The Badger Building, or M. Tidyman Building, is a historic office building in downtown

Racine, Wisconsin Racine ( ) is a city in Racine County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the shore of Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Root River (Wisconsin), Root River, south of Milwaukee and north of Chicago. It is the List ...

. It is an example of

Prairie style Prairie School is a late 19th and early 20th-century architectural style, most common in the Midwestern United States. The style is usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped i ...

architecture, and was designed by prominent Racine architect Edmund Bailey Funston. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 3, 1980. With .

History

The four-story brick and concrete structure was built in 1915, to house the Tidyman Candy Company, owned by confectioner Melvin Tidyman. At the time, the

Racine Journal-News ''The Journal Times'' (known before 1972 as ''The Racine Journal-Times'') is a daily newspaper published in Racine, Wisconsin, serving Racine County. The newspaper is owned by Lee Enterprises. History The ''Journal Times'' traces its roots t ...

reported that its construction cost $55,000.Roberts, Lee B
Preservation Racine honors Century Buildings
''Racine Journal Times'', May 16, 2015. \ During World War I, the building was used by the

American Red Cross The American National Red Cross is a Nonprofit organization, nonprofit Humanitarianism, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. Clara Barton founded ...

. It was purchased by attorney Joseph Muratore in 1964, and as of 2015 was owned by his son Joseph Jr. The building continues to be used primarily as office space, most prominently for graphic design firm Image Management.Property Record
Wisconsin Historical Society July 2021 the building was acquired by Badger Building LLC Proprietor Kenneth Brown. It is now the home of EYEopenerZ, an upscale optical boutique, owned and operated by Mr Brown. Some modern renovations to the front facade are planned to restore the 1915 original as current regulations allow, to create ADA accessibility. Completion expected Spring of 2025.

References

{{NRHP in Racine County, Wisconsin Buildings and structures in Racine, Wisconsin Office buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Wisconsin National Register of Historic Places in Racine County, Wisconsin

History

See also

References