26 Jun photographic study of solon spencer beman’s batavian bank building (1888) exterior bedford limestone facade and ornament

solon s. spencer’s richardsonian romanesque style 4-story bedford limestone bank building (1888) was built for  gysbert van steenwyk, a dutch native who settled in la crosse after immigrating to milwaukee.

a major remodeling in 1927 moved the entry from the center of the building to the east side and the first floor was further altered by the replacement of the Bedford limestone surface with polished red granite in 1957. the bay windows on the south and west facade were also removed from their original size. these senseless alterations and subsquent damage is evident in the images of the exterior below the monogrammed spandrels. 

images courtesy of eric j. nordstrom and the bldg. 51 archive. all rights reserved. 2023.