8. 171 West Main Street:  Citizens State Bank

The most austere of Main Street’s Neo-Classical (Classical Revival buildings, the Citizens State Bank (C. 1906-07) is dominated by a massive entablature supported by four colossal brick piers.  The piers, which are spaced between broad and deep-set windows, are ornamented with stone banding and stone capitals.  The entablature features a brick frieze, stone dentils, and a projecting cornice.  Despite its massive character, the bank shares the same scale and preference for cream brick seen in other commercial buildings in this part of Main Street.

10.  188 West Main Street:  Erickson Block

This building is an exuberant example of Classical Revival commercial architecture. Built in 1905, the building is dominated by a massive entablature with a bracketed metal cornice. A colossal colonnade on cantoned brick pilasters crowned with terra cotta capitals rises through the upper stories on the west façade and frames the front façade.  The colonnade rests on a first story base, punctuated by tall windows with heavy stone lintels.  The stylized surround, ornamented with brick banding, which encloses the upper stories of the front facade, is worthy of special notice.

9. 201 West Main Street:  Hyland-Olsen Block

Built in 1897, this large Neo-Classical (Classical Revival) building was designed by Milwaukee Architect Jay Knapp and constructed by local contractors George Becker and Fred Hill. It was owned and operated by K.G. Olsen and Dr. Francis Hyland. It housed Stoughton’s first and finest department store – the Department Company Store, the first telephone exchange, and bank, offices, and meeting halls for fraternal organizations.

Neo-Classical details on the building are a physical representation of the importance of this building to the community. The bracketed metal cornice features a central raised pediment ornamented with decorative moldings and finials. Rusticated stone piers frame the building and divide the façade into bays.  A rock-faced stone lintel course surmounts the windows and a stone sill course underscores them.  A corbelled brick course runs beneath the cornice and a large terra cotta crest ornaments the upper stories of the front façade. The legend (Department Co.) is still visible. Originally the building had interior cast iron columns, large plate glass display windows, and an elevator.

11.  184 & 176 West Main Street

Built between 1898 and 1904, these commercial Italianate buildings have a simple vernacular design, similar in detail to others on Main Street.  The bracketed metal cornice and segmental arch lintel (on the building on the left) are ubiquitous on Main Street.  While the round arch windows on the building on the right are not unusual (you will see two other buildings with round arch windows later on the tour), the halo-like treatment of the window is unique in Stoughton. The prism glass transforms above the display windows on the storefront are unusually well preserved.