst of demands for justice following George Floyd’s murder last summer, the students wanted change on campus and they worked hard to see this through. While the decision required compromise, I’m proud of the student leaders and the collaboration it took to get here.” The removal of the rock signifies the university’s dedication to advancing social and racial justice on campus.

A crane sit ready to lift the Chamberlin Rock (UW-Madison News)

Original Newspaper with A Racial Slur | (Wisconsin Historical Society. Wisconsin Local History & Biography Articles; "The Wisconsin State  Journal"; "Madison", "Wisconsin"; "October 9, 1925"

What is Chamberlin Rock?

The rock is a rare remaining example of pre-Cambrian era glacial erratics. According to the UW-Madison News, the rock was designated as a monument on campus in 1925 in honor of Thomas Thomas Chamberlin, a renowned geologist who served as the president of the University of Wisconsin from 1887 to 1892. The plaque on the rock honoring Chamberlin has been removed and a new one will be placed on Chamberlin Hall.

Why was the Chamberlin Rock Removed?

The rock was associated with an extremely offensive terminology. On October 9, 1925, the rock was referred to in the Wisconsin State journal headline by a derogatory nickname that included a racial slur. The term was commonly used to refer to any large, dark rock at the time. The phrase fell out of common usage by the 1950s and historians have not found evidence that the term was used by the university in any capacity.

Nevertheless, the term witnessed a historical past when the KKK were present in the Madison area, where “people of color were mocked in minstrel shows at campus facilities and in campus satiric periodicals,” according to the report from YourTango.

The rock sat within catalogued burial sites, which are protected under Wisconsin’s Burial Sites Preservation Law. The university worked closely with the Wisconsin Historical Society to assure minimal disturbance to the sacred burial sites nearby. The Society approved the removal permit on August 2 after seeking inputs from various stakeholders.

The Removal of Racist Legacies

Since June 2020, historic preservation and architectural organizations nationwide have joined a movement to call for the removal of Confederate monuments from public spaces, following the death of George Floyd. Many believe that Confederate monuments are proclamations of white supremacy, thus should be abhorrent to all Americans. Some wondered, Does removing a Confederate monument mean you’re erasing history? In support of the movement, the National Trust for Historic Preservation replied:

No. History is not that fragile. History is written in our buildings, landscapes, documents, objects, oral traditions, individual memories, and many other places, as well as in monuments in public spaces. To the contrary, left standing without appropriate context, these monuments promote a false and damaging narrative. When removed, these monuments can provide an even deeper understanding of history in other venues, such as museums, that can offer fuller and more inclusive context around the people, events, and ideologies that led to the monuments’ creation, and their relationship to present-day issues.

The Robert E. Lee Statue on Monument Avenue in Richmond has become a focal point of protests against racial injustice | (John McDonnell/The Washington Post, June 10, 2020)

Following the nationwide reckoning of racial justice and equity, some higher education institutions also took actions to cut ties with their racist legacies, such as reconsidering and removing the names of campus buildings and monuments that memorialized white supremacists. For example, the University of Virginia’s statue of Revolutionary War figure Roger Clark was removed from its campus. The University of California—Berkeley removed the names of two buildings, LeConte Hall and Barrows Hall, both are affiliated with figures who held deep racist views.

UW-Madison’s removal of the Chamberlin Rock is a part of this nation-wide movement to remove Confederate monuments and to build anti-racist campus among higher education institutions.

Join us! Saving Wisconsin’s Historic Theatres: A Taliesin Workshop

Do you own an historic theatre in Wisconsin? Are you a member of a community development team? Or a citizen committed to preserving local heritage? We have the workshop for you!

We’re holding an exciting two-day workshop at Taliesin, September 17-18. Already sold? You can register here or via the button below. For the unconvinced, please keep reading!

Saving Wisconsin’s Historic Theatres

During the September workshop, people from Wisconsin and beyond will gather to discuss the challenges and successes facing the state’s historic theatres. Created by the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, the workshop features a rich and varied array of preservation topics, with a focus on historic theatres. Workshop attendees will also have the opportunity to network and tour the Taliesin grounds (for free!) with a special look at ongoing restoration.

Taliesin Hillside

Al Ringling Theater

Mabel Tainter Theater

Workshop Features

• Stories from the front: struggles and success of 8 Wisconsin theatres

• Deep dive on historic restoration projects and turning these structures into an economic engine

• How to execute a revitalization plan for your local theater or Main Street project

• Preservation news from around the country

• How to research, document, and protect a historic building (Hint: Lasers!)

• Ideas for funding preservation projects

• ·Methods for restoring historic art glass, wall paintings, marquees, and lighting

• Choosing the right designers and contractors

• Q & A discussion with experts

Thank you to our supporting partners.
Click for more information on the workshop.

The Bond Company LLC

Formerly Spray-O-Bond

TechRender LLC

Laser Scanning and Documentation

ECS Midwest LLC

Geotechnical and environmental Consulting

Heritage Consulting Group

Historic building consulting and development

Taliesin Wisconsin

Preservation at Taliesin

Madison Roadhouse Legacy “The Wonder Bar” Could Still Be Saved

The Wonder Bar Steakhouse at 222 E. Olin Ave, Madison, Wisconsin, is threatened to be demolished as a result of a new development by the McGrath Property Group. The proposed new project is an 18-story, $40 million structure that would offer 291 apartments, 16,000 square feet of commercial space and five floors of parking, according to the report by the Wisconsin State Journal on July 14, 2021. Lance McGrath has shown interest in donating the over $250,000 cost of demolition toward relocation if a suitable site within close proximity could be found. The building, measured approximately 48 by 48 feet, is estimated to weigh between 800,000 to 950,000 pounds.

The Wonder Bar Steakhouse
Architecture and History Inventory, Wisconsin Historical Society

The Opening of Eddie’s Wonder Bar

The two-story brick structure was financed by Roger Touhy, an infamous prohibition-era gangster who ran the North Side Chicago Mafia and led gambling rings and other illegal activities, including brewing beer and distilling illegal spirits.

Roger’s financial success allowed him to give his brother Eddie Touhy the money to expand the business to Madison and built “Eddie’s Wonder Bar” around 1930. Eddie lived in the apartment upstairs. Three sisters, Mandie Burgin, Mamie Collier, and Ruby Farringer ran the Wonder Bar for Eddie until he sold it to Joe and Marian Kassak in 1948. The bar was then sold to Dick Whalen in 1974. During the 1970s and 1980s, the bar was a favorite watering hole of Badger athletics fans.

After a few name changes, such as “Madison Cigar Bar,” “The M.O.B. Roadhouse,” and “The Bar Next Door,” its name was changed back to “The Wonder Bar Steakhouse” in May 2009 by Dennie Jax. Jim Delaney purchased the Wonder Bar in 2017.

Unfortunately, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant was closed at the end of May this year.

Eddie’s Wonder Bar, 1983
Architecture and History Inventory, Wisconsin Historical Society

Preserving Prohibition Era History

The restaurant speaks to the important histories of the Prohibition Era. The Madison City Landmarks Commission commented that the Wonder Bar Steakhouse is a rare remaining example of Prohibition-era roadhouses.

According to restaurant historian Jan Whitaker, before the Civil War, roadside drinking and eating places on the outskirts of cities were popular destinations of people who enjoyed leisure activities outside the cities.

With the development of railroads, more rowdy crowds brought unsavory reputation to these places. For example, Minnesota legislated against roadhouses in 1915, and towns around Chicago fought them and often succeeded in having their liquor licenses taken away.

Few roadhouses survived the Prohibition Era (1920-1933), and Eddie’s Wonder Bar is one of the few that lasts till the present day. Another example is the Kegel’s Inn in Milwaukee, which opened in 1924 and was recently named as one of the Nation’s 25 Historic Small Restaurants.

History in the Network of Roadhouses

Kurt Stege, President of the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation advocacy committee, also indicated that the building was associated with “a network of roadhouses constructed at the edges of cities and operated for the purpose of distribution of illegal alcohol,” and its design conforms with what a bar looked like in the era. The building resembles a fortress castle, which also enhances its association with gang wars.

According to a draft city landmark nomination submitted by the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation in 2008, a body was buried behind a second-floor fireplace; its window glass was bulletproof; and the circular booths set in the building's towers had hidden compartments for weapon storage. Whether these interior details are true or fictional, like many roadhouses at the time, the site was affiliated with gangsters and experienced intense rivalries and police surveillance in the early years of its establishment.

Roger Touhy
The Wonder Bar Steakhouse Website

Eddie’s Legal Troubles

The same draft city landmark nomination also mentioned that Roger Touhy was sentenced to 99 years in prison at the Stateville Correctional Center near Joliet, Illinois in 1934 for the kidnapping of John Factor, the brother of cosmetics company founder Max Factor. Insisting that he was being framed, Roger escaped on December 2, 1942. In the book The Stolen Years, published in 1959, Roger shared, “My best source was my brother, Eddie. He owned a roadhouse, Eddie's Wonder Bar, near the state fairgrounds outside of Madison, Wisconsin. But getting a meeting with him was almost as tricky as getting out of Statesville.”

Eddie and his bar were under intense surveillance by the FBI. Eventually, Roger was recaptured on December 29, 1942. After 17 years in prison, he was finally paroled in November 1959, but was shot to death in the following month likely by his gangster rivals.

Modern Preservation Efforts

Unable to found a good solution, community members and preservationists still hope to save this historic bar. An online petition “Save The Wonder Bar – Madison’s Prohibition Roadhouse” to the Citizens of Madison and the City of Madison has been started, expressing opposition to demolition. McGrath’s proposal will be considered by the Plan Commission on July 26, and the City Council on August 3. The construction is intended to start in the fall. Please consider joining the group and the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation to support this petition.

More ways to help!

1. Register your opposition with the Plan Commission at https://cityofmadison.com/city-hall/committees/plan-commission/7-26-2021 Click "Register for Public Comment" Choose Item 5 and say you "oppose" it.

2. Speak for up to 3 minutes virtually at the Plan Commission. Say you support preserving the Wonder Bar. Ask Plan not to grant a demolition permit until the Landmark Commission reviews the Wonder Bar for Landmark status.

3. In addition, you can also send an email allalders@cityofmadison.com.

Having any ideas on possible sites for relocation or other related thoughts? Please contact hongyan@wipreservation.org.

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 Learn More and reference items

Wisconsin Historical Society, Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory: Eddie’s Wonder Bar

MOSIMAN, DEAN. "ROADHOUSE LEGACY SHAPED BY AREA'S COLORFUL HEYDAY WONDER BAR | A BRIEF HISTORY." Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI), ALL ed., sec. FRONT, 14 July 2021, p. A11.

MOSIMAN, DEAN. "A SLICE OF LORE AWAITS RESCUE OLD STEAKHOUSE OF THE SPEAKEASY DAYS FACING DEMOLITION MADISON HISTORY | WONDER BAR." Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI), ALL ed., sec. FRONT, 14 July 2021, p. A1.

HAMER, EMILY. "HISTORIC WONDER BAR BUILDING COULD BE MOVED." Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI), ALL ed., sec. LOCAL, 14 May 2021, p. A3.

 MOSIMAN, DEAN. "18-STORY BUILDING PROPOSED PROJECT WOULD RAZE LOCAL BARS TO CREATE HOUSING, OFFICE SPACE SOUTH SIDE | DEVELOPMENT." Wisconsin State Journal (Madison, WI), ALL ed., sec. FRONT, 8 Apr. 2021, p. A1.

Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act Now Introduced in Both the House and Senate

In April 2021, Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Darin LaHood (R-IL) introduced the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (HTC-GO) in the House of Representatives (H.R. 2294), which has received nearly 60 bipartisan support.

In June, similar legislation was introduced in the Senate (S.2266) by Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Maria Cantwell (D-WA). and Susan Collins (R-ME). This is great news for Wisconsin property owners looking to restore their historic buildings. The Wisconsin Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program also provides additional 20% historic tax credits to owners as a Wisconsin income tax credit for rehabilitating historic income-producing buildings.

1610 N 2nd St, Milwaukee WI

Refresh: What is the HTC?

The Federal Historic Tax Credit (HTC) is a 20% credit applied to qualified rehabilitation expenses for certified historic structures distributed over 5 years (4% per year). It represents, by far, the largest federal investment in historic preservation.

Since its inception, the credit has contributed to the rehabilitation of over 45,000 historic buildings and the construction of over 172,000 low- and moderate-income affordable housing units. The HTC also plays a major role in revitalizing our communities and supporting our nation’s economy. It has attracted approximately $173 million private investment, generated $38.1 billion in federal tax revenue, and created nearly 3 million jobs.

 New HTC for Temporary Provisions

The new version of HTC-GO includes temporary provisions that will bring relief to projects impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Developers and building owners nationwide are now facing increasing challenges in rehabilitating historic properties as our economy slowly recovers. The HTC-GO legislation temporarily increases the rehabilitation credit (IRC § 47) from 20% to 30% thorough 2021 and phase down to 26% in 2025, 23% in 2026, and returns to 20% in 2021 and thereafter.

In addition, the HTC-GO includes permanent provisions that will bring more value to the HTC, improve access to the credit, and enhance investment opportunities for smaller rehabilitation projects. The bill would increase the credit from 20 to 30 percent for projects with rehabilitation expenses of less than $2.5 million. 

Taking Action to Grow the HTC

These provisions were included and passed in the House Infrastructure bill (HR 2) in July 2020. We urge you to ask your members of Congress to support HTC-GO and to include the bill provisions in a larger infrastructure package. There are several ways you can reach out to your Senators:

• Fill out this advocacy alert on SavingPlaces.org by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

• Call Your Senators Directly: To locate the names, phone numbers and websites of your Senators via the Senate website or call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-225-3121 and asked to be connected to your or Senator’s DC office. Once connected ask to speak to the Member’s staff or staffer that handle tax issues.

• You can also communicate on the Member’s website. For Sen. Ron Johnson, please visit https://www.ronjohnson.senate.gov. For Sen. Tammy Baldwin, please visit https://www.baldwin.senate.gov. Send a message to your Senators through their website and select “tax” or “taxation” as the issue area.

Please share responses from Senate offices and acquire assistance with your advocacy by emailing: hongyan@wipreservation.org.

Learn more:

1. National Trust for Historic Preservation and Historic Tax Credit Coalition: HTC-GO Bill and Fact Sheet (April 2021)

2. Carl Wolf: On the Hill: Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (HTC-GO) Now Introduced in Both the House and Senate