08 Jul “don’t take them for granite.” a photographic survey of william w. boyington’s chicago board of trade salvages ornament in wisconsin dells
“don’t take them for granite.”
recent images of salvaged ornament from william w. boyington’s board of trade building (1885-1929), located along the path of the wisconsin ducks in wisconsin dells, wi.
the critical mass of chicago board of trade gargantuan carved granite statuary and figural/emblematic panels greet duck boat passengers at the very beginning of the tour, where the driver informs everyone not to “take them for granite.”
during the late 19th and early 20th century, william j. newman’s excavation and wrecking company demolished several chicago buildings including jenney’s home insurance building (1885-1931), chicago city hall (1885-1905), boyington’s board of trade building (1882-1929) and wright’s midway gardens (1914-1929).
remnants from midway gardens and the chicago board of trtade landed at his lake delton summer home – an 1850s gothic style sandstone cottage known as “dawn manor” – to dress up the property surrounding the quaint cottage.
i suspect the balance of salvaged board of trade ornament was placed their by newman, which was located near his cottage along the duck boat trail overlooking lake delton.
i included scans of a recently published duck boat tour booklet or brochure providing grossly inaccurate background information on the salvaged chicago ornament.
a 1955 duck boat booklet includes pictures of midway gardens sprites and frank lloyd wright together with madame helen raab, who bought dawn manor from newman.
she later sold wright’s wife olgivanna a few full-figured concrete sprites, which were taken to taliesin west where they reside today. the four remaining sprites and two urns were sold to a private collector in the 1990s.
olgivanna wright purchased full-figured concrete sprites from madame helen raab (she purchased dawn manor from newman) and brought them to taliesin west, where they reside today.
images courtesy of eric j. nordstrom and the bld. 51 archive. all rights reserved. 2025.