Garver Feed Mill

Garver Feed Mill
The south facade of Garver Feed Mill in October 2017 before restoration work began
Former names Garver's Supply Company Factory and Office
General information
Architectural style Romanesque
Address 3244 Atwood Ave
Town or city Madison, Wisconsin
Country United States
Coordinates 43°05′40″N 89°20′04″W / 43.094537°N 89.334501°W / 43.094537; -89.334501Coordinates: 43°05′40″N 89°20′04″W / 43.094537°N 89.334501°W / 43.094537; -89.334501
Renovated December 2017 -
Renovating team
Renovating firm Baum Revision
Website
garverfeedmill.com
References
[1][2]
Garver's Supply Company Factory and Office
Location Madison, Wisconsin
Coordinates 43°05′40″N 89°20′04″W / 43.094537°N 89.334501°W / 43.094537; -89.334501
Built 1905[3]
NRHP reference # 100001445
Added to NRHP August 7, 2017

Garver Feed Mill is a historic building complex located in Madison, Wisconsin, adjacent to Olbrich Botanical Gardens. The building was added to the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places on May 19, 2017,[4] and to the National Register of Historic Places (listed as "Garver's Supply Company Factory and Office") on August 7, 2017.[1]

The structure was built in 1905 for the U.S. Sugar Company, serving as a sugar beet processing plant from 1906 to 1924. The site was purchased in 1930 by James R. Garver, remodeled and became the main facility for Garver's Supply Company.

As of December 2017, the building and grounds are undergoing restoration to open the site to the public as a venue for local food producers and restaurants and as an event space.[5][3] The restoration work on the main building is expected to be completed in Spring 2019, after which small lodging structures will be installed to the north of the building.[2] Officials with the city of Madison are hoping that Garver Feed Mill will become a location for second-stage food producers and will serve as an anchor for a "food innovation corridor" in the city.[6]

History

U.S. Sugar Company

In the early years of the 20th century, sugar beet prices had been rising in Wisconsin at significant rates, generating much interest from farmers and refiners in the area.[7][8][9][10] The main structure that would eventually become Garver Feed Mill was built in 1905 and served the U.S. Sugar Company from 1906 until 1924.[11] In anticipation of its opening, U.S. Sugar placed ads in local newspapers encouraging farmers to plant sugar beets for the Madison factory, promising to pay up to $5 (equivalent to $136 in 2017) per ton.[12] When built, the 200,000 sq ft facility, the fourth sugar beet processing plant in Wisconsin, was the largest factory built in Madison.[13] The site processed up to 500 tons of sugar beets per day.[13]

Garver's Supply Company

James R. Garver purchased the site in 1930 intending to convert it to make animal feed.[13][14][15] His company was originally named Economy Feed Milling Company.[14] After extensive remodeling, which included removing the top two stories of the main building,[13] the ceremonial first batch of pelleted feed was produced in March 1931; but owing to a mistake made by a plant worker, the feed was sprayed outside the building rather than into the output bags as intended.[16] The site was made accessible to truck traffic by 1935[17] and the company was renamed to Garver's Supply Company, reflecting the wider assortment of products the company offered.[14]

During World War II, Garver's aided the war effort by producing pelleted livestock feed that the company claimed would fatten pigs at about twice the rate of normal feed.[18] The company estimated that they could store approximately 5,000 tons of feed products at this location.[19]

In December 1946, a fire in one of the company's earliest built warehouses caused $75,000 in damages (equivalent to $941,212 in 2017).[20]

The site was listed as a property included in a foreclosure sale on October 27, 1972.[21]

Disuse and redevelopment proposals

After Garver left the property, the buildings sat disused for some time. A proposal was made in 1990 to convert the main building to hold apartments with development work described by Phil Sveum at a public meeting nearby.[22] The Olbrich Botanical Society purchased the site in 1997.[13]

Renovation

The north facade during restoration work in May 2018

Renovation work on the main building began in earnest in December 2017.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 "National or State Registers Record: 3244 Atwood Ave". WisconsinHistory.org. Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  2. 1 2 Zank, Alex (December 27, 2017). "BUILDING BLOCKS: Garver Feed Mill restoration". DailyReporter.com. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Cash, Matt (May 2, 2018). "Historic Garver Feed Mill in Madison being renovated". WKOW. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  4. ↑ Brodt, Lexy (May 30, 2017). "Garver Feed Mill joins State Register of Historic Places". Madison.com. Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  5. 1 2 Mesch, Shelley K. (December 9, 2017). "Developer begins construction at Garver Feed Mill site". Madison.com. Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  6. ↑ Geyer, Allison (May 6, 2015). "Garver Feed Mill to be part of food ecosystem". Isthmus.com. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  7. ↑ "Sugar Prices Are Still On Increase". The Post-Crescent. Appleton, WI. January 5, 1905. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "Much Interested in the Project". Janesville Daily Gazette. January 4, 1905. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "County News: Hanover". Janesville Daily Gazette. January 4, 1905. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "Refined Sugar Goes Higher". Green Bay Press-Gazette. January 9, 1905. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Photograph: U.S. Sugar Company". WisconsinHistory.org. Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  12. ↑ "To Madison Workmen". Wisconsin State Journal. April 7, 1906. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 "Property Record: 3244 Atwood Ave". WisconsinHistory.org. Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved May 23, 2018.
  14. 1 2 3 "Garver Supply Co. New Name of Firm". Wisconsin State Journal. March 23, 1935. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Industrial Area Gets New Client". Wisconsin State Journal. January 6, 1930. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ Cass, Betty (March 13, 1931). "Madison Day By Day". Wisconsin State Journal. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Garver Firm Accessible to Truck Lines". Wisconsin State Journal. September 28, 1935. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Garver's Pellets Aid U.S. Defense". Wisconsin State Journal. January 24, 1942. p. 12 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ "Garver's Supply Co. Stores Feed Ingredients". Wisconsin State Journal. July 21, 1945. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ Associated Press (December 3, 1946). "$75,000 Damage in Warehouse Blaze". The Daily Tribune. Wisconsin Rapids, WI. p. 1 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ "Notice of Foreclosure Sale, Case No. 40-066". Wisconsin State Journal. November 7, 1972. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ "Neighborhood News: Schenk's-Atwood". Wisconsin State Journal. February 14, 1990. p. 42 – via Newspapers.com.
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