Lost Treasure

A few years after I started researching William Waters, I heard of a photo album consisting of Mr. Waters’ buildings.  It was said to have been compiled by the architects’ son and contained prints with a blue tint to them.  What a tantalizing treasure, a researcher dream come true.  Some years later I talked to someone who claimed to have seen the collection of pictures and had urged the person to whom it belonged to donate it an historical organization, for safe keeping.  I was told that perhaps the State Historical Society was the recipient of the book, so I went there looking for it.  The society didn’t have the album but did have another collection, sketches from the 1870’ collected by Willie Waters.

Like the treasure of Oak Island, the compilation still eluded me.  Further inquire reviled that it had supposedly been passed along to the Neenah Historical Society.  I had made other requests of the society in the past and was always satisfied with the outcome.  This inquiry was different, the group seemed to have no knowledge of the book or its’ whereabouts.  Furthermore no one seemed interested in trying to find it. 

The story of the photo album seems to be nothing more than a myth.  If it ever existed it surely does no more, lost due to carelessness and incompetence.  It’s a shame that a valuable research tool and gateway to the past was lost to all.   

September 4, 2019 A Presentation

                                               https://vimeo.com/360362870

On Wednesday September 4, 2019 my wife and I presented a power point at the Oshkosh Public Library.  Please click on the above lick and enjoy the show,

"The Tiniest Sleigh Bell"

Hey everyone! I've published a children's book and it's available as an e-book or print edition. Just Google "The Tiniest Sleigh Bell" and find the many options for purchase.

Three for One

Smith School was closed in 2019 which ended a nearly one hundred twenty-five-year history of serving the educational needs Oshkosh.  In 1894 the school board received a report on the condition the school buildings and the report was critical of Smith school which had served the community since the mid 1860’s.  It was decided to build a new school and architect from Appleton, Merrill, Milwaukee and Joliet, Illinois submitted plans.  William Waters also proposed a design which the school board adopted.  In November of 1895 the construction contract was let to Domke and Meyer, and the building was in use by 1896. 

As Smith school was under construction Mr. Waters got two more school jobs.  The first was for the Wittenberg High School which was built in 1897 using plans like though of Smith School.  The Wittenberg school was slightly larger than Smith school and was constructed of a dark brick whereas Smith school was of a cream-colored brick. That building severed until 1970 and was demolished to make way for a new school. 

The other school erected using similar plans was the Brandon High School.  The Brandon school was somewhat smaller than its predecessors but had dormers on the front and sides as well as a belfry.  The structure was of a light-colored brick and featured a header above the front arches which read “High School”.  It too was razed after the combination with another rural high school. 

The fenestration of the front elevation of all three buildings was the same with two entry arches on the first floor above which were three windows. To the sides on the first floor were sets of double windows and on the second floor a set of double windows flanked by single windows. It was a graceful design worthy of repetition.  

I'll be in Oshkosh

On Wednesday September 4th at 6:30 pm I will give a power point presentation at the Oshkosh Public Library.  The presentation is about William Waters, his life and works.  Please join me.

Design Repeat

The reuse of a design has previously been discussed in this blog.  If Mr. Waters had a plan a client liked, he would use it again.  In 1900 architect Waters drew plans for *Peter King’s residence on Waugoo and a residence for Nic Stein on North Park Avenue, aka Parkway, the buildings were mirror images of each other.  Nic Stein was the proprietor of a sample room on Main Street and had been employed as a book keeper for another bar owner, Peter Stein, perhaps his brother. **Peter Stein also had a house designed by William Waters.  The bar business must have been lucrative for the Kings  and Steins all had new houses built about the same time.   

But Nic Stein was not the only one to have a house based on the Peter King design, Henry L. Sorenson of Neenah had a house of the same plan built on Church Street in the Sherrytown neighborhood.  

The dwelling was, with but a few alterations the same as King’s house on Waugoo in Oshkosh.  Mr. Sorenson was a partner with George Barlow in the Badger Furniture Store on W. Wisconsin Avenue, and his home would have been in easy walking distance from the store, HHHHH

* See, The Kings of Waugoo 7/10/2017

** See, Bells of St Mary’s 9/16 2017

The Union Block

The recent posting of a photo on social media of an Appleton street scene was a revelation to me.  It wasn’t an image I was familiar with, but I leaned it was the north side of E. College Avenue between Oneida and Morrison.  At the center of the picture was a large two-story building which exhibited many features of a William Waters’ design; store fronts flanking stairs to the second floor, sets of triplet windows on the upper floor and intricate brick cornice capped with pediments.  I had to learn more. 

Directories and maps of the time were the best resource.  The earliest directory I found was for 1877, at the time Appleton lacked a coherent numbering system for buildings and so descriptions of location were provided, an example would be (sic) n s Atlantic e Durkee, meaning the north side of Atlantic east of Durkee.  Commercial concerns would often indicate the business block which housed them.  There were several references to The Union Block in the early directory and newspapers, with the aid of fire insurance maps I concluded the building was the Union Block.  The Appleton Post of 12/31/1874 published an article about several of the new building to town, one being the Union Block owned by, Dr. Stansbury, Capt. Edwards, Samuel Phinny and David Smith.  The contractors of the building were William Johnson and Robert Pride, no mention was made of the architect.  I recognized the name of David Smith as being a client of Mr. Waters for such building as the Manufacturers Bank and a residence, perhaps Mr. Smith enlisted architect Waters once again.     

The Tischer Block

An article in the Oshkosh Northwestern of July 17, 1873 listed the many jobs William Waters had in other cities.  There were several in Appleton one of which was a store for Mr. Tischer.  My early research on the subject yielded nothing but I thought I’d try again. I’ve since learned that Fred Tischer at age twenty-eight in 1854 came to this country from Germany and settled in Greenville west of Appleton.  When the civil war started he joined the 15th regiment of Wisconsin volunteers, and returned to Appleton after the war.  In 1873 Fred planned to erect a business block, a note in the Appleton Crescent of April 19,1873 tells of the cellar excavation for the building.  Also, there were numerous advertisements throughout 1873 for the Berg and Tischer Meat Market.  The Appleton city directory of 1877 listed Mr. Tischer as a clerk at Hackert’s Store and residing on the south side of College Ave., east of Oneida.  In 1885 there were ads for May and Tischer, groceries and provisions.  He died in July of 1893 at age sixty-seven.

The question remained, where was the Tischer Block and what did it look like?  A notation in a newspaper from 1874 said the Tischer Block was opposite the Levake Hotel, which was on the north side of College Ave., just east of the corner of Morrison St.  With that information as well as the listing of Mr. Tischer’s residence as being on the south side of College, east of Oneida, I knew where  and what to look for, a building of two stores with a stairway between them a, favored lay out of architect Waters.  Consulting the earliest Sanborn map of that area I found two likely buildings; one was the Warner and Whorton Block and the other was further west.  Next, I traveled along E. College via Google and low and behold found what I was looking for, the building at 111-109 E. College fit the criteria.  There was one feature that truly marked it as the work of Mr. Waters, that was the segmented pilasters that flanked the center window of the second floor.  Alteration were made over the years, new store fronts and smaller windows chief among them.

New London Mystery

This past winter the folks at the New London, Wisconsin public museum published a wintery street scene which featured a large house.  I was at once convinced that the house was the work of William Waters, and now I must set about to prove it.  I will have to pay a visit to New London and research city tax records to find for whom the house was built, then I can research newspapers for that name and perhaps an article about the house.  I also consulted David Groth, an authority on architect Waters and he too thought the house to be the work of Mr. Wasters. 

There are several things that make me think the place is a Waters’ job; the triplet window in the gable, the large bay window on the first floor and the long slopping roof on the right side of the front elevation.   Over the years alteration have been made to the house, such as an expanded front porch and new siding, but the structure remained intact.  I will update this post when I’ve completed the research.    

Neenah’s Schuetzen Hall

   The Schuetzen Bund of Neenah was a fraternal and benevolent group which in 1875 built a large hall on the corner of what was then Cedar and Columbian Streets near the center of town.  The hall served the needs of the group as well as being the center for many cultural events such as lectures, concerts, plays and parties.  It was said to be one of the finest halls in the state and it was a remarkable brick structure which sat on a high limestone foundation and capped a gabled roof with a belfry at one end.
 

In 1892 the building burned and all that was salvaged was the foundation.  The group was keen to rebuild and in the “Lively in Neenah” column of the Oshkosh Northwestern of May 26,1892 it was noted that William Waters was in that city drawing plans for the new Schuetzen Hall.  It was stated that the hall was to be built on the foundation of the old hall and use the same plan as those of the north side Turner hall in Oshkosh.  The new hall was to cost about $10,000 with the member of the bund being assessed $100 each to cover the expense. 

The plan never came to fruition and for many years the old foundation remained, being used as skating rink in the winter but finally converted to a livery.  One may only imagine what Commercial Street looked like had the new hall been built.          

                                    

…They Were Never Built.

Not long ago I came across an article in the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern of March 2, 1897.  The feature was a preview of buildings which may be erected in the coming season.  What was interesting was that the piece began with reasons as to why sometimes building aren’t built.  In this case two structures planed by William Waters never came to fruition.  The first of these proposed buildings was to be erected by A. E. Thompson on the Ely property at the corner of Algoma and Elm Streets.   A 70’ by 70’ stone and brick, three story structure was planned with the first floor devoted to two retail spaces and the second and third floors, flats.  The building was to include all “modern improvements” ei; light, heat, ventilation, water and sanitation at a cost of $15,000.  For whatever reason the edifice was never constructed, and one can only imagine how it looked.  Fire insurance maps indicate several buildings were on the Ely property.   

      

The other building designed by Mr. Waters to be mention in the article was a hall for the Danish Society.  It was to front on State Street next to the Northwestern Building and was to measure 45’ by 100’ with two stories.  No basement was planned, there being no way to drain it, so the building was to be heated with stoves.  The first floor was to be an auditorium and dance hall with a stage out fitted with curtains at the far end the second floor was to be filled with a lodge room, reading room dining room and parlor.  The total cost was estimated to be about $7,000.  One may speculate as to the buildings appearance and why it was never erected but later a fine structure, The Carthage Building was put up on the lot.  An 1890 map of the area shows houses occupied the spot.