National Register of Historic Places

Downtown Baraboo Historic District

Baraboo, Sauk County, Wisconsin

Listed

June 7, 2015

Type

District

Period

Modern

Ref No.

15000340

About this property

The Downtown Baraboo Historic District is a national historic district in downtown Baraboo, Wisconsin. The district encompasses 78 contributing buildings, most of which are commercial buildings centered around the Sauk County Courthouse square. Development in the district began in the 1840s; at the time, the courthouse district was considered the wealthy part of Baraboo by comparison to the more industrial areas by the Baraboo River and the railroad. The oldest contributing buildings in the district date to the 1870s, when economic growth in Baraboo and a series of fires that destroyed older buildings spurred extensive construction in the courthouse district. New buildings continued to be built in the district through the mid-twentieth century, with the latest contributing building being the 1966 Baraboo City Hall. The district includes examples of most popular architectural styles of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, including Italianate, Romanesque Revival, Neoclassical, Colonial Revival and other revival styles, Beaux-Arts, Prairie School, Modernist, and vernacular commercial styles. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 8, 2015. Three buildings in the district are listed individually on the National Register: the Sauk County Courthouse, the Al. Ringling Theatre, and the Gust Brothers' Store.

Location

Baraboo, Sauk County, Wisconsin

Everything a full report reveals about Downtown Baraboo Historic District

This page lists Downtown Baraboo Historic District. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview

An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.

The Land

The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.

Geology

The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.

LiDAR Terrain

Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.

Conflict & War

The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.

The Civil War

The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.

The Soldiers

The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.

Native Heritage

The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.

Settlement

Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.

The Community

How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.

Rivers & Rail

The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.

Notable People

The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.

Historical Maps

Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.

Finds & Access

Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.

Literature

The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.

Spotlight

A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.

Points of Interest

The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.

Timeline

The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.

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Questions about this property

When was Downtown Baraboo Historic District listed on the National Register?

Downtown Baraboo Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 7, 2015.

What type of historic resource is Downtown Baraboo Historic District?

Downtown Baraboo Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Downtown Baraboo Historic District?

The period of significance for Downtown Baraboo Historic District is recorded as the modern era, specifically around 1966.

Can I research the history near Downtown Baraboo Historic District?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Downtown Baraboo Historic District will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Sauk County

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Conflict records

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Wisconsin history

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