HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5 - Smith School NRHP NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 10024-0018
Wisconsin Word Processing Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Registration Form
This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in How to Complete the National
Register of Historic Places Registration Form(National Register Bulletin 16A). Complete each item by marking"x"in the appropriate box or by
entering the information requested. Tf an item does not apply to the property being documented,enter"N/A"for"not applicable." For functions,
architectural classification,materials,and areas of significance,enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. Place additional entries and
narrative items on continuation sheets(NPS Form 10-900A). Use a typewriter,word processor,or computer,to complete all items.
1. Name of Property
historic name Smith School
other names/site number Smith Elementary School
2. Location
street&number 1745 Oregon Street N/A not for publication
city or town Oshkosh N/A vicinity
state Wisconsin code WI county Winnebago code 139 zip code 54902
3. State/Federal Agency Certification
As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act,as amended,I hereby certify that this X nomination
request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of
Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60.In my opinion,the property
X meets_does not meet the National Register criteria.I recommend that this property be considered significant_nationally
_statewide X locally. (_See continuation sheet for additional comments.)
Signature of certifying official/Title Date
State or Federal agency and bureau
In my opinion,the property_meets_does not meet the National Register criteria.
(See continuation sheet for additional comments.)
Signature of commenting official/Title Date
State or Federal agency and bureau
Smith School Winnebago County Wisconsin
Name of Property County and State
4. National Park Service Certification
I hereby certify that the property is:
entered in the National Register.
See continuation sheet.
determined eligible for the
National Register.
See continuation sheet.
_determined not eligible for the
National Register.
See continuation sheet.
_removed from the National
Register.
other,(explain:)
Signature of the Keeper Date of Action
5. Classification
Ownership of Property Category of Property Number of Resources within Property
(check as many boxes as (Check only one box) (Do not include previously listed resources
as apply) in the count)
X private X building(s) contributing noncontributing
public-local district 1 0 buildings
public-State structure 0 1 sites
public-Federal site 0 0 structures
object 0 0 objects
1 1 total
Name of related multiple property listing: Number of contributing resources
(Enter"N/A"if property not part of a multiple property previously listed in the National Register
listing.)
N/A 0
6. Function or Use
Historic Functions Current Functions
(Enter categories from instructions) (Enter categories from instructions)
EDUCATION/School VACANT/NOT IN USE
7. Description
Architectural Classification Materials
(Enter categories from instructions) (Enter categories fl-om instructions)
Foundation: stone
LATE VICTORIAN:Romanesque Walls: brick
Roof: asbestos,asphalt
Other: N/A
Narrative Description
(Describe the historic and current condition of the property on one or more continuation sheets.)
smith school Winnebago County Wisconsin
Name of Property County and State
8. Statement of Significance
Applicable National Register Criteria Areas of Significance
(Mark'Y'in one or more boxes for the criteria (Enter categories from instructions)
qualifying the property for the National Register listing.)
Education, Architecture
X A Property is associated with events that have
made a significant contribution to the broad
patterns of our history.
_B Property is associated with the lives
of persons significant in our past.
X C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics Period of Significance
of a type,period,or method of construction
or represents the work of a master,or possesses 1896-1970(A)
high artistic values,or represents a significant
and distinguishable entity whose components 1896-1929(C)
lack individual distinction.
_D Property has yielded,or is likely to yield, Significant Dates
information important in prehistory or history.
1896, 1929
Criteria Considerations
(Mark'Y' in all the boxes that apply.)
Property is: Significant Person
(Complete if Criterion B is marked)
_A owned by a religious institution or
used for religious purposes. N/A
_B removed from its original location.
_C a birthplace or grave. Cultural Affiliation
_D a cemetery. N/A
_E a reconstructed building,object,or
structure.
_F a commemorative property. Architect/Builder
_G less than 50 years of age or achieved Waters,William
significance within the past 50 years. Auler,Jensen,&Brown
Narrative Statement of Significance
(Explain the significance of the property on one or more continuation sheets.)
Smith School Winnebago County Wisconsin
Name of Property County and State
9. Major Bibliographic References
(Cite the books,articles,and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets.)
Previous Documentation on File(National Park Service): Primary location of additional data:
preliminary determination of individual X State Historic Preservation Office
listing(36 CFR 67)has been requested _ Other State Agency
previously listed in the National _ Federal Agency
Register _ Local government
previously determined eligible by _ University
the National Register Other
designated a National Historic Name of repository:
landmark
recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey#
recorded by Historic American Engineering Record#
10. Geographical Data
Acreage of Property: 2.3 acres
UTM References(Place additional UTM references on a continuation sheet.)
1 16N 376289 4873009 3
Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing
2 4
Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing
❑ See Continuation Sheet
Verbal Boundary Description(Describe the boundaries of the property on a continuation sheet)
Boundary Justification(Explain why the boundaries were selected on a continuation sheet)
11. Form Prepared By
name/title Gail Klein,Architectural Historian
organization UW-Milwaukee Cultural Resource Management date July 1,2020
street&number PO Box 413 telephone 414-229-3078
city or town Milwaukee state WI zip code 53201
Smith School Winnebago County Wisconsin
Name of Property County and State
Additional Documentation
Submit the following items with the completed form:
Continuation Sheets
Maps A USGS map(7.5 or 15 minute series)indicating the property's location.
A sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources.
Photographs Representative black and white photographs of the property.
Additional items (Check with the SHPO or FPO for any additional items)
Property Owner
Complete this item at the request of SHPO or FPO.)
name/title Tim Hess
organization Smith School Lofts,LLC date July 27,2020
street&number 230 Ohio St. telephone 920-203-2177
city or town Oshkosh state WT zip code 54902
Paperwork Reduction Act Statement:This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic
Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing,to list properties,and to amend existing listings.
Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act,as amended(16
U.S.C.470 et seq.).
Estimated Burden Statement:Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 18.1 hours per response including
time for reviewing instructions,gathering and maintaining data,and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments
regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Chief, Administrative Services Division,National Park Service,
P.O.Box 37127,Washington,DC 20013-7127;and the Office of Management and Budget,Paperwork Reductions Projects,
(1024-0018),Washington,DC 20503.
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section 7 Page 1
Introduction
Smith School was constructed in 1896 and 1929 (with a later addition in 1996) in the City of Oshkosh,
Winnebago County, Wisconsin following designs by local architects William Waters and Auler,
Jensen, & Brown. The building is representative of Romanesque Revival architecture as characterized
by its brick construction with stone accents, its multiple-coursed round arches over door and window
openings, and its compact plan with hipped roof. The nominated property contains one contributing
resource (the school building) and one noncontributing resources (a c.2000 playground containing a
variety of modern play equipment).
Setting
Smith School is located in the City of Oshkosh, approximately 50 miles southwest of Green Bay and
90 miles northeast of Madison. The building is located on an L-shaped 2.3 acre lot in a residential
area on the city's south side. The school property occupies the southern end and a large part of the
eastern half of a city block that is bounded by W. 18th Avenue, Oregon Street, W. l7t" Avenue, and
Arizona Street. The primary facade of the building faces east toward Oregon Street with secondary
entrances on the north, south, and west elevations. An area of asphalt pavement (that serves as part of
the playground) is located along the north side of the 1896/1929 building mass. North of this is a
small c.2000 playground containing modern playground equipment on a chipped wood surround.
North of the playground, the remainder of the lot is comprised of a mown grass lawn. A chain-link
fence runs the length of the eastern and northern sides of the property (with a small break along the
eastern side) and continues along the western edge of the property to the northeastern corner of the
1996 gymnasium addition. Smaller sections of mown grass lawn are located along the building's east
(front) and south elevations and along the western side of the 1996 gymnasium addition. The east
lawn in front of the building contains a concrete sidewalk leading from the front doors to a round
concrete pad containing a metal flagpole (the flagpole is not of sufficient size to be included in the
property's resource count). A small memorial erected in 1933 and consisting of a commemorative
plaque mounted on a boulder is located along the eastern edge of the property, outside of the chain-
link fence; the plaque commemorates the donation of the playground space north of the building and
reads, "This site donated by John and Lois Smith and the heirs of John and Sarah Buckstaff/Erected
by the Smith School Parents and Teachers Association 1933" (the boulder is an element of the
property's historic setting, but is not of sufficient scale to be included in the property's resource
count). South of the 1896 and 1929 building masses, a concrete-paved circulation space occupies
much of the area between the building and the W. 18t"Avenue sidewalk, excepting a polygonal
section of mown grass lawn which currently contains a number of wood planter boxes (the planter
boxes are not permanent fixtures and are not of sufficient scale to be included in the property's
resource count). A concrete sidewalk leads from the corner of Oregon Street and W. 181h Avenue to
the concrete walkway at the southeast corner of the building,providing pedestrian access to entrances
on the building's south and east sides. Additional concrete sidewalks lead from the W. 18" Avenue
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section 7 Page 2
and Arizona Street sidewalks to entrances on the south and west sides of the 1996 gymnasium
addition, respectively.
Exterior Building Description
Smith School is a two-story Romanesque Revival building with a raised basement. The building
consists of three distinct masses: the rectangular 1896 building, the 1929 addition that was built along
the western (rear) elevation of the 1896 building mass with projecting wings to the north and south,
and the 1996 gymnasium addition which is connected to the western (rear) elevation of the 1929 mass
via a small 2-story hyphen. Overall, the historic portion of the building (the 1896 and 1929
construction) is irregular in plan with a raised stone block foundation, buff-colored brick walls laid in
a 5- and 6-course common bond, and asbestos-shingled hipped roofs. The 1996 gymnasium addition
is rectangular in plan and consists of a one-story mass at the north end of the addition and a taller mass
comprising the remainder of the addition. The 1996 construction features a raised stone-faced
concrete block foundation, buff-colored brick walls laid in a running bond, and asphalt-shingled, low-
pitched hipped roofs.
Primary character-defining features of the building's exterior include a symmetrically balanced facade,
multiple-coursed round-arched window and door openings, stone belt courses at the first and second
stories, hipped roofs with widely overhanging eaves, and a projecting five-sided kindergarten bay. All
of the largest and most prominent arches in the 1896 and 1929 building masses are comprised of four
brick courses, the uppermost of which is slightly projected. Smaller arches are typically comprised of
three brick courses that are flush with the face of the building. All exterior windows in the 1896 and
1929 building masses are metal-framed windows added in 1993 as replacements for the original wood-
and metal-framed windows of the same size and shape. Original wood-framed 1-over-1 windows in
the 1896 mass were replaced with metal-framed 1-over-1 windows; likewise, single-pane, wood-
framed round-arch transoms in smaller window openings were replaced with single-pane, metal-
framed round-arch transoms. Original metal-framed 6-over-6 windows with 6-pane transoms in the
1929 addition were replaced with metal-framed 1-over-1 windows with single-pane transoms. In the
round-arched transoms of the larger window and door openings and in the windows of the projecting
kindergarten bay where original windows were divided-light windows, replacements are simulated
divided light windows of the same size, shape, and arrangement. The front elevation of the building
faces east toward Oregon Street.
East (Front) Elevation
The building's east elevation consists of the eastern wall of the original 1896 building. This is
symmetrical in plan with a projecting, hipped-roof entry bay at the center. The entry bay contains a
pair of round-arched entrances set within a Classically-inspired surround that features squared pilasters
with stone capitals, a denticulated frieze, and a narrow stone cornice. Each of the two arched
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section 7 Page 3
entrances centered in the entry bay contains a metal door with a single-pane window, divided-light
sidelights on each side, and round-arched transoms comprised of six divided-light windows separated
by heavy metal mullions. Above this, at the second story, are three round-arched window banks, each
of which contains a pair of 1-over-1 windows with a divided-light, round-arched transom. All of the
arches in the projecting entry bay are accentuated beyond those in the remainder of the building
through the use of elongated stone keystones and narrow stone imposts. The east(front) walls of the
building on each side of the central entry bay are identical in plan containing four doubly-placed 1-
over-1 windows at the basement level; two, large round-arched window banks at the first story (each
of which contains a pair of 1-over-1 windows and a divided-light, round-arched transom); and four
round-arched window openings at the second story (each of which contains a 1-over-1 window with a
single-pane, round-arched transom). Stone belt courses are located just below the second story
windows and at the springline of the first-story arches. First story window banks are further
accentuated by stone sills.
South Elevation
The south elevation of the building consists of the southern walls of the 1896 and 1929 building
masses and the southern wall of the 1996 hyphen and gymnasium addition. Located at the eastern end
of the south elevation, the south wall of the 1896 building mass contains two 1-over-1 windows at the
basement level (a c.1960 small, flat-roofed basement stairwell enclosure of brick construction with a
metal security door in its eastern wall projects from the southern wall of the building near the center of
the original 1896 construction); two large, round-arched window banks at the first story (each of these
contains a pair of 1-over-1, double-hung windows, a round-arched, divided-light transom, and a stone
sill); and four round-arched window openings at the second story (each of which contains a 1-over-1
window and a single-pane, round-arched transom). Fenestration in the southern wall of the original
building mass is mirrored by the fenestration in the northern wall of the same building mass. Stone
belt courses are located just below the second story windows and at the springline of the first-story
arches.
West of the 1896 building mass, a distinct change in the color and patina of the brickwork on the south
wall of the building marks the beginning of the 1929 addition to the school. The southern wall of the
1929 addition contains a boarded-over window opening at the basement level; a pair of 1-over-1
windows with small, single-pane, rectangular transoms at the first story; and a taller pair of 1-over-1
windows with small, single-pane, rectangular transoms at the second story. West of this, the 1929
addition projects to form the building's south wing. The east face of the south wing contains a single
1-over-1 window capped by a blind arch at the first story and a single 1-over-1 window with a round-
arched transom at the second story. The stone belt courses at the first and second stories continue
along the eastern face of the south wing. The southern wall of the south wing contains a pair of metal
doors with glazed upper halves at the eastern end of the wall and a projecting one-story bay spanning
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section 7 Page 4
the remainder of the first story. The metal doors are sheltered by a flat-roof that projects from the
main wall of the building and features wood beams with shaped ends, a metal pole supporting the
outer corner, and a modest brick pilaster supporting the front edge of the roof where it meets the face
of the projecting bay. Above the flat roof, a large, round-arched window bank is centered between the
first and second stories; this contains a pair of 6-over-6 double-hung windows and a divided-light
round-arched transom(this bank of windows provides light to an interior stairwell). The southern wall
of the projecting one-story bay contains a metal door with glazing in its upper half and a round-arched,
divided-light transom above; three 1-over-1 windows at the basement level; and three individual
round-arched window openings (each of which contains a 1-over-1 double-hung window, a single-
pane round-arched transom, and a stone sill). The placement of the basement windows is mirrored in
that of the first story windows. Above the one-story bay, second-story windows consist of three pairs
of 1-over-1 double-hung windows with single-pane rectangular transoms.
The remainder of the south elevation consists of the southern walls of the 1996 hyphen and
gymnasium additions. The southern wall of the two-story hyphen contains an off-center pair of metal
security doors and four blind arches with stone-faced concrete sills (one of which is centered over the
security doors). The only other decorative feature on the south face of the gymnasium addition
consists of a stone-faced concrete belt course located at the springline of the blind arches.
West (Rear) Elevation
The building's west elevation consists of the west wall of the 1929 north and south wings and the
western wall of the 1996 hyphen and gymnasium addition. The western wall of the north wing
contains twelve window openings at the basement level (grouped into two sets of six, all of which
have been filled in with brick), two banks of three windows at the first story (each bank containing a
pair of 1-over-1 double-hung windows with a pair of single-pane rectangular transoms), and two banks
of three windows at the second story (each bank containing a taller pair of 1-over-1 double-hung
windows with a pair of single-pane rectangular transoms). Both first-story window banks contain
stone sills and simple brick surrounds above the stone belt course.
The western wall of the gymnasium addition contains a pair of metal-framed glass doors located off-
center in the one-story northern end of the addition and a metal security door located off-center in the
two-story part of the addition. The only decorative features in the western wall of the gymnasium
addition are located in the two-story mass and include two large blind arches and a stone-faced
concrete belt course that spans the wall at the springline of the arches.
The western wall of the 1929 south wing contains a round-arched window in the southern wall of the
one-story projecting bay (this contains a 1-over-1 double-hung window with a stone sill and a single-
pane round-arched transom); a five-sided, one-story bay containing the kindergarten classroom; and
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section 7 Page 5
three pairs of 1-over-1 double-hung windows with single-pane rectangular transoms at the second
story above the kindergarten bay. The five-sided kindergarten bay contains a large, round-arched
window bank in each side, with the exception of the northernmost window bank which was infilled
with brick in 1996 when the gymnasium addition was constructed; each window bank consists of a
pair of 6-over-6 or 6-over-9 windows (glazing patterns in the lower sashes alternate between each
window bank to allow for the placement of radiators on the building's interior) and round-arched
transoms that are comprised of two 6-pane windows each. Skylights in the roof of the kindergarten
bay were removed c.1993.
North Elevation
The north elevation consists of the north wall of the 1896 and 1929 masses and the northern wall of
the 1996 gymnasium addition. Beginning at the eastern end of the building (the original 1896
construction), the northern elevation contains four doubly-placed 1-over-1 windows at the basement
level, two large round-arched window banks at the second story (each containing a pair of 1-over-1
windows and a divided-light round-arched transom), and four round-arched window openings at the
second story (each of which contains a 1-over-1 window and a single-pane, round-arched transom).
Stone belt courses are located just below the second story windows and at the springline of the first-
story arches. Fenestration in the northern wall of the 1896 mass is mirrored in that of the southern
wall of the same mass.
West of the 1896 building mass, a distinct change in the color and patina of the brickwork on the north
wall of the building marks the beginning of the 1929 addition to the school. The northern wall of the
1929 addition contains a pair of 1-over-1 windows at the basement level; a pair of 1-over-1 windows
with small, single-pane, rectangular transoms at the first story; and a taller pair of 1-over-1 windows
with small, single-pane, rectangular transoms at the second story. West of this, the 1929 addition
projects from the main building mass to form a northern wing. The eastern wall of the wing contains
no fenestration at the basement level, a small 1-over-1 window with stone sill and lintel and capped by
a blind round-arch at the first story, and a round-arched window opening containing a 1-over-1
window with a single-pane, round-arched transom at the second story. The northern wall of the 1929
north wing contains a pair of metal doors with single-pane windows at the eastern end of the wall; this
entrance is accentuated by simple brick pilasters on each side and is sheltered by a flat roof that
projects from the north wall of the building and features wood beams with shaped ends and metal pole
supports. Centered in the wall above this entry is a large round-arched window bank containing a pair
of 6-over-6 windows and a divided-light, round-arched transom. This window bank provides light to a
stairwell between the first and second stories. The northern face of the north wing contains no other
fenestration. The location of the stone belt courses at the first and second stories continues along each
face of the north wing. West of the north wing, the 1929 addition continues with a small segment of a
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section 7 Page 6
north-facing wall containing no fenestration at the basement or first story and a single 1-over-1
window with rectangular, single-pane transom at the second story.
The remainder of the north elevation consists of the northern wall of the 1996 hyphen and gymnasium
addition. The northern wall of the two-story hyphen contains a metal security door at its western end
and a four-pane metal-framed window at the western end of the second story. The northern wall of the
gymnasium addition rises one-story in height and contains six pairs of 1-over-1 windows.
Interior Building Description
The interior of the building consists of an art room, media center, and storage and utility spaces at the
basement level; four classrooms, restrooms, and a kindergarten suite at the first floor of the 1896 and
1929 masses; a gymnasium/cafeteria, two classrooms, and office space at the first floor of the 1996
addition; and five classrooms and two smaller rooms (most recently used as classrooms) at the second
floor. Primary character-defining features of the interior of the 1896 and 1929 building masses
include original wood flooring in all classrooms; terrazzo flooring in all corridors, restrooms, and
common areas; red brick wainscoting in corridors and restrooms; built-in cabinets in most classrooms;
and glazed terra cotta pillars, room-dividing arcade, stage, built-in cabinetry, original pendant lights,
and fireplace with tiled surround in the kindergarten suite.
Basement
The basement level is located beneath the 1896 and 1929 building masses and beneath the 1996
hyphen(the space beneath the gymnasium is unexcavated). The basement level under the 1929 mass
was excavated slightly deeper than that of the 1896 mass to allow for active games and recreational
activities in this space. The basement is accessed via stairwells at the northern and southern ends of
the 1929 mass and via a staircase and elevator in the 1996 hyphen. The basement of the hyphen also
contains a sump pump closet and an elevator maintenance room. A doorway in the eastern wall of the
hyphen opens to a hallway that runs along the northern wall of the media center(which is accessed via
a doorway at the western end of this hall). The media center features carpeted flooring, plaster walls,
and the skeleton framework of a drop ceiling. A doorway in its western wall opens to a five-sided
storage room or office that contains carpeted flooring, concrete block walls, and a drop ceiling. A
doorway in the eastern wall of the media center opens to a long, central hallway that runs north-south
along the length of the 1929 building mass. Doorways at the northern end of the hallway's western
wall provide access to an art room that features a concrete floor, wood paneled walls, and the skeleton
frame of a drop ceiling; a small stage is located at the northern end of the art room. At the center of
the central hallway's eastern wall are two short sets of steps that lead up to the basement level of the
1896 building. The basement of the 1896 building contains a series of interconnected utility and
storage spaces that feature concrete and vinyl tiled floors and painted brick walls. An additional
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section 7 Page 7
basement access/egress stair is located in a small exterior stairwell projecting from the southern end of
the 1896 building mass (the stairwell was added in 1929 with the exterior portion enclosed c.1960).
First Floor
The first floor consists of classroom and restroom spaces in the 1896 and 1929 building masses and a
gymnasium/cafeteria, kitchen, restrooms, storage and custodial closets, classrooms, and offices in the
1996 addition. An entry vestibule inside the primary entrance (located at the center of the east wall of
the 1896 building mass) contains terrazzo flooring and plaster walls with red brick wainscoting and
two separate wood-framed divided-light doors providing access to the front stairway leading to the
building's central hall. Each of the vestibule doors is accentuated by divided-light wood-framed
sidelights and two stacked rows of divided-light wood-framed transom windows with heavy wood
mullions. The central hall at the top of the front stairs contains terrazzo floors,plaster walls, and a
drop ceiling. Modest wood and metal railings run along both sides of the front stairwell and along the
east end of the hall overlooking the vestibule. The north and south sides of the central hall contain
doors that open to large classrooms at the north and south ends of the 1896 building mass. Both
classrooms contain single-pane transoms over the doorways, original wood flooring, plaster walls with
painted wood wainscoting, acoustic tiled ceilings, and built-in cabinetry on one wall. A staircase at
the west end of the central hall leads up to the second floor. Hallways on either side of this contain
recessed cloakrooms and lead west to the main corridor that runs north-south along the length of the
1929 building mass. The main corridor features terrazzo flooring, plaster walls with red brick
wainscoting, and the skeleton frame of a drop ceiling; additional features in the corridor include a
round-arched drinking fountain recess with a tabbed brick surround and a row of long, low wooden
shelves with metal coat hooks. Doors at the north and south ends of the center portion of the corridor
open to girls and boys restrooms, respectively. Both restrooms contain terrazzo floors,plastered walls
with red brick wainscoting, and fixtures of mixed ages. in the northern half of the main corridor,
doors along the western wall provide access to two large classrooms, both of which contain original
wood flooring, plaster walls, the skeleton frame of a drop ceiling, varnished wood trim, and original
built-in cabinetry along one wall. The southern half of the main corridor contains two doorways that
lead to the 1996 hyphen and the 1929 kindergarten suite.
The kindergarten suite is located in the southwest corner of the 1929 extension and contains a large
classroom divided via an arcade into two distinct spaces, a cloakroom, a small bathroom, a storage
closet, and a stage. The classroom space features original wood flooring, textured plaster walls, and a
plaster ceiling with original pendant lights located at regular intervals. The space is characterized by a
projecting five-sided bay on its west side; a large alcove on its south side that is separated from the
remainder of the room by a tripartite arcade supported by glazed terra cotta pillars with Corinthian
capitals (the center two are freestanding and the outer two are engaged); an elevated stage along its
eastern wall that features engaged glazed terra cotta pillars with Corinthian capitals on each side of the
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section 7 Page 8
opening and"wrought iron" style railings along both sides of the front edge of the stage; and a false
fireplace at the center of its northern wall. The fireplace features a tiled hearth, a brick-lined firebox, a
tiled surround with decoratively embossed tiles at each corner, a painted wood mantel with ornate
scrolled brackets at each end, and a corbelled ledge near the top of the chimney breast. Additional
features within the kindergarten classroom include a round-arched stone water fountain recess west of
the fireplace and smaller round-arched plaster recesses on either side of the stage and arcade. Painted
wood trim includes wide baseboards, simple door and window trim, narrow crown molding, and a
corbelled chair rail. An opening in the eastern side of the kindergarten classroom's north wall
provides access to a cloakroom with a mix of original and modern built-in cabinetry and shelving. A
door in the west wall of the cloakroom opens to a small bathroom; the bathroom door features a
divided-light, wood-framed transom and two smaller divided-light, wood-framed windows on its right
side; all window glazing is clouded. The bathroom contains original terrazzo flooring and plaster
walls and ceilings with a mix of original and modern fixtures. Doors in the east wall of the classroom,
on each side of the stage, provide access to the main corridor and a stairwell at the southern end of the
1929 building mass.
North of the kindergarten suite, a hallway provides access to the 1996 hyphen connecting the
gymnasium addition to the 1929 building mass. The hyphen contains a stairwell and elevator with a
single exterior door in its southern wall. West of the hyphen is the 1996 gymnasium addition. This
space is divided by a long corridor that runs east-west across the width of the addition and separates
the gymnasium/cafeteria on the south side from offices and classrooms on the north side. The corridor
contains vinyl tiled floors, concrete block walls, and a drop ceiling with a pair of double doors at its
western end leading to the building's exterior. The gymnasium/cafeteria contains vinyl tiled floors
and concrete block walls with the uppermost portion as well as the ceiling clad in strips of acoustic
paneling. A row of fold-down cafeteria tables spans the eastern wall. The western wall of the
gymnasium/cafeteria contains a door and pass-through window leading to a small kitchen at the
southwest corner of the 1996 addition. The kitchen contains a vinyl tiled floor, concrete block walls,
and modern cabinetry and counters. North of the kitchen, an opening in the western wall of the
gymnasium/cafeteria provides access to a storage space and stairwell. North of this is a small
custodial closet that is accessed via a door in the western wall of the gymnasium/cafeteria. A pair of
double doors in the gymnasium's southern wall provides exterior access and egress. A pair of double
doors and a single door at the eastern and western ends (respectively) of the gymnasium's northern
wall provide access to the gymnasium from the 1996 addition's main corridor. Doors in the western
end of the corridor's southern wall provide access to girls' and boys' restrooms. Two large classrooms
are located on the north side of the corridor; most recently, these have been used as speech and music
classrooms, and both feature vinyl tiled floors, concrete block walls, the skeleton frame of drop
ceilings, and modern cabinetry. East of these and accessed via a door at the eastern end of the
corridor's northern wall is the school's office suite consisting off a large outer office that provides
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Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section 7 Page 9
access to an interior principal's office and a small health room and bathroom. The office suite
contains a mix of vinyl tiled and carpeted flooring, concrete block walls, and a drop ceiling.
Second Floor
The second floor consists of classrooms, offices, and restrooms in the 1896 and 1929 building masses
and the stairwell and elevator landing in the 1996 hyphen. In addition to the stairwell and elevator in
the hyphen, the second floor of the building is accessed via the main stairwell in the central hall
(within the 1896 building mass) and the north and south stairwells in the 1929 extension. The central
hall contains terrazzo floors, plaster walls, and the skeleton frame of a drop ceiling. The central hall's
eastern wall (opposite the stair landing) contains a central doorway flanked by banks of divided-light
wood-framed windows and transoms with wide wood mullions that span the length of the wall (the
northern window banks have been boarded over). The doorway opens to a vestibule and two small
rooms; this space originally functioned as a single office and was converted to two special education
classrooms following the construction of the 1996 addition; these rooms contain original wood
flooring, wood paneled walls, and the skeleton frame of a drop ceiling. Doorways in the north and
south ends of the central hall provide access to two large classrooms in the original 1896 building
mass. Both classrooms contain single-pane transoms over the doorways, original wood flooring,
plaster walls with painted wood wainscoting, the skeleton frame of a drop ceiling, and original built-in
cabinetry and unpainted wood trim. Hallways on the north and south sides of the central hall lead west
to the central corridor running north-south along the length of the 1929 building mass. The corridor
features terrazzo flooring, plaster walls with red brick wainscoting, and the skeleton frame of a drop
ceiling; additional features in the corridor include a round-arched drinking fountain recess with a
tabbed brick surround and a row of long, low wooden shelves with metal coat hooks. Doors at the
north and south ends of the center portion of the corridor open to girls and boys restrooms,
respectively. Both restrooms contain terrazzo floors, plastered walls with red brick wainscoting, and
fixtures of mixed ages. Doors in the northern half of the corridor's western wall open to two large
classrooms. Both classrooms feature original wood flooring, plaster walls, the skeleton frames of drop
ceilings, original built-in cabinetry, and unpainted wood trim. Doorways in the southern half of the
corridor's western wall open to a hallway that leads to the 1996 hyphen and a classroom at the
southwest corner of the 1929 extension. The hallway was divided lengthwise into two spaces in 1996
to provide access to the hyphen while retaining the remaining portion of the space for storage;
historically, this hallway/storage space served as a staff lunchroom/kitchen. The southwestern
classroom originally served as the school's "open air room" as its corner location allowed for multiple
windows along two walls. This classroom contains original wood flooring, plaster walls, the skeleton
frame of a drop ceiling, original built-in cabinetry, and unpainted wood trim. A storage room
(originally a kitchen) occupies the space between the southwest classroom and the stairwell at the
southern end of the main corridor; this space contains original wood flooring, plaster walls, and the
skeleton frame of a drop ceiling and was originally linked directly to the open air room via a doorway
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Section 7 Page 10
in their shared wall (the wood paneled door remains, but the opening has been closed on the classroom
side).
Noncontributing Resource
The Smith School property contains one noncontributing resource: a c.2000 playground. Located
immediately north of the asphalt pavement on the north side of the historic portion of the school, the
playground is irregularly shaped and measures approximately 135 feet by 55 feet. The playground is
comprised of a chipped wood surround and contains a metal swing set, two large play sets of metal
and plastic construction, two sets of metal monkey bars, and a small funnel ball unit of plastic and
metal construction. The playground was established in about 2000 and is counted as a noncontributing
site due to its recent construction date.
Integrity
Smith School retains six of the seven aspects of integrity including location, design, setting, materials,
workmanship, and feeling. The building's integrity of association is diminished as the building is no
longer functioning as a school, although it remains clearly recognizable as such. The most significant
alterations occurring outside of the property's periods of significance include the replacement of the
original wood- and metal-framed windows with sympathetic metal-framed windows and the
construction of a gymnasium addition to the rear(west) elevation of the building in 1996. Because the
replacement windows were sensitively designed to replicate the appearance of the originals in terms of
size and shape (with the use of simulated divided-light windows in prominent locations where
originals were true divided-light windows), the loss of the original windows does not heavily detract
from the building's overall integrity of design. The 1996 addition was constructed with a relatively
narrow hyphen connecting it to the rear elevation of the 1929 building mass. As such, the addition
also has a fairly low impact on the original design of the historic portion of the building. Although the
property's setting was somewhat altered in 1996 when three small houses west of the school were
razed to make space for the gymnasium addition, the school is still located within a residential
neighborhood with single family houses standing on each side of the property.
The only other visible exterior alterations occurring outside of the property's periods of significance
are relatively minor and include the c.1960 replacement of modest brick piers (as shown in the 1929
building plans) that supported the flat roofs over the secondary entrances on the north and south sides
of the building with metal poles, the c.1960 construction of a small brick enclosure over the exterior
basement stairwell on the south side of the building, and the post-1977 metal cladding of the
building's overhanging roof eaves. The brick piers at the secondary entrances were not a major
element of the building's Romanesque Revival design, and the stairwell enclosure is diminutive in
scale, does not obscure any key features of the building's original design, and is constructed of bricks
matching the color, size, and style of the building's original brick masonry. Although the addition of
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metal cladding to the overhanging eaves has resulted in the loss of small modillions that originally
punctuated the roof eaves, the building remains a fine representative of the Romanesque Revival style.
As such, these alterations do not have a major impact on the building's overall integrity of design.
Smith School retains nearly all of its historic character-defining features including multiple coursed
round arches above windows and doors, a symmetrically balanced facade with Classically detailed
entry bay, stone belt courses at the first and second stories, hipped roofs with widely overhanging
eaves, a distinct five-sided kindergarten bay, and the historic spatial organization and finishes of its
interior. As such, the building is considered to retain a high degree of overall integrity.
Summary
Smith School is in excellent condition and retains a high degree of integrity. The building retains
nearly all of its historic character-defining features including its symmetrically balanced facade;
multiple coursed, round-arched window and door openings; hipped roof with widely overhanging
eaves; contrasting stone belt courses at the first and second stories; the interior spatial organization of
classrooms and circulation spaces; and the original interior terrazzo flooring in corridors and wood
fixtures and finishes in classrooms. The building also retains its original 1929 kindergarten suite with
its distinctive glazed terra cotta pillars, tiled fireplace, stage, and room-dividing arcade. The building
remains clearly identifiable as a late nineteenth-/early twentieth-century school building and its heavy
masonry construction, compact plan with hipped roofs, and repeated use of multiple-coursed round
arches above windows and doors renders it a fine representative of Romanesque Revival architecture.
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Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section S Page 1
This nomination recognizes the depth of human presence here, the ancestral homeland of the
Menominee, Ho-Chunk, and Sioux tribes. We acknowledge that the property that is the subject of this
nomination is located on land long occupied by these tribes.
Introduction
Smith School was constructed in 1896 following a design by master Oshkosh architect William
Waters with a 1929 addition designed by Waters' protege Henry Auler of the firm of Auler, Jensen, &
Brown and a gymnasium addition built in 1996 (with minimal impact to the historic portions of the
building). The building represents the Romanesque Revival style—as characterized by its multiple-
coursed round-arched window and door openings, its mixed use of brick and stone masonry, and its
relatively compact plan with hipped roof— and is the only remaining Romanesque Revival school
designed by William Waters remaining in Oshkosh. Functioning as a public school for over 120
years, Smith School is representative of the evolving requirements and expectations of public
education in the city of Oshkosh in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Because it is locally
significant in the area of Education for its long association with Oshkosh's public school system
Smith School is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A. The
property's period of significance under Criterion A is 1896, the initial year of construction, through
1970, the fifty-year cut-off for eligibility. Because it is also locally significant in the area of
Architecture as a fine local representative of the Romanesque Revival style, the property is also
eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion C. The property's
period of significance under Criterion C is 1896, the initial year of construction, to 1929, the year that
the western addition was constructed in a Romanesque Revival style matching that of the original
building.
City of Oshkosh
Located in the east central portion of Wisconsin, the city of Oshkosh is bounded by Lake Winnebago
to the east and Lake Butte des Morts to the northwest. The Fox River flows between the two lakes and
forms a natural divide between the northern and southern parts of the city. With these waterways
serving as an inland transportation route, French fur traders established trading posts along the Fox
River beginning in the mid-seventeenth century. Permanent Euro-American settlement, however, did
not occur until the mid-1830s when the Menominee people ceded land in the area to the United States.
Early settlers established homes along the Fox River with the villages of Athens and Brooklyn forming
on the north and south sides of the river. These communities merged in the early 1840s to form the
village of Oshkosh. Following Wisconsin's statehood in 1848, Oshkosh was named the county seat of
Winnebago County and was incorporated as a city five years later with a population of more than
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Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section S Page 2
1,400.1 With expansion to the east and west limited by the banks of Lakes Winnebago and Butte des
Morts, the city annexed the village of West Algoma on the southwest side of the Fox River in 1856.
For much of the nineteenth century, the city was defined by its booming lumber industry. From the
first sawmill erected in Oshkosh in 1847 to the 60 mills that lined the Fox River by 1874, the city's
physical and economic growth during this period was tied to the lumber industry which, at its height,
produced more than one million board feet of lumber each year with four different railroads serving
the community. The resulting prosperity allowed for civic improvements in the late nineteenth century
including the construction of more than ten miles of sidewalks, the installation of telephone and sewer
lines, the grading of portions of North Main Street, and the establishment of an electric streetcar line.2
A series of disastrous fires defined the city's built landscape in the last half of the nineteenth century,
with the most devastating fire occurring in April of 1875 and resulting in the loss of hundreds of
buildings over 37 city blocks.' Rebuilding efforts continued through the 1880s. By 1890, the city's
population had grown to 22,836 and the lumber industry had begun to decline due to the depletion of
the region's timber resources. However, other industries and a robust commercial market, ensured the
city's continued economic prosperity and brought large numbers of German, Irish, Welsh, Polish, and
Scandinavian immigrants to the city in search of employment opportunities.
By the turn of the century, Oshkosh had become the largest city in the Fox Valley with a population of
28,284.4 The population continued to rise throughout the first three decades of the twentieth century
with over 40,000 residents by 1930.5 During this period, numerous new building projects were
executed throughout Oshkosh's six wards including the construction of new or expansion of existing
neighborhood graded schools as well as a major addition to the high school building. Following a
slight decline in growth during the 1930s, the city's population once again began to increase in the
years following World War 11 and new residential neighborhoods were developed at the outer edges of
the city. Oshkosh continued to prosper through the last half of the twentieth century due to the growth
of its commercial and industrial interests as well as the evolution of the Oshkosh State Normal School
1 "Historic Oshkosh Events:A Timeline,"Oshkosh Public Library,oshkoshpubliclibrwy.org/localhistory/timeline
(accessed July 9,2020).
2"Historic Oshkosh Events: A Timeline,"Oshkosh Public Library,oshkoshpubliclibraiy.org/localhistory/timeline
(accessed July 9,2020).
Historic Resources Survey: City of Oshkosh. Prepared by Mead&Hunt for City of Oshkosh,Wisconsin(May 2006), 10.
s Michael J. Goc, Oshkosh at 150:An Illustrated History of Oshkosh(Friendship,WI: New Pas Press,Inc.,2003),35.
a Historic Resources Survey.- City of Oshkosh. Prepared by Mead&Hunt for City of Oshkosh,Wisconsin(May 2006),9-
12.
1940 Census: Oshkosh,Winnebago County,Wisconsin.National Archives, 1940census.archives.gov(accessed July 27,
2020).
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City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section S Page 3
(later known as the Oshkosh State Teachers' College) to become today's University of Wisconsin-
Oshkosh.
History of Oshkosh's Public School System
In the earliest years of Oshkosh's settlement, formal education of the community's children was held
in the homes of local residents, beginning in the log cabin of early settler Webster Stanley in 1841. As
the city grew in size and regional importance over the next decade, it became clear to residents that a
formal system of education was needed. To this end, the Oshkosh Board of Education was established
in 1856 with the first meeting held in April of that year. The first purpose-built public school was
constructed three years later in the city's First Ward(what is now the near north side). Within six
years, as Oshkosh's school-age population increased, this school was enlarged and additional school
buildings were constructed in the city's second and third wards.' In addition to these public schools,
the city's educational offerings were supplemented by a number of private and parochial schools
including three Catholic and three Lutheran schools, as well as the German-English Academy.' In
1867, the city constructed its first purpose-built high school at a cost of S65,000. Until then, high
school classes had been taught first in the First Ward school and later in the Congregational Church.'
By this time, all new schools in the district were constructed of fireproof brick, due to the city's
history of widespread fires.
In 1871, the Oshkosh Normal School (a degree-granting institution that maintained its own elementary
school for the training of teachers) was established, making it Wisconsin's third normal school and the
first in the United States to offer kindergarten.9 Beginning in 1880, Oshkosh Superintendent of
Schools, Charles Reed, began arguing for free text books for all students in the district stating that
many families did not send their children to school for lack of funds to purchase the required books.
The school board was slow to adopt this measure, however, and it wasn't until the late 1890s that text
books were provided for all students.10 Increases in Oshkosh's population during the last two decades
of the nineteenth century resulted in the construction of five new elementary schools including Read,
Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Smith Schools. By the turn of the twentieth century,
approximately 2,100 students were enrolled in public schools in Oshkosh.l t
6 Clarence J. Jungwirth,A History of the City of Oshkosh: The Early Years,Vol.4(Oshkosh,WI: Oshkosh Public Library,
1996), 144.
'Goc, Oshkosh at 150, 185.
s Jungwirth,A History of the City of Oshkosh, 142.
9 Historic Resources Survey: City of Oshkosh. Prepared by Mead&Hunt for City of Oshkosh,Wisconsin(May 2006),24-
25.
Richard J.Harney,History of Winnehago County, Wisconsin(Oshkosh,WI:Allen&Hicks, 1880), 139-194.
10 Jungwirth,A History of the City of Oshkosh, 143.
Jungwirth,A History of the City of Oshkosh, 144.
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Section S Page 4
As the school-age population continued to rise, two new elementary schools (Merrill and South Park)
were constructed between 1900 and 1903 and a new high school building was completed in 1903 to
replace the 1867 building that had been destroyed by fire two years previously. By this time, Oshkosh
contained twelve graded schools (including that of the Normal School) and one high school. The
construction of the new high school building marked the end of a boom period of school construction
(roughly between about 1880 and 1903). Many of the schools constructed during this period were
designed by local architect William Waters who had become well known throughout the region for his
designs for schools and other public buildings." New school construction in Oshkosh resumed in
1916 with the construction of a large addition to the high school building (now part of the City Hall
complex; the remainder of the older high school building is no longer extant).'3 The 1920s and 1930s
saw the beginning of Oshkosh's junior high school program, beginning with the inclusion of a junior
high school curriculum within Roosevelt School in 1923, a junior high school addition as part of the
remodeling of Merrill School in 1932, and the construction of a substantial junior high school addition
to South Park School in 1939.
During the same period, a national movement to provide "open-air schools" in larger cities was aimed
at reducing cases of tuberculosis and other diseases in school-age children. Oshkosh schools
responded by holding summer open-air schools in at least two of its buildings, and in 1930 the school
board requested a larger budget for the following school year in order to provide open-air rooms (and
teachers to staff these rooms) to be used year-round in those school buildings that were lacking such
facilities.14 Oshkosh public schools were further improved in the mid-1930s through the use of Works
Progress Administration (WPA) funds. In 1936 and 1937, WPA work at city schools included
"repairs, modernization, and improvements" in the form of plumbing and electrical updates, roof
repairs, refinishing wood floors, the construction of sidewalks on school grounds, painting walls and
varnishing woodwork, and a number of other school-specific projects (such as the construction of a
new tower at Lincoln School).15
Following World War II, the Oshkosh Board of Education hired Dr. John Guy Fowlkes of the
University of Wisconsin (Madison) to report on the condition of Oshkosh schools. Fowlkes
recommended the construction of an additional elementary school on the city's northeast side as well
12 Goc, Oshkosh at 150, 188-192.
13 Construction of the Orville Beach Memorial Manual Training School occurred in 1912,but this institution is more
closely associated with the history of secondary and vocational education rather than primary school education.
""Budget for City Schools Adopted by Commissioners,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern,November 7, 1930.
"Open Air Schools are Permanent in Many of the Larger Cities,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, September 13, 1928.
1s WPA project cards for Winnebago County: Oshkosh Buildings,Wisconsin Historical Society Digital Collection,
http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/tp/id/80092(accessed July 17,2020).
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Section S Page 5
as a new junior high school on the east side; he also reported that the city's existing high school was
inadequate to serve the needs of the city's high-school community. In the years that followed, two
additional high schools were constructed(North High School and West High School).16 Enrollment in
city schools declined in the 1970s as the baby-boom population advanced beyond school age,
prompting the school board to close four of its smaller neighborhood schools. However, the 1990s
saw another increase in the city's school-age population as new families moved into homes vacated by
older residents, and the threat of school closures was replaced with the need for updates to older
school buildings.
Property History
On July 5, 1866, the City of Oshkosh purchased a lot at the corner of W. 18th Avenue and Oregon
Street for the construction of a school in the city's Third Ward. This early school building was named
Smith School, after early settler John Smith for whom the neighborhood(Smith's Addition) was
named. The building was a one-story, one-room frame structure that saw little improvement in the
years following its construction.17 By 1893, the Superintendent of Schools recommended in his
annual report, "It will soon be necessary for us to furnish more ample accommodations than the Smith
School at present affords for the children of that vicinity, and, while real estate is yet low in price,
sufficient land in that neighborhood should be purchased for the erection of a school building within
the next three years."" The following year, a scathing article in the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern
written by Susa Humes Sturtevant after her lengthy tour of all of the city's schools, referred to the
Smith School as a"disgrace to the city,"noting that
"the walls have not been whitewashed in six years; the outbuildings are tipsy; some of the
blackboards look as though they were in the last stages of leprosy; the well near the entrance
yield[s] no water, the pump has been removed and the well covered by planks none too securely
laid; the toilet conveniences consist of a tin wash basin...with the pocket handkerchief of the child
for a towel...the room is heated by a wood stove and there being no screen, as there should be, a
reading chart has to do double duty.""
With these "wretched accommodations" in mind, Sturtevant asked, "Where is the Board?"L0 This was
an especially pointed question as the school board had approved the construction of a sizable addition
to Read School in the wealthy Algoma Boulevard neighborhood—a school which already featured
16 Jungwirth,A History of the City of Oshkosh, 145.
i7 Katherine J. (Kutz)Roeske,Smith Elementary School: The First One Hundred Years(Oshkosh,WI: Oshkosh Public
Library, 1997), 1.
"Rocske,2.
19"The Smith School,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern,February 16, 1894.
21"The Smith School,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern,February 16, 1894.
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Section S Page 6
central heating, indoor drinking fountains, and marble wash stands with combs, brushes, and towels—
within the last year.21
Finally, in July of 1895, the school board passed a resolution to replace the old Smith School building.
Superintendent R.H. Halsey explained the need for a new building to the city council, mildly stating
that the old Smith School was "a very uncomfortable affair. ,22 In September of 1895, building plans
submitted by renowned local architect William Waters, who had previously been chosen to design a
number of other school buildings in the city, were selected over those submitted by competing firms
(including the well-known Milwaukee school architect Gerrit DeGelleke).23 Waters' plans called for a
two-story, Romanesque Revival style building with two large classrooms on each floor, an open-air
entry vestibule featuring a pair of large arches, and a second-floor office overlooking the front
entrance. In November of 1895, with a low bid of$6,741, the school board selected the construction
firm of Meyer& Domke to execute Waters' plans.`4 Construction of the new Smith School began in
the spring of 1896 with teachers and a principal for the school hired in June. However, construction
had stalled by late summer due to repeated disagreements between the mayor and city council
regarding heating and plumbing bids.25 Construction was finally completed and the building was
ready for occupancy by mid-September 1896—a week after the start of the 1896 school year.26
By the following year, enrollment at Smith School consisted of 192 students, many of whom had
transferred to the new school to relieve overcrowding in the Eleventh Street School 2' Through the
first decades of the twentieth century, Smith School operated with few alterations other than the
installation of electric lights sometime after 1903. In March of 1928, the locally prominent Buckstaff
family gifted land immediately north of the building to the City of Oshkosh for the purposes of
creating a playground for the children of Smith School.2b Although the addition of outdoor
playground space was certainly appreciated, by this time, with attendance increasing from year to year,
it had become clear that additional classroom space would be needed as well to prevent heavy
overcrowding.
21 National Register of Historic Places. Read School,Oshkosh,Winnebago County,Wisconsin.National Register
#93000025.
22"New Smith School,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern,July 31, 1895
23"New Smith School: Plans Submitted to the Board of Education Last Evening,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, September
12, 1895.
24"For the New Smith School,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern,November 12, 1895.
25"Home Concern Gets It: Contract for Smith School Heating Plant," The Weekly Times, September 5, 1896.
26"First Week Is Over,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, September 11, 1896.
2'Roeske,Smith Elementary School, 8.
2s This land was not fully occupied as playground space until sometime after 1949 as the donation stipulated that residents
of houses on the donated land were allowed to stay in their homes for the remainder of their lives or until they chose to
relocate. A memorial plaque along the cast side of the lot commemorates the land donation.
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Section S Page 7
To this end, the school board hired the firm of Auler, Jensen, and Brown to design a six-room addition
to the rear of the building. The firm's plans, presented by chief architect Henry Auler, included an
open-air room designed to provide the maximum amount of fresh air ventilation for students of poor
health and a "modern kindergarten" that was designed to function as a separate unit from the
remainder of the building with its own entrance, cloak room and storage space, and restroom facilities.
The new kindergarten was reported to be "as modern as any in this section of the country" with
reserved space for sand boxes, a faux fireplace, a platform stage for plays and programs, and a semi-
circular windowed and skylit bay allowing the maximum amount of natural daylight.29 Also included
in these plans were renovations to the 1896 building mass, most notably the enclosure of the front
entry vestibule and the removal of a small rooftop cupola and flanking brick chimneys.'' As part of
the enclosure of the vestibule, the Classical front entrance surround was elongated to provide taller
openings so as to admit the maximum amount of daylight to the enclosed vestibule via the use of large
transom windows.
Aulers' design for Smith School mirrored national trends in school design of the early twentieth
century which called for large, open classrooms with thoughtfully placed natural lighting; a separate
and distinct kindergarten room that featured home-like elements (typically recognized from a
building's exterior by its semi-circular bay); and the inclusion of an open-air room to provide fresh air
to students of poor health. Although local residents generally approved of these plans, many
advocated for the inclusion of a gymnasium in the proposed addition. However, the school board
stated that such a facility was not within its budget.31 In the end, a 1,740 square-foot room in the
basement of the addition was excavated beyond the original plan to permit a 15-foot ceiling so that the
space could be used as an active playroom.32 Construction of the new addition took place in the spring
and summer of 1929 with the first occupancy occurring in January 1930.
Smith School held an open house in February 1930 to invite the surrounding community to view its
new addition. A local account of the event noted,
"[t]he school is modern and is to be classed with the best of such institutions. Its equipment is
modern and of the best; it is roomy and well lighted...As one enters the building, he is impressed
with the changes and improvement made over the former schoolhouse. The halls, like all rooms,
have tall windows which allow the maximum amount of sunlight to flow into the building. The
29 Roeske,Smith Elementary School, 11.
30 Auler Jensen,&Brown,Plans for Smith School,Oshkosh,Wisconsin, 1929.
31"Want Gymnasium in New Addition to Smith School,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern,January 22, 1929.
31"Give Approval to Changes in Plan for Smith School,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern,February 23, 1929.
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section S Page 8
kindergarten is one of the most interesting rooms of the structure. It is beautifully decorated...A
fireplace at one side is surmounted by a bas relief. A large stage occupies one end of the room
and at the other end is an alcove covered with a skylight. Behind four pillars on the side opposite
the fireplace are the sandboxes and other play equipment...The rooms in the new addition to the
school building have west windows which permit the afternoon sunlight.""
Because the addition had been constructed just prior to the onset of the Great Depression, when the
City of Oshkosh received Works Progress Administration (WPA) funding in the mid-1930s to improve
its school facilities, the majority of this funding went to projects at other city schools. However, a
portion of the WPA funds were used to provide cosmetic upgrades to Smith Elementary including the
renovation of students' desks and the painting of interior walls. During this period, schools in the
district also received increased maintenance and upgrades in the form of floor sanding, tuck pointing
of exterior masonry, boiler room repairs, roof repairs, furnace repairs, fencing upgrades, and sidewalk
repair or installation.34 It is doubtful that Smith Elementary received many of these services, however,
as a large portion of the building was only six years old at the time and the older portion of the
building had been repaired and updated as needed during the construction of the addition in 1929.
After the 1930s, Smith School underwent few, if any, substantial changes until the summer of 1953,
when the school board invested more than $11,000 to upgrade an auxiliary room in the basement of
the 1929 addition for use as a visual education and community room with a stage, acoustic upgrades,
and a sizable storage room.35 In 1978, the building's exterior masonry was restored with tuckpointing
and cleaning as needed. By this time, however, with school enrollment throughout Oshkosh steadily
declining, the school board had begun to consider closing Smith School as a means of reducing its
budget deficit. However, due to strong support from the surrounding neighborhood in the form of
community petitions, "Save Smith School"buttons, letters to the editors of local newspapers, and high
neighborhood turn-out at school board meetings, Smith remained open—although it remained under
near constant threat of closing through the mid-1980s.36 With little funding for building improvements
during this period of fiscal restraint, few alterations were made to the building until April of 1993
when the original windows at Smith Elementary were replaced with sympathetic new metal-frame
windows sized to fit within the original window openings.37
By this time school enrollment was again rising and the school board began contemplating the
construction of additions to many of its older school buildings, including a gymnasium/cafeteria
33 Roeske,Smith Elementary School, 13-14.
31"To Try Road Oil On Playgrounds to Prevent Dust,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern,June 1, 1936.
31"Accept Low Bid For Smith School Project,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern,March 11, 1953.
36 Roeske,Smith Elementary School, 22-23.
37 Roeske,Srnith Elementary School,50.
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section S Page 9
addition to Smith Elementary. In 1995 the board accepted a plan from local architect Richard
Kempinger for the new $900,000 addition. The plans for the addition included not only the
construction of a new combined use gymnasium-cafeteria with an adjacent kitchen, but also two
additional classrooms, a new school office, an elevator, and the renovation of the 1929 basement
"gym" into a media center. The district purchased three properties west of the school to allow for the
addition (giving the school parcel its current L-shape), and the three houses that occupied the lots were
razed in early 1996.38 Construction began in the spring of 1996 and was finished in time for the
beginning of the 1996-1997 school year.
Smith School operated with few other alterations until 2017-2018 when a district wide study of
Oshkosh's school facilities revealed that the Smith School building had"extensive and impending
building and capital maintenance needs which required immediate action,"not the least of which was
the replacement of the building's deteriorating roof.39 With the total cost of repairs estimated upwards
of three million dollars, the school board recommended closing the building. On June 5, 2019, after
124 years of service to the children on Oshkosh's south side, the school board approved a resolution to
close Smith School at the end of that school year.40 In November of 2019, the school board voted to
sell the building to its current owner who plans to rehabilitate the property for use as an apartment
building.
Romanesque Revival Architecture
The Romanesque Revival style was introduced in the eastern United States in the mid-nineteenth
century by architects James Renwick and Richard Upjohn, although it is believed that the style may
have been introduced in Wisconsin and other areas of German settlement by German immigrant
architects who had been influenced by the popular Rundbogenstil("round arch style") of mid-
nineteenth-century Germany. The Romanesque Revival style recalled the round-arched medieval
building style that preceded the pointed-arch Gothic style in Europe. Popular in Wisconsin between
about 1855 and 1885, the style is distinguished by its masonry construction (typically monochromatic
brick or stone) and repeated use of the rounded arch in windows, entrances, and corbel tables.
Commonly, these round arches were comprised of multiple courses of brick or stone, accentuating the
style's heavy, permanent aesthetic. Hipped roofs and towers with parapets or pyramidal roofs were a
common element of many Romanesque Revival designs. Some examples of the style display
asymmetrical massing (often where towers of differing heights and roof shapes are employed) while
others display compact, symmetrical compositions.41 With an aesthetic suggesting formality and
sx"Smith Seeks `Yes'Vote,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern,November 5, 1996.
39 Justin R.Mitchell,"Smith Elementary to Close,"Oshkosh Independent,June 6,2019.
ao Justin R.Mitchell,"Smith Elementary to Close,"Oshkosh Independent,June 6,2019.
at Barbara Wyatt,ed., Cultural Resource Management in Wisconsin,Vol.2(Madison,WI: State Historical Society of
Wisconsin, 1986),9.
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section S Page 10
permanence, the Romanesque Revival style was most often applied to churches and other
ecclesiastical buildings, schools, and other public buildings.
In the 1880s, the style was reinterpreted by American architect Henry Hobson Richardson whose
Romanesque designs featured especially bold arches, strong sculptural forms, Syrian (rather than
Roman) arches, and polychromatic masonry. Richardson's interpretation of the style came to be
known as Richardsonian Romanesque and, unlike true Romanesque Revival, was applied to both
public buildings and large residential properties through the turn of the twentieth century. Many
Romanesque buildings constructed in the last two decades of the nineteenth century are more
accurately classified as Richardsonian Romanesque rather than true Romanesque Revival, although
the latter style continued in use, particularly for school and church design, alongside its Richardsonian
counterpart in the 1880s and 1890s.
As a relatively late example of Romanesque Revival architecture, Smith School, displays the
characteristic multiple-coursed round arches over window and door openings, heavy masonry
construction, and compact massing capped with a hipped roof.
William Waters
William Waters was born in 1843 in Delaware County,New York to William and Elizabeth
(Thompson) Waters. Waters studied architecture at the Rensslaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New
York before relocating to Oshkosh in 1867 where a series of recent fires provided ample employment
opportunities for a young architect. Within about two years of his arrival in Oshkosh, Waters was
commissioned to design the Oshkosh Normal School (no longer extant) and the Brooklyn Fire
Department(listed in the National Register), both of which were constructed in 1869. By 1870,
Waters had married Catherine Follett, daughter of Oshkosh's third mayor; the couple would have two
children.4' Following disastrous fires in 1874 and 1875 that destroyed much of the city's downtown
commercial center, Waters went on to design a number of buildings as part of the city's rebuilding
efforts. His 1883 design for the city's Grand Opera House (listed in the National Register) remains
one of the most prominent representatives of his work. In 1893, Waters entered and won a statewide
competition to design the Wisconsin building for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The
award earned him statewide and nationwide recognition and ensured continued commissions for his
work through the remainder of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.43 Shortly after his design
for Smith School, Waters was commissioned to design public schools in the villages of Wittengerg
(Shawano County, Wisconsin) and Brandon (Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin) in which he re-
42"Architect No More,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern,December 15, 1917.
as Goc, Oshkosh at 150,36-39.
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section S Page 11
employed the Smith School design with only slight variations (neither of these schools remains
extant).
Throughout his career, Waters designed over 150 buildings throughout central and northeastern
Wisconsin, including many of the most prominent residences and important public, commercial, and
ecclesiastical buildings in Oshkosh. Some of his most distinctive and definitive designs include those
of the Oshkosh Grand Opera House (1883), the Havilah Babcock House (Oshkosh, 1883), the Algoma
Boulevard Methodist Church(Oshkosh, 1892), the Oshkosh Public Library (1900), the Oshkosh Yacht
Club (1903), and the Edgar P. Sawyer House (currently the Oshkosh Public Museum, 1908), all of
which are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Waters also designed courthouses in the
cities of Phillips, Wautoma, and Waupaca; high schools in Ripon, Sheboygan Falls, Shawano,
Marshfield, and Oshkosh; and substantial banks, opera houses, and municipal buildings in a number of
other cities. With designs in a variety of popular styles including Romanesque Revival, Queen Anne,
Georgian Revival, Tudor Revival, and Neoclassical, among others, the quality, stature, volume, and
range of Waters' work have ensured his legacy as one of Wisconsin's master architects. William
Waters died at his home in Oshkosh in 1917.44 In 1980, in commemoration of Waters' contributions
to the City of Oshkosh, a plaza at the corner of Washington and State Streets was dedicated as William
Waters Plaza.
Henry Auler
Henry John Auler was born in Oshkosh on February 25, 1884 to German-born parents Adam and
Elizabeth Auler. After attending public schools in Oskhosh, Auler went on to study architecture at the
University of Wisconsin (Madison). In 1907, Henry Auler married Linda Steffen. Auler opened his
own architectural office the same year and was soon associated with prominent Oshkosh architect
William Waters. After Waters' death in 1917, Auler partnered with James P. Jensen to form the firm
Auler& Jensen, soon adding another partner, Wallace Brown. As de-facto successor to William
Waters, Henry Auler(independently and as lead architect with Auler& Jensen and Auler, Jensen, &
Brown) was responsible for a number of prominent buildings throughout Oshkosh and the surrounding
area including the Fraternal Reserve Association building (Oshkosh, 1914), the Wisconsin National
Life Insurance Building (Oshkosh, 1925), Paine Thrift Bank(Oshkosh, 1925), Oshkosh Masonic
Temple (1925), Waupun City Hall (1928), the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern building (1930), and First
National Bank(Fond du Lac, 1930), all of which are listed in the National Register. Auler also
designed several new schools and school building additions in and around Oshkosh, as well as a
number of Oshkosh's most prominent residences.45 In 1947, the firm of Auler, Jensen, & Brown was
as"Architect No More,"Oshkosh Daily Northwestern,December 15, 1917.
as Fox Valley Technical Institute Building,Oshkosh,Winnebago County,Wisconsin.Historic American Buildings Survey,
HABS No.WI-290.
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
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Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section 8 Page 12
reorganized as Auler, Irion, &Wertsch with Henry Auler acting as senior partner. In addition to his
long and successful career, Auler also served as president of the Wisconsin State Association of
Architects and held various civic and business positions in Oshkosh. Henry Auler died on January 6,
1951.46
Comparative Analysis
Property records in the Wisconsin Historic Preservation Database (WHPD) —created largely as a
result of intensive surveys of the City of Oshkosh conducted in 1981 and 2006—indicate that 8 public
school buildings constructed before World War II remain in the city (including Smith School), as
follows:
Name Address Construction Architect Style Condition/ NRHP
Date Integrity Status
William
1745 Waters;
Smith School Oregon 1896, 1929, Auler, Romanesque Good/High Determined
1996 Revival eligible
St. ,Jensen, &
Brown
1120 1879, 1893, William
Read School Algoma 1907, 1953, Per kins& Italianate Good/High Nited
Blvd. 1959, 1978 Will
Oshkosh City 215 William
High School Church 1916 Waters Neoclassical Good/Moderate Not listed
Addition Ave.
South Park 1551 1940,c.1960, Auler,
Elementary and Delaware c.2000 Jensen,& Contemporary Good/Low Not listed
Junior High St. Brown,et. at
School
207 E.
Dale School Irving 1875 H.C.Koch Italianate Good/Moderate Not listed
Ave.
108 W. DeGelleke;
Merrill School New 1902,c.1930 Auler, Art Deco Good/High Determined
York Jensen,& eligible
Ave. Brown
Roosevelt Sawyer 1923 Jensen&
J
School Neoclassical Good/High Not listed
Rd ense
46 Henry Auler obituary, Oshkosh Daily Northwestern,January 6, 1951.
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section S Page 13
Unidentified 208 E. Romanesque
township school Smith c.1900 Unkno Am Revival Poor/Low Not listed
Ave.
Of these buildings, five were constructed as neighborhood elementary schools (Smith School, Read
School, Dale School, Merrill School, Roosevelt School), one was constructed as a combination
elementary and junior high school (South Park), one was constructed as an addition to the city high
school, and one (a small school building on the far northern edge of the city) was almost certainly
constructed in the early twentieth century before this area was annexed by the City of Oshkosh.
Because no evidence was found to suggest that the unnamed township school was utilized by the
Oshkosh school district, it does not share the same historical association with the Smith School and is
consequently not considered an appropriate comparison.
In terms of Smith School's historical association with public primary school education in the City of
Oshkosh, the four remaining school buildings that share this association are Read School, Dale School,
Merrill School, Roosevelt School, and, to a lesser extent South Park Elementary and Junior High
School. In terms of integrity, the Smith School retains a higher degree of integrity than the Dale
School and the South Park Elementary and Junior High School as the former has lost its prominent
front tower and has been converted to apartments (thus compromising the original spatial organization
of its interior) and the latter has undergone a series of large, recent additions that obscure much of the
original building. Smith School compares favorably with Read, Merrill, and Roosevelt Schools as all
appear to be in good condition and retain high degrees of integrity. Of particular note is Read School
which was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1993 as a fine representative of the
High Victorian Italianate style. Although not comparable in terms of style, Smith School retains a
comparable degree of integrity as Read School and is of further note as its association with the history
of public primary school education in Oshkosh is more indicative of the typical development of the
city's neighborhood schools rather than the somewhat privileged development of Read School (in
which its location in the wealthy Algoma Boulevard neighborhood played a large part in the school's
advanced implementation of central heating, indoor restroom facilities, and a gymnasium). Of the
city's remaining late nineteenth/early twentieth century elementary schools, none are comparable to
Smith School in terms of style as the other buildings represent Italianate,Neoclassical, Art Deco, and
Contemporary styles rather than Romanesque Revival.
Twenty-three other Romanesque Revival buildings have been recorded in the Wisconsin Historic
Preservation Database in the City of Oshkosh. Of these, nine are currently listed in the National
Register of Historic Places. The most prominent of these include the Oshkosh Grand Opera House
(1883), the First Methodist Church/Wagner Opera House (1874), the First Presbyterian Church (1893),
and the Zion Congregational-Plymouth Congregational Church (1894). Smith School is comparable
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Section S Page 14
with these properties in terms of both condition and integrity. Although it may not be as grand in scale
as some of these buildings that were designed and constructed using private (and greater) funds, Smith
School compares favorably with Oshkosh's National Register listed Romanesque Revival buildings as
it features similar levels of style-defining characteristics, including the repeated use of multiple
coursed round arches over doors and windows, monochromatic masonry construction, and a relatively
compact plan and massing. In addition, Smith School is the finest remaining Romanesque Revival
public primary school building remaining in Oshkosh as the unnamed school building on the far north
side of the city exemplifies the style only through a single round arch located over its front entrance
and through its compact, brick construction. This building also appears to be in relatively poor
condition and has been altered via the insensitive construction of a projecting entry bay on the
building's primary facade, obscuring the original front entrance.
Archaeological Potential
The potential for historic period archaeological deposits associated with Smith School exists but has not
been evaluated. In addition, there are a number of known precontact archaeological sites within one mile
of the property; however,the potential for precontact archaeological deposits within the property's historic
boundary has not been evaluated.
Conclusion
Smith School was constructed in 1896 and 1929 in a Romanesque Revival style following designs by
local architects William Waters and Auler, Jensen, & Brown with a gymnasium addition completed in
1996. The building is in excellent condition and retains a relatively high degree of integrity. Smith
School operated as a public elementary school on the south side of Oshkosh from 1896 through its
closing in 2019, representing more than 120 years of public education in the city of Oshkosh. Because
of its local significance in the area of Education, the building is eligible for National Register listing
under Criterion A. The building is also architecturally significant as a fine representative of
Romanesque Revival architecture and the only remaining Romanesque Revival school building
designed by William Waters. For this reason, the Smith School is also eligible for National Register
listing under Criterion C:Architecture.
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
Section 9 Page 1 City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Bibliography:
"Accept Low Bid For Smith School Project." Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. March 11, 1953.
"Architect No More." Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. December 15, 1917.
Auler, Jensen, & Brown. Plans for Smith School, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, 1929.
"Budget for City Schools Adopted by Commissioners." Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. November 7,
1930.
"First Week Is Over." Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. September 11, 1896.
"For the New Smith School." Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. November 12, 1895.
Fox Valley Technical Institute Building, Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Historic American
Buildings Survey, HABS No. WI-290.
"Give Approval to Changes in Plan for Smith School." Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. February 23,
1929.
Goc, Michael J. Oshkosh at 150:An Illustrated History of Oshkosh. Friendship, WI: New Pas Press,
Inc., 2003.
Harney, Richard J. History of Winnebago County, Wisconsin. Oshkosh, WI: Allen & Hicks, 1880.
Henry Auler obituary. Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. January 6, 1951.
"Historic Oshkosh Events: A Timeline." Oshkosh Public Library.
oshkoshpubliclibrary.org/localhistory/timeline. Accessed July 9, 2020.
Historic Resources Survey: Citv of Oshkosh. Prepared by Mead&Hunt for City of Oshkosh,
Wisconsin. May 2006.
"Home Concern Gets It: Contract for Smith School Heating Plant." The Weekly Tirnes. September 5,
1896.
Jungwirth, Clarence J. A History of the City of Oshkosh: The Early Years, Vol. 4. Oshkosh, WT:
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
Section 9 Page 2 City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Oshkosh Public Library, 1996.
Mitchell, Justin R. "Smith Elementary to Close." Oshkosh Independent, June 6, 2019.
National Register of Historic Places. Read School, Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin. National
Register#93000025.
"New Smith School." Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. July 31, 1895
"New Smith School: Plans Submitted to the Board of Education Last Evening." Oshkosh Daily
Northwestern. September 12, 1895.
"Open Air Schools are Permanent in Many of the Larger Cities." Oshkosh Daily Northwestern.
September 13, 1928.
Roeske (Kutz), Katherine J. Smith School: The First One Hundred Years. Oshkosh, WI: Oshkosh
Public Library, 1997.
Slattery, Lydia. "Oshkosh school board votes to close Smith Elementary..." Oshkosh Northwestern.
June 5, 2019.
"Smith School, The." Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. February 16, 1894.
"Smith Seeks `Yes' Vote." Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. November 5, 1996.
"To Try Road Oil On Playgrounds to Prevent Dust." Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. June 1, 1936.
"Want Gymnasium in New Addition to Smith School." Oshkosh Daily Northwestern. January 22,
1929.
WPA project cards for Winnebago County: Oshkosh Buildings. Wisconsin Historical Society Digital
Collection. http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/edm/ref/collection/tp/id/80092. Accessed July 17,
2020.
Wyatt, Barbara, ed. Cultural Resource Management in Wisconsin. Madison, WI: State Historical
Society of Wisconsin, 1986.
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
Section 10 Page 1 City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Verbal Boundary Description:
The historic boundary of Smith School consists of an L-shaped polygon that encompasses the
property's only contributing resource (the school building) as well as one noncontributing resource (a
playground located within the historically associated play yard north of the school building). The
boundary coincides with the existing legal tax parcel. Beginning at the southeast corner of the
property (coinciding with the corner of the Arizona Street and W. 18th Avenue sidewalks), the
property nuns north for approximately 144 feet along the eastern edge of the Arizona Street sidewalk.
From there, the boundary runs east for approximately 110 feet along the southern edge of the private
residential driveway adjacent to the Smith School property. At that point, the boundary runs north for
approximately 356 feet along the chain-link fence that encloses the school's playground area. From
there, the boundary runs east for approximately 178 feet, continuing to follow the chain-link fence. At
that point, the boundary turns south to run for approximately 500 feet along the western edge of the
Oregon Street sidewalk that fronts the property. From there, the boundary runs west for approximately
286 feet along the northern edge of the W. 18`h Avenue sidewalk to the point of beginning.
Boundary Justification:
The historic boundary has been delineated to include the property's single contributing resource and
historically associated school yard space adjacent to the building. Within the school yard is a
noncontributing playground containing modern play equipment. The historic boundary corresponds
with the existing legal tax parcel and is visually defined by the chain-link fence that runs along the
northern side and a portion of the western side of the property, by the western edge of the Oregon
Street sidewalk on the eastern side of the property, and by the edges of the W. 18`h Avenue and
Arizona Street sidewalks on the south side and a portion of the west side of the property.
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
Section photos Page I City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Name of Property: Smith School
City or Vicinity: City of Oshkosh
County: Winnebago County
State: WI
Name of Photographer: Gail R. Klein
Date of Photographs: June 26, 2020 and July 29, 2020
Location of Original Digital Files: Wisconsin Historical Society
Photo 1 of 16
East elevation, looking west
Photo 2 of 16
East and south elevations, looking northwest
Photo 3 of 16
South elevation, looking northeast
Photo 4 of 16
South elevation of 1929 extension, looking northeast
Photo 5 of 16
West and north elevations of 1996 addition, looking southeast
Photo 6 of 16
North and west elevations, looking southeast
Photo 7 of 16
North and east elevations, looking southwest
Photo 8 of 16
Interior, first floor, central landing, looking east toward entry vestibule
Photo 9 of 16
Interior, first floor, central corridor, looking northwest
Photo 10 of 16
Interior, first floor, northeastern classroom, looking northwest
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
Section photos Page 2 City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Photo 11 of 16
Interior, first floor, northwestern classroom, looking southeast
Photo 12 of 16
Interior, first floor, kindergarten room, looking northeast
Photo 13 of 16
Interior, first floor, kindergarten room, looking southeast
Photo 14 of 16
Interior, second floor central landing, looking northeast toward school office
Photo 15 of 16
Interior, gymnasium, looking southwest
Photo 16 of 16
Noncontributing playground, looking southeast
Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
Section figures Page 1 City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Figure Index
Figure l: Historic lithographic postcard of Smith School, c.1910.
Figure 2: Sanborn Fire Insurance maps showing nominated property, 1903 and 1949.
Figure 3: Sketch map of Smith School nominated area, July 2020.
Figure 4: Smith School basement plan, July 2020.
Figure 5: Smith School first floor plan, July 2020.
Figure 6: Smith School second floor plan, July 2020.
Figure 7: USGS map with UTM coordinates showing location of nominated property.
Figure 1: Historic lithographic postcard of Smith School, c.1910.
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Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
Section figures Page 2 City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Figure 2: Sanborn Fire Insurance maps showing nominated property, 1903 (left) and 1949 (right).
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Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
Section figures Page 3 City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Figure 3: Sketch map of Smith School nominated area, July 2020.
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Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
Section figures Page 4 City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Figure 4: Smith School basement plan, July 2020 (Wessenberg Architects).
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Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
Section figures Page 5 City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Figure 5: Smith School first floor plan, July 2020 (Wessenberg Architects).
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Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
Section figures Page 6 City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Figure 6: Smith School second floor plan, July 2020 (Wessenberg Architects).
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Form 10-900-a
Wisconsin Word Processing,Format(Approved 1/92)
United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
Continuation Sheet
Smith School
Section figures Page 7 City of Oshkosh, Winnebago County, WI
Figure 7: USGS map with UTM coordinates showing location of nominated property.
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N,a� �.,e[mm[ Smith Elementary School
1745 Oregon Street
sa<a p" City of Oshkosh
Winnebago County,Wisconsin
0 0.5 1 Miles El
0 0.75 1.5 Kilometers 1:24,000