Lancaster Municipal Building - Lancaster, Wisconsin - Official Local Tourism Attractions on Waymarking.com

Located at 206 S. Madison St in Lancaster, WI, Lancaster City hall was built in 1922, another historic landmark in Lancaster, Wisconsin is City Hall, which includes a fabulous movie theater. This striking building designed by renowned architects Claude & Starck is an excellent example of prairie-style architecture.

The dual nature of the building, offices and entertainment, is expressed on the exterior; two-story terra cotta-trimmed pilasters mark the rise of the office block, while a terra cotta border and colonnade suggest the interior proscenium and mezzanine of the theater. The design by Madison architects Louis W. Claude (1868-1951) and Edward F. Starck (1868-19?? ) corresponds in style to their Prairie School works of the early twentieth century, but differs in type from the library and residential commissions for which they were better known. Partner Louis Claude was a graduate of the general science program at the University of Wisconsin, and worked for Madison architects Conover & Porter as well as Chicago's D.H. Burnham & Co. and Adler& Sullivan. Edward Starck apprenticed with Edward Townsend Mix of Milwaukee after completing high school, and then worked for Handy & Cady of Chicago and David R. Jones of Madison. Active from 1894-1929, the firm's listed works include libraries in'Wisconsin Dells (1912), Evansville (1908), Tomah (1916), Merrill (1910), Durand (1907), and Baraboo (1903); the Lincoln School (1915), William Collins House (1911), George Lougee House (1907), and Adolphe H. Kayser House (1902), all in Madison. While the combination of municipal offices, meeting room, and theater is not unique in Wisconsin, it is uncommon. (Probably the Lancaster building was inspired by the precedent set by the Richland Center City Auditorium of 1912 - NRHP 1980 - in neighboring Richland County, for whose construction special state enabling legislation was passed).

Only cosmetically altered, the interior of the theater retains its plaster-finish lobby, and ornamental plaster auditorium. The classically-inspired decoration (including swags, garlands, laurel moldings, classical friezes and borders, and pilasters with composite capitals), originally painted in ivory and gold, is now yellow and orange. The forty-by-sixty-foot eight hundred-seat auditorium, proscenium, and forty-by-twenty-six-foot stage^ appear to be intact. A few Art Deco wall sconces have been installed in the lobby, probably at the time that the outdoor box office was added.

As a suggestion for your visit log, please make every effort to supply a brief-to-detailed note about your experience at the Waymark. If possible also include an image that was taken when you visited the Waymark. Images can be of yourself, a personal Waymarking signature item or just one of general interest that would be of value to others. Sharing your experience helps promote Waymarking and provides a dynamic history of your adventures.