Contact: Kara O’Keeffe, Wisconsin Historical Society
kara.okeeffe@wisconsinhistory.org
La Crosse, Wis. – The Wisconsin Historical Society has announced the listing of the Roosevelt School in the city of La Crosse, La Crosse County, in the National Register of Historic Places. National Register designation provides access to certain benefits, including qualification for grants and for rehabilitation income tax credits, while it does not restrict private property owners in the use of their property.
The Roosevelt School was originally constructed in 1923, designed by architect Otto A. Merman. The school is a very good example of the Spanish Colonial Revival style, a style not typically seen in La Crosse and is particularly distinctive for its pink-hued kellestone exterior. The design of this school is a departure from the popular school designs of the period, including Classical Revival and Collegiate Gothic styles, so when it was constructed, it must have really been a stand-out in the community. When additions were needed soon after, in 1931 and 1938, due to growth in enrollment, the additions were designed as a continuation of the style demonstrating that there must have been some affection for the style. This building served as a school until 2013, and as such was a prominent neighborhood institution for 90 years, educating many generations of La Crosse children.
The register is the official national list of historic properties in America deemed worthy of preservation and is maintained by the National Park Service in the U.S. Department of the Interior. The Wisconsin Historical Society administers the program within Wisconsin. It includes sites, buildings, structures, objects and districts that are significant in national, state or local history, architecture, archaeology, engineering or culture.
To learn more about the State and National Register programs in Wisconsin, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.
About Wisconsin Historical Society: The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active, and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving, and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs, and services. For more information, visit wisconsinhistory.org.
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