Washburn in Bayfield County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Washburn, The Monolith City

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, August 22, 2011

1. Washburn, The Monolith City Marker

Inscription. This title was given back in 1892 when Frederick Prentice, president of the Prentice Brownstone Co. of Wisconsin, offered to supply a huge brownstone monolith for the Wisconsin Exhibit at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. He proposed to furnish this impressive one-piece structure at a size of 110 feet high, 10 feet wide at the base and coming to an apex of 2½ feet, which, according to Mr. Prentice, would eclipse the Egyptian Obelisk that measured 105 feet, 7 inches high. The stone was to be quarried from one of the Prentice operations and shipped by barge to Chicago. The Houghton quarry was selected because it had the best brownstone for the purpose, i.e., free from clay pockets, tints and streaks. A gala banquet was held when the stone was broken loose to celebrate Mr. Prentice’s huge undertaking and generous gift. Unfortunately, the cut stone never left the quarry. Mr. Prentice withdrew his offer and the huge stone was cut and reshaped for use in other buildings.

The brownstone obelisk before you was created in the likeness of that early monolith, only on a ¼th scale (27½ feet) and from many separate pieces,

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whereas a monolith is comprised of one single piece. By Art H. MacLeod, Washburn Area Historical Society

Erected by Washburn Area Historical Society.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Man-Made Features. A significant historical year for this entry is 1892.

Location. 46° 40.4′ N, 90° 53.471′ W. Marker is in Washburn, Wisconsin, in Bayfield County. It is at the intersection of East Bayfield Street (State Highway 13) and Central Avenue, on the right when traveling south on East Bayfield Street. Marker is located immediately north of the Bank of Washburn building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1 East Bayfield Street, Washburn WI 54891, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the North Shore. It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

and on Lake Superior’s South Shore Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

in the Great North Woods,

on the Great Lakes,

in the Western Hemisphere,

in the Western World,

and in the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of

The Monolith image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, August 22, 2011

2. The Monolith

the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Bank of Washburn (a few steps from this marker); Washburn Lumbering Days / The Hines Lumber Company (approx. 0.7 miles away); Washburn Historic Waterfront (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Sprague Well (approx. 0.8 miles away); Madeline Island (approx. 3.4 miles away); Schooner Lucerne (approx. 5.1 miles away); Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy (approx. 5.1 miles away); Doctor Edwin Ellis (approx. 5½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Washburn.

Photographed by Paul Fehrenbach, August 22, 2011

3. The Monolith

is to the right of the building

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on October 17, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Richfield, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,437 times since then and 54 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 17, 2011, by Paul Fehrenbach of Richfield, Wisconsin. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.