Haymarket Square

Haymarket Square, now Monument Square, Racine, Wisconsin
Haymarket Square, now Monument Square

Dennis Tulley: This post is sort of intended to reach the younger members of this group. Us more “mature” Racine History buffs should know most of these facts in this short “History Lesson.”
Racine’s original public market and gathering space that was initially called Haymarket Square was later known as Monument Square after the placement of the Civil War monument in the square in 1884.
This photo from around the early 1880’s shows a view to the south which is 6th St.
At far left, on the southeast corner of Main St. and 6th St. is the home of Robert and Emily Baker. He was one of the 4 founders of J.I. Case Co. That house was razed later and became the site of the Racine Post Office. Mrs. Baker built her next home at 10th St. and Main which we now know as the “Christmas House.”
To the right of the Baker house was the residence of Dr. Mathias Teegarden, an early Racine pioneer. His parcel was later owned and occupied by David G. Janes Insurance Co. and was razed in 1959. That parcel is now part of the McMynn parking ramp.
The house in the distance just left of center was the Chauncey Hall residence on the southeast corner of 7th St. and Main St. Mr. Hall was involved in the mercantile business and also built the building that later was occupied by Pokorny Drug Store on Main St.. The City of Racine purchased that parcel to make way for the new Carnegie Library that was built in 1904. When the new Racine Library was built on Lake Ave., that library building was turned over to the Heritage museum.
The 3 story building on the south side of 6th St. was replaced by the Robinson Block in 1903 which now is partly occupied by Dewey’s across from the Post Office.
At the top of the photo you can see the steeple of St. Luke’s Church on 7th St.