139-147 North 3rd Avenue
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Images
Current building.
Source: https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Property/HI49726
Source: https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Property/HI49726
Source: https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Property/HI49726
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
When this
building was constructed in 1890, the south half (139) was owned by the Shimmel
family. Mr. Shimmel was involved in the tailoring business. The other half
(147) was owned by Thomas Gillespie, a furniture dealer. This double commercial
block is accented by handsomely crafted, corbelled brickwork detailing at the
frieze below the cornice and at the architrave over the storefront openings.
Here, arcades and shallow brackets link implied pilasters. This feature is the
best and most exuberant example of this type of anonymous craftsmanship within
the District. The original storefronts have been substantially modified but
these changes have been made within the original masonry openings.1