Wisconsin Avenue and Environs, Benton Park

Update: I revisited Wisconsin Avenue in the spring of 2020.

Heading away from Salena Street over to Wisconsin Avenue and other nearby streets, there are other Second Empire houses and storefronts.

But again, as can be seen further down the block, there are later Twentieth Century buildings, showing that there were still empty or reused lots as other uses were abandoned or sinkholes were filled in.

People often mistakenly believe that a house like the one below once had a neighbor to the left on the party wall. That is not necessarily so, but rather, as can be seen here, the house is merely built right up against the property line.

The Italianate style house below was probably already becoming slightly out of style when much of Benton Park was urbanizing.

The house below has two doors; in this situation, the back door would have gone into the kitchen. In Victorian culture, uses would have been strictly separated, and things like groceries or garbage would not have been brought in the same door as guests or formal uses.

Houses become even more elaborate as we approach Benton Park, as we see below is this dramatic Second Empire townhouse, which was perhaps owned by a brew master or other professional of the German American community, with Romanesque Revival influences showing through.

Finally, at Arsenal, a turreted store and apartment building with Queen Anne influence with Romanesque Revival massing faces the park.

2 Comments Add yours

  1. Slevin Kelevra says:

    Amazing structures and beautiful pictures of them.
    Thanks Chris!

    1. Chris Naffziger says:

      Thank you, Sara! This is despite the light meter on my digital camera slowly going bad.

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