Shoop Building

The Shoop Building is a six-story office building in downtown Racine featuring Richardsonian Romanesque exterior details that combine Cream City brick and red sandstone with prominent rounded arches. The main structure was later expanded with an addition that introduced Renaissance Classical style office space.

The building was designed in 1893 by architect James Gilbert Chandler as a production and office facility for Dr. Shoop's patent medicine company. A decade later, a significant expansion occurred that gradually shifted the property toward mixed commercial use and different business operations.

The building displays its era through the use of Cream City brick and red sandstone, materials that became standard choices for upscale commercial structures in late 1800s Wisconsin. The architecture reflects the economic ambition of the time, when such structures embodied prosperity and stability for their owners and tenants.

The building sits at the intersection of State Street and Main Street in the downtown area, making it easy to reach on foot. Current office use means public interior access may be limited, so it is best viewed from the outside to appreciate its architectural features.

During renovation work in 1983, workers discovered an old gravestone embedded in the building's basement wall, a puzzling discovery with no clear explanation. The stone remains a mystery of the building's history to this day.

Location: Racine

Inception: 1893

Architects: James Gilbert Chandler

Architectural style: Richardsonian Romanesque

Part of: Old Main Street Historic District

Address: 215 State Street

GPS coordinates: 42.73139,-87.78444

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:02