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MILLER REPORT

North Side West Main Street: 328W - 402W

328 West Main Street (John Steffens House)

328 West Main Street
This contemporary frame house was built for John Steffens in 1948 (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls). It is a good example of the Minimal Tradition variant of contemporary houses, with its long, horizontal form, its low-pitched gable roof, and front-facing gable with prominent chimney. The house has lost its original windows. This property was owned by John Steffens from 1947 until at least 1970, by Gayle Steffens from at least 1975 until at least 1980, and by Dale Herfel in 1985. In 1996, it was owned by Richard and Kathleen Topalski (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls). The Steffens House if not individually eligible for historic designation.

400 West Main Street (St. Olaf Hospital/Anna Swiggum House)

400 West Main Street
This frame Foursquare building was constructed as St. Olaf's Hospital in 1904. The building features a wrap-around porch with cast concrete block porch piers and fluted Composite porch columns, hip-roofed and triangular dormers. It retains good integrity, although the second-story porch has been enclosed. In 1904, Dr. Niels C. Evans persuaded Anna Swiggum to manage a hospital, and this building was constructed with living quarters for Swiggum on the first floor, and a hospital ward and operating room on the second-floor. The hospital opened December 10, 1904, with ten beds. The first patient was Olaf Hagene, who had a tubercular leg amputated. He recovered so quickly, Dr. Evans named the new hospital "St. Olaf's" in his honor. The citizens of Mount Horeb supported the hospital with donations of food, books, bedding and dishes. Dr. Homer Buckner, who moved to Mount Horeb in 1918, served as attending physician at St. Olaf's following Evans' death, until he opened his own hospital in the Dahle House at 409 East Main Street (extant) in 1922, and perhaps as late as 1925 (Mount Horeb Presettlement to 1986, p. 46-47; Wisconsin State Gazetteer and Business Directory). Anna Swiggum was the sister of storekeeper Sever Swiggum, and she continued to live in the building until her death circa 1935. By 1985, the building had been converted into a duplex. This property was owned by Anna Swiggum from 1904 until at least 1935, by Lorraine Swiggum in 1940, by Edward Ranum in 1945, by Oscar Swenson in 1950, by Robert Anderson in 1955, by Dorothy Anderson from at least 1960 until at least 1970, and by Kenneth and Jean Schumacher from at least 1975 until at least 1985. In 1996, it was owned by Mike and Donna Karas (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls). St. Olaf's Hospital is eligible for designation as a Mount Horeb Historic Site, and for listing on the National Register, for its history as the village's first hospital and as a good and intact example of a Mount Horeb Foursquare.

402 West Main Street (Anna Hill House)

402 West Main Street
This frame Foursquare house was built for Anna Hill in 1909 (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls). It has been aluminum-sided and has lost its original front porch posts and rails. The property was owned by Anna Hill from 1909 until at least 1935, by John and Lena Monum from at least 1940 until at least 1965, and by William and Esther Hildebrandt since at least 1970 (Village of Mount Horeb Tax Rolls). The Hill House is not individually eligible for historic designation.