121 Langdon St
Madison, WI, USA

John J. Suhr House

The John J. Suhr House is a historic house located on Langdon Street, Madison, Wisconsin, United States.


History

Built in 1886, the house was admitted to the National Register of Historic Places listings in Dane County, Wisconsin on June 17, 1982. The residence was built in the French Second Empire architectural style by the local prominent architect Captain John Nader, who also designed Holy Redeemer Catholic Church (1869), St. Patrick's Catholic Church (1888–89), the Suhr Bank Building (1887), and the city's first sewer system. The house features a mansard roof, stone window trim and fancy woodwork on the bays. Additional construction occurred in 1902.

The house's first owner, John J. Suhr, was born in Bremen, Germany, in 1836 and immigrated to Madison in 1857. He worked as a bookkeeper in the State Bank until 1871, when he founded the German Bank. He changed the name of the bank to the German-American Bank in 1885. John J. Suhr died in 1901. His family owned and resided in the Suhr House for two generations until the death of John J. Suhr's son, John J. Suhr, Jr., in 1957.

In 1989, it became a Alpha Xi Delta sorority house, and in 1994 it was sold to a private landlord.

The house currently serves as off-campus student housing, like the majority of the former houses on Langdon Street.

National Register of Historic Places - John J. Suhr House

Statement of Significance:

The Suhr House is architecturally significant as one of few remaining examples of the Second Empire period of construction in Madison; its historical significance is based on its association with civically— active businessman John J. Suhr, who founded the German American Bank and was a leader in Madison's 19th century German community. Architecture. This home is one of the last remaining examples of the French Second Empire influence in the city. It is basically intact and seems to contain most of its original features. The interior, which is slightly altered, also contains a high degree of its early fabric. Although the architect has not been pinpointed, the construction of the house for $7,000 is attributed by a newspaper account to the local mill firm of Fredrickson and Fish.

History
John J. Suhr, the first owner and builder of the house, was born in Bremen, Germany, in 1836, and arrived in Madison in 1856. He worked as a bookkeeper in the State Bank, and in 1871 he founded the German American Bank, which is presently the American Exchange Bank. Suhr married Louise Heicke and had five children. He was concerned with community affairs and was a member of the school board, the Madison Turnverein Society, and served as. president of the Madison Free Library. 2 Suhr died at his Langdon residence on April 11, 1901.

In 1887, Suhr obtained the property for his house from William Vilas and began construction. This is substantiated by newspaper accounts of work on the house^ and the tax roll first lists Suhr owning the lot in 1887 and a large increase in the property assessment from $2,000 in 1887 to $4,500 in 1888. 5 Also, the city directory of 1886-87 lists Suhr living at 310 West Washington Avenue, and the 1888-89 directory lists him living at 121 Langdon Street. The house remained in family hands until about 1964 when the last of John Suhr's children died and the property was sold to Chi Omega sorority for use as an annex.' Chi Omega, which is located beside the Suhr House, sold the home to Higgs Investment Limited on July 13, 1973. ^ Higgs Investment currently owns the house and uses it for renting rooms.