Contact: Kara O’Keeffe
608-261-9596
kara.okeeffe@wisconsinhistory.
Sheboygan, Wis. – The Wisconsin Historical Society placed the Sheboygan Municipal Auditorium and Armory (Sheboygan, Sheboygan County) on the State Register of Historic Places on August 17, 2018.
The Sheboygan Municipal Auditorium and Armory is an excellent example of the Art Moderne style and a monumental example of civic architecture, designed by the notable Sheboygan architect, Edgar Stubenrauch. Constructed in 1942 and federally funded by the Works Progress Administration, the building has an exposed concrete exterior with geometric ornament, steel bow-string truss roof, and plaster and wood-detailed interiors. The Art Moderne style was popular during the 1930s and 1940s, particularly in the design of civic architecture, and this building is one of the best examples of the style in Sheboygan.
The Sheboygan Municipal Auditorium and Armory is also significant as the community’s most prominent entertainment venue, cultural center and auditorium, and the center of social activities for many decades. While constructed to serve as the home for the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 32nd Division, the building quickly assumed additional roles: it was the home of the Sheboygan Red Skins, an early professional basketball team, as well as hosting a variety of meetings, rallies, concerts, fairs, and other sporting events. Attending events at the Municipal Auditorium and Armory shaped the lives of most Sheboygan residents, adults and children alike and has been an indelible part of the fabric of the community since its construction.
The State Register is Wisconsin’s official list of state properties determined to be significant to Wisconsin’s heritage. The State Historic Preservation Office at the Wisconsin Historical Society administers both the State Register and National Register in Wisconsin.
To learn more about the State and National Register programs in Wisconsin, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.
