Madison in Madison County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)
W.T. Davis Building
Photographed By Tim Fillmon, July 19, 2016
1. W.T. Davis Building Marker
Inscription.
W.T. Davis Building. . Built in 1892 by William Turner (W.T.) Davis, this building is one of the few remaining buildings in Florida covered with a galvanized sheet metal facade, in this example produced by the Mesker Brothers Iron Works of St. Louis, Missouri. This use of sheet metal for architectural ornamentation replaced iron as the metal of choice for most architectural work by the 1870s. Stronger than iron, it could be rolled and stamped into large ornamental sheets. Galvanized sheet metal was a great choice for small communities like Madison. The building's second floor served the Madison community as an opera house and a center for entertainment and social events from 1892 to 1910. The building also housed small businesses and the law offices of W.T. Davis's son, Charles Edgar Davis, and grandson, William Turner Davis. These two men were the only father and son who served as president of the Florida State Senate: Charles Edgar in 1915 and William Turner in 1955. This grand old building now serves as The Treasures of Madison County Museum, and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.
Built in 1892 by William Turner (W.T.) Davis, this building is one of the few remaining buildings in Florida covered with a galvanized sheet metal facade, in this example produced by the Mesker Brothers Iron Works of St. Louis, Missouri. This use of sheet metal for architectural ornamentation replaced iron as the metal of choice for most architectural work by the 1870s. Stronger than iron, it could be rolled and stamped into large ornamental sheets. Galvanized sheet metal was a great choice for small communities like Madison. The building's second floor served the Madison community as an opera house and a center for entertainment and social events from 1892 to 1910. The building also housed small businesses and the law offices of W.T. Davis's son, Charles Edgar Davis, and grandson, William Turner Davis. These two men were the only father and son who served as president of the Florida State Senate: Charles Edgar in 1915 and William Turner in 1955. This grand old building now serves as The Treasures of Madison County Museum, and was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.
Erected 2016 by Treasures of Madison County , Inc., Madison County Tourist Development Council, and the Florida Department of State. (Marker Number F-902.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in
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this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1892.
Location. 30° 28.071′ N, 83° 24.784′ W. Marker is in Madison, Florida, in Madison County. Marker is at the intersection of Southwest Rutledge Street and Southwest Range Avenue, on the right when traveling west on Southwest Rutledge Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 200 Southwest Range Avenue, Madison FL 32340, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 17, 2016. It was originally submitted on August 15, 2016, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. This page has been viewed 450 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 15, 2016, by Tim Fillmon of Webster, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
