Building on the Past
Searching for Your County's Oldest Building

If you would like to find out more, contact Megan Matthews at mrm@idcnet.com

Project Description

To identify the oldest standing structure on its original location in each county in Wisconsin. The building may be in either public or private ownership but it must have four walls and a roof and not be in a ruinous condition.

Goals

To help students realize that history is down their street, and in their own communities and surrounding lands. Buildings are a part of that history, and can be viewed as artifacts and representations of the past.

From "Here We Are Wisconsin!"

Determine possible sources and locate relevant information
Gather, organize and interpret information from more than one source
Record sources of information
Include historically accurate information about the physical geography and built environment of their community
List resources used
Give credits
Use proper sentence structure, spelling and usage, (especially for website information)
Use a word processing program

How to conduct the search

Suggestion: Appoint a committee to oversee this project, to serve as local reference sources and to ultimately review nominees. The committee should include representatives from local historical societies, history teachers, and other knowledgeable individuals. Organize this search as a series of mini-competitions based on towns or school districts, with each entity submitting an entry. The committee would then review nominations and submit the oldest building to the statewide search. The search could also be done entirely by a local historical society or arranged as a project through your county school system.

Ultimately: One building per county should be nominated as the "Oldest Building in the County."

Research: Send in Building Nomination Form, Owner Permission Form and supporting materials by April 17, 1998 to:

Allison Kujawa
BUILDING ON THE PAST
Wisconsin Counties Association
100 River Place, Suite 101
Monona, WI 53716-4016

Findings

The nominations will be reviewed by staff at the State Historical Society and Wisconsin Counties Association for completeness and to make sure the conclusion is supported by adequate documentation.

There will be a ceremony in Madison during Historic Preservation week, May 10-17 1998, to recognize four of the building entries!

Student research may be published on the Pioneering Partners website, http://danenet.wicip.org/mmsd-it/sesq.html.

Disclaimer: The recognition of a building as the oldest in your county is only honorary and conveys no other federal or state benefits or protections. Specifically, participation in this project does not imply that the building would qualify for State or Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credits, eligibility for Landmark Status, or protection from demolition or alteration under state or federal law.

Return to the Existing Projects Page.

This site is maintained by Barbara Spitz, bspitz@madison.k12.wi.us and Chris Burch

Madison Metropolitan School District
Instructional Technologies: Coordinator, Joan Peebles
545 West Dayton Street
Madison, Wisconsin USA