Julia B. and Fred P. Bowen House

Built in 1869 (Italianate architecture). Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.

From the record

“Bowen House is a historic house built in 1869 in Richland Center, Wisconsin. In 1996 the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places, locally significant as an example of Italianate architecture, and for its association with Julia Busby Bowen, who worked for women's suffrage.”
Wikipedia article Julia B. and Fred P. Bowen House, CC BY-SA 4.0.

One of 9 National Register listings published here for Richland County · listed in 1996 · category: Building · built in 1869, Italianate architecture.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service

The listing

What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
Listed as. Bowen, Julia B. and Fred P., House - the National Register files a house under its owner's surname.
Address. 220 E. Union St., Richland Center, 53581
When was it listed? July 1996
Category. building
City. Richland Center city
When was it built? 1869
Architectural style. Italianate architecture, Second Empire style, Neoclassical architecture
National Register reference number. 96000729 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

Fires near this property

65 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 65 fires within 5 miles of Julia B. and Fred P. Bowen House between 1992 and 2020, burning about 86 acres in total. None started naturally. 3 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause	Fires
Debris and open burning	31
Equipment and vehicle use	18
Missing data/not specified/undetermined	6
Arson/incendiarism	3
Recreation and ceremony	2
Smoking	2
Misuse of fire by a minor	1
Other causes	1
Fireworks	1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
23 September 2017	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	under an acre	Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources	SHOOTING RANGE
31 August 2004	Missing data/not specified/undetermined	under an acre	Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources	not named
24 August 2019	Equipment and vehicle use	under an acre	Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources	COUNTY Q
29 July 2005	Debris and open burning	under an acre	Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources	not named
10 July 2007	Misuse of fire by a minor	under an acre	Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources	not named
9 June 1997	Debris and open burning	under an acre	Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources	not named
8 June 2011	Equipment and vehicle use	under an acre	Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources	JUNE FIRE
25 June 2012	Fireworks	under an acre	Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources	FIRE WORKS 1

Every fire recorded in Richland County

Mines and quarries near this property

7 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 7 workings within 5 miles of Julia B. and Fred P. Bowen House: 3 producers, 3 unknowns, 1 past producer. 3 still produce. What was taken out: Stone, Crushed/Broken, Stone, Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Site	Commodity	Status
County Pit	Sand and Gravel, Construction	Unknown
Own Crews	Stone	Unknown
Own Crews	Stone	Unknown
Bethke Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Producer
Househoulder Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Producer
Motts Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Producer
Muldowney Quarry	Stone, Crushed/Broken	Past Producer

Every working recorded in Richland County

Storms near this property

60 of 61 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Richland Center, the town this property stands in, in 61 storm reports between 1995 and 2025: 34 thunderstorm wind, 16 hail, 3 flash flood, 3 flood. The reports record 1 death. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
August 2007	Flash Flood	Richland Center	1 killed, $8,800,000	Numerous state highways and county roads were closed and impassable due to flood waters. An estimated 75 percent of the county roads were affected including Highway 80 that was impassable with bridges buckled. Highways 56 and 58 were also impacted. At least a dozen boat rescues were needed from homes and cars. The town of Rockbridge was basically underwater. A 51-year old was swept off a bridge on Highway 60 near the intersection of Highway 80 on his way to Muscoda from Mill Creek.
April 2025	Hail	Richland Center	$135,000	The public reported golf ball sized hail 1 mile east of Richland Center.
August 2007	Flood	Richland Center	$100,000	Flooding continued along many creeks, streams and rivers. Law enforcement officials reported numerous roads and bridges were either washed out or still under water.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$60,000	Numerous trees and powerlines were blown down across Richland Center. Two houses were damaged when trees fell on them.
June 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$30,000	no account filed
September 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$25,000	no account filed
May 1999	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$20,000	no account filed
April 2018	Hail	Richland Center	$15,000	Up to golf ball sized hail was reported in Richland Center.
July 2015	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$15,000	A tree was blown down onto a house just outside of Richland Center.
October 2006	Hail	Richland Center	$15,000	no account filed
June 1998	Flash Flood	Richland Center	$15,000	no account filed
July 1998	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$12,000	no account filed
June 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$10,000	no account filed
September 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$8,000	Several trees and power lines were blown down along County Highway DD.
July 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$8,000	no account filed
September 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$6,000	Trees and power lines were blown down.
May 2013	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$5,000	South of Richland Center, buildings and trees were damaged.
July 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$5,000	Trees were blown down or snapped off in Richland Center including some three foot diameter trees snapped 8 to 12 feet above the ground.
May 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$5,000	Extensive tree damage occurred on the east side of Richland Center.
April 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$5,000	no account filed
May 2006	Tornado (F0)	Richland Center	$4,500	no account filed
September 2012	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$4,000	Trees were blown down on the north edge of Richland Center.
May 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$3,500	no account filed
May 2002	Flash Flood	Richland Center	$3,500	no account filed
July 2008	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$3,000	Large trees were blown on Hustlers Ridge.
June 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$3,000	no account filed
August 2007	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$1,500	Trees down in town.
June 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$1,500	no account filed
July 2003	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$1,500	no account filed
July 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$1,250	no account filed
June 2020	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$1,000	A very large tree branch was blown down just south of Richland Center.
June 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$1,000	Tree branches were blown down in Richland Center causing a power outage.
July 2017	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$1,000	Large tree branches were blown down in Richland Center.
May 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$1,000	no account filed
June 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$1,000	no account filed
May 2006	Hail	Richland Center	$750	no account filed
August 1996	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$350	no account filed
June 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$250	no account filed
June 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	$250	no account filed
April 2025	Hail	Richland Center	-	The public reported quarter sized hail in Richland Center. The report was relayed via social media.
June 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	-	Law enforcement reported a tree down in the city of Richland Center.
June 2024	Hail	Richland Center	-	Broadcast media relayed a public report of quarter sized hail in Richland Center.
May 2018	Heavy Rain	Richland Center	-	Near Richland Center, a mesonet station measured 4.8 inches of rain.
September 2018	Flood	Richland Center	-	Runoff from heavy rain caused flooding along the Pine River. County Highway O was closed at County Highway OO because of this flooding.
September 2016	Heavy Rain	Richland Center	-	The COOP observer north of Richland Center measured 3.68 inches of rain.
June 2013	Heavy Rain	Richland Center	-	In Richland Center, 3.1 inches of rain was reported.
September 2012	Hail	Richland Center	-	Hail up to the size of walnuts was reported northwest of Richland Center.
June 2011	Hail	Richland Center	-	Public estimated nickel to quarter size hail in the city of Richland Center.
March 2007	Funnel Cloud	Richland Center	-	no account filed
July 2006	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	-	no account filed
October 2006	Hail	Richland Center	-	no account filed
May 2003	Hail	Richland Center	-	no account filed
May 2002	Hail	Richland Center	-	no account filed
May 2002	Hail	Richland Center	-	no account filed
April 2001	Hail	Richland Center	-	no account filed
June 2001	Hail	Richland Center	-	no account filed
September 2000	Hail	Richland Center	-	no account filed
March 1998	Flood	Richland Center	-	no account filed
June 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Richland Center	-	no account filed
July 1995	Hail	Richland Center	-	no account filed

Every storm recorded in Richland County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

Listed places nearby

4 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Property	Distance	Listed
Richland Center City Auditorium	0.1 miles	1980
Court Street Commercial Historic District	0.2 miles	1989
A. D. German Warehouse	0.3 miles	1974
Cunningham Lane Bridge	4.2 miles	1996

Sources for this property

National Archives record	The nomination case file for reference 96000729 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia article	Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Richland County	All 9 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.