THE WAUPACA REPUBLICAN

April 27, 1894

 

NEW DANE’S HOME.

 

The Old (Court House) Home Soon to be Succeeded by a Modern Building.

 

            In starting this description we reprint the following item taken from a copy of the Waupaca Spirit, dated Jan. 22^nd 1857, thirty-seven years ago:

 

The County Court House.

 

            “The Court House is enclosed and workmen are engaged in laying down the floors and otherwise finishing it on the inside.  It is a good looking building and will be, when finished, an ornament to Waupaca.

            The expense of this building is entirely borne by subscription, principally by the people of this village, and has not cost the county a single dime; thus proving the Waupacians equal to their promises even though they were made in election times.

            The lower story is partitioned into rooms for County offices, while the second story is being finished for a court room.”

                        Of course then it was an ornament to Waupaca and we say all honor to the men who had the pluck and faith to this little wide awake village, now city of Waupaca, and we say all honor to the county of Waupaca for building in ’81-82 the beautiful new Court House to succeed the old one.  But the old court house was not doomed to destruction.  It was purchased by the Danes’ Home society in Sept. 1882 from Waupaca County for $275 and removed to its present during the latter part of the same month.  It has done good service for that society since that time and is once more to be succeeded by a better and more modern building to be devoted to the literary and social uses of society, architect Waters having already drawn plans for an imposing structure to cost all the way from $7,000 to $9,000 when completed and furnished.  “The old Court House” will soon be on the way down the hill, where it will be placed on a solid stone foundation, which Peter Rasmussen is busy with a crew of men preparing it for Martin Peterson, the purchaser, who will utilize it for a pump, well and wind mill supply depot, with arrangements for a water trunk to enter the basement to run some sort of machinery business by water power.

 

THE NEW DANES HOME.

 

            We will now return to the new Danes’ Home building. For the past two years the increasing membership in the Danes’ Home society and the interest taken in the social parties has caused that society to feel that the time was ripe for better and more suitable quarters; at last they had Peter Jensen, a well known Waupacian, now leading architect in Wm. Waters’ office Oshkosh, come up and looked over the ground, the result of which has been the production of elaborate plans and specifications.  On Tuesday Pres. Hans Knudsen permitted ye scribe to look them over.  The elevation perspective at once causes one to feel that he is before what will be, when completed, an imposing structure, 49-1/2 x 66 ft.; containing two full stories and a basement five feet of which will project above the sidewalk and give ample light and entrance. The whole is to be surmounted with a tower on the bay window principle starting from the second floor, southeast corner of the building to be an imposing length – 73 feet from the ground to the top of the ball on the flagstaff.

            The south front has two triple sets of oval windows on each of the first and second floors above the basement and the same with square tops on the basement south front; similar windows appear on the east front of the building.  An easy and wide stairway, five feet down from the sidewalk will bring you to the basement; here will be a dining room 26:4x39:5 ft. and a kitchen 21:3x23:2 ft.  Furnace and coal room 22x28 ft. also closets, hall and ample stairway to go to the 1^st floor proper, which is on a level with the granite hill side; here is the Danes’ Home Society hall 26:2x39:3 ft., a reading room 23:2x28:3 ft; ladies’ parlor and toilet room 14:8x13:2 ft.; smoking room and lobby 12:10x19 ft., vestibule ticket room, etc.  The next story is the dancing and social hall the whole size of the building with the exception of a three foot platform across the south end. The hall will have a balcony on the east and west sides and north end, will be arranged with the first row of chairs lowered.  It will be six feet wide on the sides and circling on the north end, 12 ft. wide at the center.  The gallery will be surmounted with a neat and substantial ornamental railing.

            The building will be heated with a hot air furnace and special attention is given to the best forms of ventilation; there will also be a fireplace and mantle in the reading room.  The ceilings are to be ample, the basement even, being ten feet in the clear.  The basement is to be laid entirely of coursing stone of granite.  The building proper above the basement will be of veneered brick walls, the exposed sides to be eight inches thick.  The height of the front to the ridge will be 56 feet.  From the hasty inspection of the plans we should judge they were drawn with an eye to solidity with enough of the ornamental to make a good contrast.