Camp Randall @ 2010 Bo Mackison
If you are familiar with Madison and the name Camp Randall comes up in conversation, You can be nearly sure this is NOT the Camp Randall being discussed. That Camp Randall, the home of the University of Wisconsin football team, the Badgers, is across the street. But this is the originail Camp Randall, and the namesake of the stadium.
Camp Randall served as a training grounds for 70,000 men who fought for the North in the Civil War. Later, the camp was utilized as a prison and hospital for Confederate soldiers.
Old Abe, the Eagle, on Watch © 2010 Bo Mackison
This arch was built and dedicated in 1912 to the soldiers who fought in the Civil War. The land was deeded to the University of Wisconsin in 1893 and part of the land is used for athletic facilities. Camp Randall, the football stadium, was built in 1917.
The memorial area was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.
Lafayette County Courthouse © 2010 Bo Mackison
The Lafayette County Courthouse is in Darlington, the largest town in this south central county of Wisconsin. It was built between the years of 1905 and 1907 at a cost of over $136,000. The money for construction was bequeathed to the county by Matt Murphy of Benton, Wisconsin. In his will, he provided that 70% of his estate be used to construct a County Courthouse.
A note for historical trivia buffs: Lafayette County Courthouse is the only county courthouse in the United States fully funded by a single person.
The courthouse was designed by the architects Kinney & Detweiler from Minneapolis-St Paul, a team that designed many courthouses throughout the Midwest. These included Clay County Courthouse in Spencer, IA; Plymouth County Courthouse in La Mars, IA; Winneshiek County Courthouse in Decorah, IA; Beltrami County Courthouse in Bemidji, MN; Plymouth County Courthouse in Austin, MN; Brown County Courthouse in Aberdeen, SD and Langlade County Courthouse in Antigo WI.
Courthouse - Look Up © 2010 Bo Mackison
The courthouse was built in the Classical Revival style popular for government buildings, as it embodied the spirit of ancient Athenian democracy combined with aspects of Republican Rome. Columns were a must as were domes and entrances with many stairs. These buildings generally took on massive, mathematically precise proportions, what was then thought as fitting for the duties of the governing bodies.
The interior of the courthouse features marble walls, tiled flooring and a Tiffany glass rotunda. There are period murals and statues from the early 1900s throughout the building. There are also decorative copper and brass lighting fixtures on the grounds.
Tours are available on Mondays through Fridays from 8:oo am until 4:30 pm.
The Courthouse is on the National Register of Historic Places.
American Exchange Bank © 2010 Bo Mackison
Built in 1871, the old American Exchange Bank is one of the last remnants of the three or more story sandstone block buildings that surrounded the Capitol Square from the 1850s to the 1950s. It was in this building that the first session of the Wisconsin Legislature was held.
The architect was Stephen V. Shipman; the architectural style of the building is Italian Renaissance Revival. The building originally extended over five store fronts along the Square (along Pinckney Street), but much of the structure was damaged by fire in the 1940s.
Founded 1871 © 2010 Bo Mackison
The pioneer bank opened its doors for business in 1871 and contributed greatly to the inital financial growth of the city. Throughout the years, the building has seen many tenants. It was home to Park Savings Bank, insurance agencies and other businesses over the course of nearly 140 years.
The building is a Madison Landmark, and is on the National and Wisconsin Registers of Historic Places.
Merimac Ferry © 2009 Bo Mackison
Merimac Ferry season has started again. The free ferry, which crosses the Wisconsin River between Merimac and Okee, Wisconsin, runs between April and November. The dates aren’t exact as the ferry runs until the river ices over, usually in November, when the crossing becomes impossible. Service resumes on ice out, most often in mid to late April.
The ferry, called the Colsac III, connects Columbia and Sauk counties on State highway 113. (Colsac is a combination of the two counties’ names.) Colsac III is operated on a winch using three underwater cables. Not only is it part of the state highway system, it is also a tourist attraction. It is near popular Devil’s Lake State Park and travel destination Wisconsin Dells. There is often a wait to get on the ferry, but both landings are well set with snack bars and other facilities, so most people don’t mind the wait.
Barge, Stairway, and Captain's Box © Bo Mackison
A trip across the river takes about 14 minutes. The Colsac III can carry up to 15 cars, assorted bikes, even the occasional semi-trailer truck. It operates 24 hours a day during the open water season.
The first Colsac began crossing the river in 1933 when the state of Wisconsin took over the ferry service and the ferry accommodated eight cars, although the site has been a ferry crossing since 1844. It was replaced with the Colsac II in 1963 and the capacity was increased to 12 cars. The latest Colsac III was put into service in 2003 at a cost of 2.2 million dollrs.
The ferry crossing is on the National and Wisconsin Register of Historic Places.
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Bo Mackison has a series of photographs of the historic buildings in Wisconsin available for licensing and publication. For information, contact Bo at bo@historicplacesphotography.com.
Pima County Courthouse © 2010 Bo Mackison
Pima County Courthouse, in Tucson’s downtown district, was designed by Tucson architect Roy Place and built in 1929. This building is often referred to as the “old courthouse” since the Superior Court Building was built in the 1970s and operates as the main court, but the historic structure continues to serve as the courthouse for lower level state criminal matters as well as housing the offices of the Pima County Treasurer and Recorder.
Mosaic Dome © 2010 Bo Mackison
The building is a lovely example of the Spanish Colonial Revival style and also has Moorish influences. The brick structure is covered with pink stucco, a rather bold move when it was done in 1928 amidst some local debate. A remarkable cement dome decorated with mosaic tiles also gives the building an international flavor. The building was built at a cost of approximately $350,000.
Arches, Columns, Tiles © 2010 Bo Mackison
As part of the walking tour of downtown Tucson (accomplished by following a stripe of turquoise paint on the pavement) one crosses through an interior courtyard of the courthouse and passes through this columned pathway. Moorish arches cover the portico and lead into a central patio with fountains and tiled designs.
When ground was excavated for this building, the third county courthouse, the southwest corner and part of the wall of the original Tucson Presidio was discovered. A section of the wall is on display on the second floor of the builing and can be viewed during business hours. (Security check required.) A stone marker in the courtyard also gives the location of the ancient Presidio.
The courthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Bo Mackison loves to photograph historic places, including many sites in one of her favorite cities, Tucson Arizona. Photos are available of various historic places in Arizona for licensing and publication. For information, contact Bo at bo@historicplacesphotography.com.
Lathrop Hall © 2010 Bo Mackison
This week Lathrop Hall celebrates its 100th birthday. Lathrop Hall, one of the oldest buildings on the University of Wisconsin – Madison campus, was built in 1910 to serve as a physical training facility for the women attending the university. It first housed the Women’s Department which later became the Department of Physical Education and Dance. Currently Lathrop Hall is home to UW’s Dance Program.
The building originally had a three story gymnasium with a running track, a bowling alley, swimming pool in addition to a theater, cafeteria, and facilities for university business and teaching.
Happy Centennial, Lathrop Hall © 2010 Bo Mackison
The history of the building, citing its major effect on women’s education at UW in the early 20th Century, is documented in an article written by the University about Lathrop Hall.
The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
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Bo Mackison is a Madison based photographer who enjoys shooting historic places. She has a series of photographs of the University of Wisconsin’s historic buildings available for licensing and publication. Prints are also available. For more information, contact Bo at bo@historicplacesphotography.com.