The twists and turns were many, but as of February 25, the City of Madison has a new demolition ordinance. Last month’s Advocacy News raised concerns whether the original draft of the proposed ordinance would make it more difficult for buildings with historic value to survive a demolition application. That dark outlook seems to be somewhat lighter due to the strong efforts from a wide range of historic preservation supporters.

This month we have two topics in our Advocacy News. We have provided information about the proposed ordinance revisions and the proposal to demolish two contributing buildings in the Wingra Park National Register Historic District denied a second time by the Plan Commission on January 13.

The October issue of this column described the Plan Commission’s decision rejecting a proposal to demolish two contributing buildings in the Wingra Park National Register Historic District. After filing an appeal to the Common Council (later withdrawn), the demolition application was refiled and will again be considered by the Plan Commission on January 13.

With three-sided footprints, the Suhr Building and the Jackman Building are examples of a “flatiron,” a common building form in Madison thanks to the street plan devised by James Duane Doty when he was pitching the isthmus, then occupied by the Ho-Chunk, as the capital of the new Wisconsin Territory in 1836. This month we look at this popular building form and where we see it in our community.

At the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation, celebrating the city’s historic places is at the core of our mission. With the season of celebrations upon us, there’s no better time to share the joy of Madison’s history and architecture than through a gift from the Madison Trust—whether it’s an annual membership, summer walking tour tickets, or our NEW swag! We also mention a range of locally inspired gifts, from books and ornaments to a Frank Lloyd Wright tea set, all celebrating the things that make Madison and Wisconsin truly special.

The reign of Queen Anne—as an American architectural style—ended more than 100 years ago. In its heyday, the style was immensely popular across the country. The Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory has records for 1,007 Queen Anne houses in Dane County, and 490 in Madison. Though the branches of the family tree have grown slender and sparse, I’ve tracked down some local, modern-day descendants that demonstrate clear bloodlines.