Jason Tish
Visit historic depot-area lodging, like the East Madison House, now Hotel Ruby Marie, at 524 E. Wilson St.
The city’s most-traveled gateway for more than a century and a half, the Machinery Row area has risen, fallen and now risen again. Today, it’s hipster-friendly. But not many know its historic import. The Madison Trust for Historic Preservation will be giving tours of the city’s first industrial district on Oct. 11.
While the Trust has long offered tours of historic residential areas, the group decided it was time to focus on a commercial-industrial area, says Vicki Siekert, board member and past president. If successful, this 90-minute tour will be added to the regular schedule.
“This area was really important to Madison history, especially in the late 19th and early 20th century, mainly because of the presence of a couple of railroads,” says Siekert.
Jason Tish
The Biederstadt-Breitenbach Grocery is still going strong.
The Chicago and Northwestern depot still stands on the corner of Blair and Wilson streets; the 1910 Beaux Arts building is now operations center for Madison Gas and Electric. It’s a reminder that Madison once was the crossroads for nine railways that dispatched as many as 40 trains a day. Visitors often stayed across the street at the Cardinal Hotel, just up Wilson Street, and at the East Madison House (aka Elver House), now home to the Hotel Ruby Marie.
The area was nicknamed “Implement Row” as it became a hot spot for the manufacture and distribution of farm implements. The Chicago-based McCormick Harvesting Machine Company, 301 South Blount St., is part of the tour, as is turreted Machinery Row.
Jason Tish
Willy Street has long been a site of industry and commerce. The William Heitkamp Carriage, Wagon & Blacksmith Shop.
Fifteen buildings in all make up the tour, ranging from Williamson Street’s several German groceries to a blacksmith shop, the Madison Candy Company, the Olds Seed Company and the Wisconsin Wagon Company Factory. The Hotel Ruby Marie and the Madison Candy Company stops will include interior tours.
After rail was replaced by trucking, the area began a slow decline. “Into the 1950s and even ’60s, the area had a little bit of a seedy reputation,” Siekert says. Gentrification and repurposing began in the 1980s.
Seven tours with starting times from 1 to 4 p.m. will take place Sunday, Oct. 11 ($30/$25 for Trust members). Reservations are advised. More info at madisonpreservation.org.
