e ssential landmark
AGRICULTURAL DEAN’S RESIDENCE AT
Allen Centennial Garden BY JEANNE ENGLE
To ensure that the first dean of the College of Agriculture at the University of Wisconsin–Madison would not be lured away by another institution of higher education, the regents built him a house in 1896. Today, that Queen Anne-style house stands at 620 Babcock Drive on the UW campus. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in September 1984.
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The Queen Anne-style was popularized by English architects in the 19th century and mixed design elements from medieval times. In the United States, the style was prevalent from 1880 to 1910. Set on a cut-stone foundation, the Agricultural Dean’s Residence is a two-story cream brick structure with a substantial attic. Its gothic details include gables on three sides featuring half-timber style trim and tall, narrow windows with a pointed arch at the top. A three-story conical tower on one corner reinforces the house’s asymmetry. Carved wood trim is predominant on the house. The secondstory balcony over the front entrance shows delicate S-shaped curves and railings with a trefoil (three intersecting circles) pattern. Along with the medieval elements, the Dean’s Residence also includes groupings of two and three classical columns set on sturdy-cut stone bases that support the front-porch roof. Leaded glass is found on the foyer window and inner door. The National Register nomination notes, “Its external appearance has changed very little since it was built.”
The Dean’s Residence was designed by Madison architects Conover & Porter, who also designed the Red Gym and Science Hall (Conover with Koch) at UW as well as several homes in Madison. Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Claude, John Flad, and Alvan Small were among local architects who received training in the Conover & Porter firm. “With its generous proportions and welcoming aspect, [the Dean’s Residence] is a typical house of its time,” according to the National Register nomination. “Its architectural significance lies in the fine details of its wood carving and the repetition of design motifs both inside and outside … an excellent example of the work of Conover & Porter.” Though the UW was founded in 1848, its College of Agriculture (today’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) was not officially established until 1889. The College’s first dean, William Arnon Henry, grew up on a farm in Ohio and was educated at Cornell University. He was recruited by the UW in 1880. Ever the champion for the UW, Henry attended farm meetings around the state. He brought seeds to the farmers
