29 Oct Matthias Building National Register of Historic Places
Winds Paradox proudly announces that the State of Wisconsin Historical Society feels the “Matthias Building” at 419 West Main Street qualifies for the National Register of Historic Places. I received word on October 20, 2016, that the property, the once National Guard Armory building, is eligible for nomination! I submitted the Part One application which I share with you here. Thank you, to the community of Merrill, Wisconsin, and my family and friends. I invite you to join me on this journey!
The process itself begins with a Part One application to the state office of historical preservation for evaluation. Part One is the Evaluation of Significance. I have learned that what follows, after this initial eligibility, is the official draft by a professional preservationist, to be presented to the state who will then nominate the building to the United States Department of the Interior National Park Service.
The first four parts of the application which I prepared are logistic information such as ownership and location. I share with you, with gratitude, parts five and six.
Part Five. Description of Physical Appearance.
The Armory Building was originally built in 1923 by Charles Aronson / M.C. Landaal for use as an automobile dealership and service station. Built with solid three-course brick exterior walls, it stands two levels above grade and a full basement below. Exterior dimensions are 86.5′ by 77.7′, approximately 6700 square feet on the corner of West Main Street and Genesee Street. The first and basement floors are supported with no interior walls but concrete pillars. The second floor has walled rooms but no load-bearing walls. The floors are nine to ten inch concrete with little spalling, The roof is supported by four metal trusses (original) which span east to west. The original industrial windows remain on the southern and western sides of the building. In 2014 the structure was determined to be sound. In summer 2015 during the roof repair project, upon discovery, the entire roof was replaced along with the north and south parapet walls (four to five feet from the top) with matching Belton brick.
Date of builiding: 1923. Date of alteration: Beginning 2014. Has the building been moved: No.
Part Six. Statement of Significance.
In my town, very few of these brick buildings remain. This building has a beloved, honorable history. The Armory building was built in 1923 as an automobile delearship, then purchased by the City of Merrill in 1934 to serve as the National Guard Armory / Fallout & Emergency Shelter. The Fromm Brothers owned it (reports from my local historical society state that Ms. Jayne Mansfield picked her furs at my building!) In the 1950’s and 1960’s the building was then purposed as the Vocational Technical School. Older members of the community (including a retired insurance company CEO) remember fondly the classes: small engine repair, art, typing, Spanish, upholstery, and a shooting range in the basement!
Since that time, the building was used as storage, but structurally neglected. I have always loved the building. There is just something about what it stands for and the hope of its revival. I was elated to discover my community did as well! This brick building is a rare surviving structure – an example of the gritty industriousness of America in the 1920’s. Thank you for your consideration!
