First Methodist Church (Monroe, Wisconsin)

The First Methodist Church in Monroe, Green County, Wisconsin, now the Monroe Arts Center, is a Gothic Revival edifice designed by the former Wisconsin State Architect E. Townsend Mix of Milwaukee and constructed of Cream City brick. It was commissioned in 1869 by the First Methodist Episcopal congregation of Monroe to replace an earlier church building that dated to 1843. The adjacent parsonage was completed in 1886, and the complete ensemble was finally dedicated in 1887.[3]

First Methodist Church
First Methodist Church (Monroe, Wisconsin) is located in Wisconsin
First Methodist Church (Monroe, Wisconsin)
First Methodist Church (Monroe, Wisconsin) is located in the United States
First Methodist Church (Monroe, Wisconsin)
Location11th St. and 14th Ave., Monroe, Wisconsin
Coordinates42°36′6″N 89°38′34″W / 42.60167°N 89.64278°W / 42.60167; -89.64278
Built1869-1887
ArchitectE. Townsend Mix
Architectural styleLate Gothic Revival
NRHP reference No.75000065
Added to NRHPFebruary 25, 1975[1][2]

With its pointed-arch windows as well as the steeply pitched roof and tall, narrow tower, the church exemplifies the late-Gothic revival style.[4] The angled corner belfry tower and decorative brickwork are additional hallmarks of Mix's design. Perhaps the most striking feature is the rose window with elaborate tracery on the front facade, composed of teardrop-shaped stained-glass panes.

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.[1]

Monroe Arts Center

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In 1976, the non-profit Monroe Arts Center, which was formed to purchase the building, took ownership and opened it to the community for performances and exhibitions.

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References

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  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  2. ^ "First Methodist Church". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved 2017-06-25.
  3. ^ Jeffrey M. Dean (December 19, 1974). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: First Methodist Church". National Park Service. Retrieved January 11, 2017. with photos
  4. ^ "First Methodist Church". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved 2017-06-25.
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