The near east side neighborhood from
about Merritt and Mt Vernon Streets
and east to Broad St., down to Otter St. was once a prestigious part of town, many
business owners, lawyers and doctor
chose this location to build for its'
proximity to Main St. and government
buildings. Many of the prominent people
also chose William Waters as their architect. One of the first to do so was William Doe, a wealthy lumber dealer. The Wm. Doe home was the first residential job for the young architect, coming to him in 1869, just a about a year after his arrival in Oshkosh. The Doe residence is interesting in that its' not quite Mansard nor Italianate in style. The home seems to be something
in between. It does display a floor plan
that Mr. Waters utilized in many later designs. By 1880 William Doe had moved on and the house became the residence Mr. W. H. McKoy another lumber dealer. The McKoy's lived in the house for years. Even after Mr. McKoy's death his widow, Sarah remained in the house. Not until 1908 did she move to the dwelling built for Mr. Finney on Washington Street.
Just a block or two north on Mt. Vernon Street was the house built for Frank Domke in 1904. Mr. Domke was the proprietor of the Senate sample rooms at number 12 Washington Street. The establishment obviously made a tidy profit for it's owner as he was able to build a fine home. Oscar Ernst also had a house built at about the same time. The Ernst residence was on Merritt Street next to the Turner Hall. Oscar ran a meat market on Main Street in a building also designed by Mr. Waters after the great fire of 1875. Both dwelling are still standing with little or no alteration from the original design. Mr. Waters designed many homes along Washington Street, not far the corner of Mt Vernon and Washington was the residence of Dr. Teal DDS. Dr. Teal had been living on Grove Street until 1904 when a fine home designed Mr. Waters was built at number
71 Washington Street next to the W. J. Kelley house.
After a few years the neighborhood started to change, many dwellings were replaced by large structures such as the Masonic Temple, the Wisconsin National Life Insurance and the Post Office. For years however the little gray house remained tucked between the Masonic and life insurance buildings. Finally after many years the house was demolished and replaced with a driveway. The Kelley residence was replaced by the life insurance building. Mr. Kelley was a resident of the city since 1852 and a jeweler with a store on Main Street. I've rendered it here as it was originally but a larger porch across the front was add some time later. On the other side of the street and to the east was the home of Dr. Corbett. Built in 1892, it is a fine example of Queen Anne style architecture. A fitting residence for one of the city's most prominent
physicians. Dr. Corbett was one of the founders of Lakeside Hospital, later Mercy Hospital. As a side note; The original Lakeside
Hospital was housed in the Waters' designed Richard Guenther residence on the corner of Washington and Hazel Streets. Mr. Waters also drew the plans for the new Lakeside Hospital built in 1913. To the west of the Corbett home and just across Court Street, was the home of Joe Mueller. It too was constructed in 1892. Joe was the proprietor of a meat market. At first he partnered with one of the Heisinger brothers and later with Adam Zentner. The house was a grand structure in the Queen Anne style but was razed for the construction of a new Post Office.
In 1880 J. M. Bray (AKA Matt Bray) built a fine
home with plans drawn by William Waters. He had lived at Revere House and later on the north side of Washington Street not far from Mt. Vernon. The new dwelling was on the south side of Washington St. between Court and Broad Streets at perhaps mid-block. To early for Queen Anne and a little late for Italianate it is difficult to assign a style to the Bray residence. Mr. Bray had moved to Wisconsin
with his parents form Maine in 1857. He partnered with Leander Choate in 1860 forming the lumber and land company of Bray and Choate. The two were also partners in the C. A. Johnson & Company a dealer in a full line of shoes and boots for men women and children.
The next block to the south is Waugoo Street.
Not far the intersection with Court Street was the home of O. F. Crary. Mr. Crary came to town in 1848 and by 1884 was a successful grocer. Mr Crary went with the most up-to-date style,
Queen Anne. The house is still there and has been well maintained over the years. Just across the street but fronting on Court Street was the home of Charles Barber. Mr. Barber was an attorney in the firm of Finch and Barber. William Waters designed the Barber residence in 1882 and the structure is more subdued then later works. The building has had very few alteration, the most major one being the expansion of the front porch so as to wrap around the south corner.
The change was made very early and may have
been planed by Mr. Waters. On the other side of the street once stood the Catherine Noyes residence. Mrs.
Noyes was the widow of Dr. J. C. Noyes. The house was built in 1915 and was a fine example of of the colonel revival style which had become popular at the start of the twentieth century. The building went from a residence to retail space sometime in the 1970's when it became the Court Gift Shop. By the 1980's the place was razed to make way for a parking lot. The last house to consider in this neighborhood was that of Mr. F. B. King. King was a successful business man with interests in a verity of enterprises. He and his brother operated the F. B. King & Bro. sample rooms at # 5 Algoma St. Later he became the president of the Western Manufacturing Company, makers of ladies muslin under garments. In 1892 King commissioned William Waters to design a fine home on the corner of Waugoo and Broad Streets. The house was another Queen Anne with a balcony and bay windows. There were some modification done early on to this house as well. The first being
the addition of a bay to second story at the rear of the structure. Some minor changes were also made to the balcony just above the front porch. The alterations are sympathetic the the original design and may well have been the work of architect Waters. The house has been kept up and is one the grandest on Waugoo Street. 
