Third Avenue Historic District
National Register of Historic Places

Third Avenue Historic District

Kenosha, Kenosha County, Wisconsin
Listed
November 1, 1988
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
88002022

About this property

The Third Avenue Historic District is the "mansion" district of Kenosha, Wisconsin, United States from the early twentieth century, comprising mostly large stylish homes along Lake Michigan. Kenosha, Wisconsin was first settled in 1835, and by 1836, Charles Durkee had amassed a large land holding near Lake Michigan. Durkee later parcelled out his holdings for residential development. By 1882, the entire area of the Third Avenue district was settled, although few buildings from this era remain. Starting with the George A. Yule House in 1899, Third Avenue became a desirable dwelling place for Kenosha's most prominent families. The 1890s had brought great prosperity to Kenosha with Simmons Manufacturing, the Bain Wagon Works, N. R. Allen & Sons Tannery, Chicago Brass Company, and Pettit Malting Company. These wealthy families had their houses designed by notable architects. The Alford House was designed by Richard Philipp, best known for designing the Walter J. Kohler estate in Kohler. N. Max Dunning, a Kenosha native that focused on country house design, planned the Fred H. Carpenter House and the Eugene Head House. The most prominent firm active in the area's development was Pond & Pond, who designed the Jeffrey Nash House, the Yule House, the Wilson House, and the Allen House. The most notable industrialists that lived in the district were Charles Durkee, Charles W. Nash, Charles T. Jeffery, and Charles C. Allen. Durkee became the city's foremost politician, serving two terms in the United States House of Representatives and one term as United States Senator. When he moved to the Utah Territory to become its sixth governor, Durkee's house was acquired by the Episcopal church in 1865. It became part of Kemper Hall, a girls' school. Jeffrey was the son of Thomas B. Jeffery of the Thomas B. Jeffery Company, who assumed control of the company in 1910. This company was purchased by Nash in 1916 and renamed Nash Motors. Allen inherited his father's tannery and turned it into a nationally recognized produced of hosiery. On November 1, 1988, the district was recognized by the National Park Service with a listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Location

Kenosha, Kenosha County, Wisconsin
42.57723, -87.81484

Categories

INDUSTRYEDUCATIONARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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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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Nearby Historic Sites

Kemper Hall
Industrial
0.1 mi
Manor House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Isermann, Anthony and Caroline, House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Isermann, Frank and Jane, House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Simmons, Gilbert M., Memorial Library
Industrial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Third Avenue Historic District listed on the National Register?

Third Avenue Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 1, 1988.

What type of historic resource is Third Avenue Historic District?

Third Avenue Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Third Avenue Historic District?

The period of significance for Third Avenue Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Third Avenue Historic District?

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