The Green Bay Reformatory

In 1897 the Wisconsin legislature appropriated $75,000 for the construction of a reformatory for the housing and reformation of criminals from 17 to 30 years of age. A large tract of land in Allouez, just east of the Fox River near Green Bay was purchased and architects A. C. Clas of Milwaukee and John Charles of Menomonie there chosen to plan the building. An impressive and intimidating building of large granite blocks rose from the field near the river bank. There was a central pavilion stretching to the east and a wing at a right angle to that building running off to the south.  It was always the intention to build a north cell block as money was approved by the legislature.  

In 1901 it was clear that more cells were needed the lawmakers were considering a funding bill, part of which provided $88.000 for the reformatory at Green Bay. In late February of that year the Oshkosh Northwestern reported under the headline “Oshkosh Architects Win” that the firm of William Waters and Son were to furnish the plans for the addition to the Green Bay prison. The newspaper was clear that addition was intended to finish the partially completed building. The expansion called for a three story cell block measuring 176 feet long and 61 feet wide and would hold forty-six cells on each floor and to be constructed on the north side of the central building. Architects Clas and Charles had chosen the Romanesque Style for the original building with large arched openings for entrances and windows. The pair may even presented rendering showing the prison with north and south wings. The plans drawn by Waters and son for the north wing were a mirror image of the south wing, giving the structure a finish and unified look.

In late May of 1901 the state was receiving bids for a $100,000 addition. The state got only three bids, one form Meyer and Domke of Oshkosh, which was the low bid and two from Milwaukee contractors. The board deciding the matter was of the opinion that a choice of three bids would not serve the citizens well and called for and new round bidding. A contractor was finally selected and the north wing was finished, the prison is still in use.  

Oshkosh State Normal School

The state of Wisconsin had by the late 1860's established two Normal schools, the first in Platteville and the second in Whitewater, there was an obvious need for a more centrally located teachers college and the board of Normal School Regents had many fine cities from which to choose.  Oshkosh was eager to secure the school and the city council offered $30,000 to help fund the school.  It worked for the board of regents selected the city as the site for the new Normal School.  The next decision was where in the city would the school be located.  There were four options to consider: first, a site, just south of the Jackson St. fair grounds fronted along New York Ave., second, a lot to the west of the same fair grounds along Wisconsin St.  third, the old cemetery which was at the intersection of Algoma Blvd. and Union Ave., finally the A. B. Knapp property on Algoma Blvd.  The Regents first preference was the cemetery, the second was the site to west of the fair grounds and a resolution was passed in October of 1868 naming the cemetery as the site for the school.  It came as a big surprise when two months later the board changed their position and selected the eight acre Knapp parcel which was elevated and dry as well as populated with old oak trees.     

A few weeks after the Regents announced the location of the school came the news that William Waters' plans had been selected and that Mr. Waters was to supervise the construction of the building.  Galloway, Roger and Company of Sheboygan Falls won the contract to building the school. The young architect had arrived in Oshkosh in December of 1867 working hard to establish a thriving practice.  This job represented his entry into the circle of architects considered worthy of state projects.  Work started in May of 1869 and was to be completed by August of 1870.  The building was finished in time for the fall term of 1870 but the school failed to open owning to a lack of funds to furnish and operate it and stood empty and unused for a year until money was allocated to open the school.  The young architect designed an impressive structure in the Second Empire Style. The floor plan was asymmetrical but wall elevations displayed symmetry with towering ventilation plenums rising above the mansard roof.  By far the most impressive feature was the central tower which rose high above the rest of the building and nearby oak trees.  Algoma Blvd. follows an ancient trail along the Fox River which runs from the northwest to the southeast.  In the late 1860's there wasn't much out that way, a few houses here and there, soon however wealthy lumber and businessmen began to build along the street.

Oshkosh's Normal School proved to very popular and it grew swiftly, so much so that by 1874 an addition was needed.  Mr. Waters designed a harmonious addition which stretched to the north of his original building.  The addition was two stories high with a high foundation.  The center of the front elevation featured a bay window on the first floor above which were a set double windows and in the gable was a single arched top window. Flanking the center were sets of double windows on the first and second floors and lofty ventilation plenums.  A two story section connected the two buildings with an entrance near the original structure.   Two years later there was another addition planned with architect Waters competing against H. C. Kock of Milwaukee for the commission. In an article published in the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern of July 21, 1876 it was reported that Waters got the job, however just a few weeks later a notice for contractor bids appeared urging interested parties to view the plans at Mr. Kock's office, in Milwaukee or the Hay Hardware Store in Oshkosh.   

In July of 1893 it was announced that yet another addition was to be made to the Normal School, this time on south end of the original building.  Again architect Waters drew plans that were sympathetic with the earlier structure, using cream colored brick and roman ached windows.  It measured 118 by 60 feet and had a full basement and two stories.  Where the addition attached to the old building where was an ached opening and steps to an entrance adjacent to a bay which rose from the basement to the attic level.  Beyond that the building was symmetrical in its’ fenestration with sets of triplet window on the first and second floor below a central gable to either side was a single window followed sets of double windows, which set up a rhythm to the front elevation.

Mr. Waters was preparing plans in February of 1898 for yet another expansion of the Normal School.  The school’s president G. S. Albee was pushing of new build at the southeast end of the school complex.  A great deal of persuasion was required and it took several years before work could commence in May of 1900.  This time William Waters made no attempt to match the existing buildings as that style was passé, instead he treated the edifice as a separate and distinct structure although connected to the other buildings.  The new hall had a basement and three floors above, measuring 60 by 115 feet.  The building was capped with a hipped roof with large overhanging eves. 

On march 22, 1916 the school caught fire and burned beyond repair.  All portions of the many buildings were severely damaged and had to be razed.  The academic year continued with classes being held in various halls and churches throughout the city. Soon a new building rose on the spot where the old school stood and is in use to this day.           

State Normal School at River Falls

Not long after Wisconsin became a state its' legislature enacted laws providing for the establishment of state schools.  The University of Wisconsin at Madison was inaugurated in 1849 as well as a school for the blind in Janesville and in 1852 a school for the deaf opened in Delavan.  The state of Wisconsin also founded Normal Schools or teacher colleges, throughout the state the forth one of which was built in River Falls in 1875.  River Falls was a small town in western Wisconsin just east of Minneapolis, St Paul.  The academe was successful and both the city and school thrived.  On a winter's night in 1897 the building burned almost entirely but the community pull together helping to set up class rooms in churches, lodge halls and other venues such that only a half day of class time was lost.   The Normal School Board of Regents took up the matter of rebuilding and other cities wished to move the school but the citizens of River Falls prevailed with the regents calling for architects to submit plans for a new building.  Dozens of proposals were received from architect in Milwaukee, Racine, Janesville, La Cross, Superior and Ashland but in the end Oshkosh architect William Waters’ plans was judged the best.

Mr. Waters paid a visit to River Falls in February of 1898 to view the site and assess what might be salvaged.  A week later a notice for contractor to submit bids was published with Bonnett, Michele and Company of Milwaukee winning the contract.  But April construction was well under way and the new school finished by September in time for the fall term.  For many years there was but one building on campus but in 1914 North Hall was built.  The building designed by Waters became known as South Hall and by the 1970’s had become run down to the point that there was serious talk of razing the structure and building anew.  An effort to save the building was launched and in 1976 a newly refurbished South Hall was added to The National Register of Historic Places.    

Wisconsin Goes to the Fair

Exposition Universelle de 1889, held in Paris was a great success and showed the world the greatness of France. Many countries exhibited in Paris, promoting there goods and manufacturing prowess, the United States mounted a halfhearted effort, coming off as unsophisticated hicks unready to be a world power. It was therefore decided that the United States would host a World's Fair in 1893, honoring the four hundredth anniversary of the discovery of the new world by Christopher Columbus but what city would host this gala face saving event? New York, Washington DC, Chicago and St. Louis all vied for the privilege of being the venue for the big show and the matter was to be resolved by the US House of Representatives. Chicago's city counsel formed a committee of powerful citizens to insure the city would prevail and it did. Architects Daniel Burnham and John W. Root were put in charge of bringing the whole thing together using Root's creative genius and Burnham's organizational skills. Burnham assembled a fraternity of the county's best architects such as, George Post, Henry Van Brunt, Charles McKim and enlisted Frederick Law Olmsted to transform the marshy Jackson Park into a suitable fair grounds. All the states and territories were to have a presence at the fair in the form of a pavilion.

By July of 1891 the state of Wisconsin had appointed a board of managers to oversee all matter concerning the state's presents at the fair. The board specified that the building was to be constructed entirely of materials from Wisconsin, have no less 10,000 square feet of floor space at a coast exceed $30,000 and plans were to be submitted by September 15,1891. The winning architect would receive a prize of $300 and there was to be a second prize of $200. There were four competing plans from; Messrs. Ferry and Clas, Mr. Holbrook, Mr. Douglas all of Milwaukee and William Waters of Oshkosh. The board announced their decision on October 21, 1891, naming Mr. Waters as the winner and James Douglas as taking second prize. On February 21, 1892 a notice for bids for contractors was placed in the Oshkosh Times with announcement coming in early April that Houle Bros. of Oshkosh would build the structure. And so it was that by the opening of the fair, Wisconsin had a fine building and exhibition hall. Only after the fair was open a few months did the bickering start. The Milwaukee Journal praised the hall, claiming it to have won first prize and took the Milwaukee Sentinel to task for making no mention of it. The Sentinel replied that several state buildings received awards but all where of the same degree with no first place being recognized. As final accounts were taken several sources noted that the Wisconsin State Building was singled

out as architecturally unique, well built and commodious for the visitors.  

The end of the fair was not however the end of Wisconsin's beautiful building, like several other structures it was moved.  In 1894 a banker from Wamego, Kansas named James C. Rodgers purchased the building and had it disassembled, shipped the Kansas City where it was reassembled on a lot on the corner of Grand Avenue and Seventh St., it served as a private gambling club called the Wisconsin Club.  The casino failed and it was used as an annex for the hotel across the street.

  In 1898 the Elks Club leased the place and eventually bought it and used it as their club house until finding new digs in 1951.  For the next ten years it served as refuge for homeless men.  It was razed to make way for a parking lot in 1961.  

     

More Oshkosh Buildings, Part Eight

On June 6, 1902 the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern reported under the head line “New Power House”, the intention of the Oshkosh Electric Light and Power Company to build a new power plant. The report stated B.E. Sunney of the General Electric Company was in town and with member of the Oshkosh electric company were going over rough sketches of the new building, as prepared by architect William Waters.  The meeting was to make suggestion and changes before the plans for the new fireproof brick plant were drafted.  Notice of the letting of bids for contracts was published in mid-July of that year and by October came the announcement that Meyer, Domke and J. T. Raycraft had been awarded the contracts for the building’s construction.  The new plant was to be located on Marion Street on the site of the old plant, adjacent to the Cook and Brown brick yard.  A brisk construction schedule was planned with occupancy to occur by January 15, 1903. There were to be two parts to the building, the main building measuring 133’ x 79’ and 18’ at the eaves was to house the office, bath and toilet rooms, shop and dynamo room.  There were tile floors and a steep angle state roof.  The boiler room was located in a portion 72’ x 45’ with the ceiling 36’ above the floor.  Eight foot high arched topped window on all sides of the building allowed for much natural light and the front entrance was like that of the Winnebago Traction company’s car barn and power house.    

The electric power company was formed in 1884 with exclusive rights to electrically light the city streets.  A power house was built in 1885 and by 1902 needed to be upgraded, the fact that the company had gone into receivership in the autumn of 1901 seemed to make no difference.  In 1904 a Boston man named W. H. Whitney foreclosed on the business and continued to operate it, merging with Oshkosh Gas Light in 1907.  Cook and Brown Lime Company bought the building in 1920 and used it for a number of proposes including a showroom for a large kitchen appliances.  The building was razed in the late 1960’s to make way for the construction of Park Plaza, a shopping mall.   

Oshkosh Houses, 1877

It was in March of 2015 that I posted an article about Joshua Dalton's residence. I was sure the house was the work of Mr. Waters but was unsure of construction date. A reader of this blog told me of a newspaper write up from the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern of December 14, 1877 which described the past season construction activity in Oshkosh and mentions the Dalton home. The article also reported that architect Waters drew plans for James G. Clark's Washington Street residence as well as the dwelling of attorney Henry Bailey on Otter Street.   I was unable to find an image of the Clark house but did to locate a picture of Mr. Bailey's place. The house, which no longer stands was very near the old Courthouse which would have been convenient for an attorney.  It was of Italianate Style, two stories high, measured 30' x 60', was built of wood and coast $2,500.  On the left of the front elevation was a flight of steps up to a small porch and front door. Above the porch and set back was a single window, to the right on both the first and second floors were sets of double windows. The roof was of a shallow pitch with extensive overhangs supported by brackets.  The building was razed in the early 1980's.

As for James G. Clark, a partner in a dry goods business, there are no images of his home.  There was no description of his house other than to say it was two stories with basement and was 35' x 65'. The house was reported to have central heat, hot and cold water and coast Mr. Clark $2,500. The residence was likely situated near the corner of Washington and Mount Vernon Streets where the Masonic Temple now stands but any traces of the dwelling have since vanished. 

More Oshkosh Buildings, Part Seven

The turn of the twentieth century also brought to Oshkosh the expansion of manufacturing facilities.
 In 1898 Diamond Match was considering building a large factory on High Street and in 1902 The Oshkosh Logging Tool Company announced intentions to building a large new plant just south of the river adjacent to Main Street.  The tool company was started by Elmer Leach who had been employed as secretary for the A. Sanford Logging Tool Company of Oshkosh, which had been around since 1853.  Early in 1887 Mr. Leach built a small factory on Pearl Street and commenced business as The Oshkosh Logging Tool Company and by 1906 Sanford Logging Tool merged with  Leach's firm to form Oshkosh Tool Manufacturing.

 The company's quality tools made them popular and accounted for the firm's rapid growth.  A capacious, modern factory was caller for and Mr. Leach enlisted the services of architect William Water to draw the plans. The company's intention to build was first reported in September of 1902 along with the location of the parcel of land. Early in 1903 came reports of  the several buildings which would comprise the new factory.  These early reports indicated that the largest building was to three stories high next to the river but not front on Main Street.  By July of that year work was started with a four story edifice just south of the Main Street bridge.  The logging industry reached it's zenith at about this time, the last spring log run down the Wolf River took place in 1911.  The Leach Company saw that changes were coming and in 1932 began to manufacture garbage trucks.  By the early 1960's the company had out grown the aging building on the river and so built a new plant north of the city, the old factory was demolished in 1966.  The company was purchased by another firm has long since moved all production to Canada.