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.    

More Oshkosh Buildings, Part Seven

At the turn of the twentieth century there were many dry goods stores in Oshkosh.  One such retailer was Seymour Heymann, proprietor S. Heymann and Company.  In 1903 Mr Heymann announced a plan that would greatly enlarge his store by entering into a long term lease for several properties on Main Street and building an addition.  That same year his competitor, the Plummer Company disclosed that it's store would undergo a massive make over and a forth floor would be added. The two stores were next to each other and the new Plummer building was truly grand.  Not long after completion, early in 1904 the place caught fire and was a total loss.  A large four story replacement, grander than the first soon took it's place.  Improvement were made to the Heymann store but must have seemed paltry in comparison to the large attractive building next door.  Five years later there came another announcement, the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern of April 11, 1908 under the head line “New Store of an Oshkosh Dry Goods House.” displayed a drawing of a large new building for the S. Heymann and Co.

Two buildings on Main Street were to be remodeled in to the largest department store north of Milwaukee.  The plans for the job were prepared by architect William Waters and work was to commence on the first of May.  The remodeled store was to occupy the space between the Plummer Company and the Commercial Bank, extending from Main Street to Division Street. Three floor and the basement were to be devoted to merchandise and the forth floor would be storage of reserve stock.  

Mr. Heymann was born in Germany and came to the United States at age twenty, settling first in Michigan then Indiana before coming to Wisconsin.  For a number of years Heymann peddled his merchandise throughout the Fox river valley, finally in the 1880's he was able to open a store in Oshkosh.  He was a savvy  businessman, who's motto was "Profits are made by turnover, not left overs."  Heymann's business flourished and in 1923 he retired, selling the store to Henderson and Hoyt who had purchased the Plummer Company some years earlier.  Henderson - Hoyt moved to the larger store and sold the Plummer building to W. T. Grant.  In 1945 Henderson - Hoyt was sold to the Boston Store of Milwaukee.  Sometime in the late 1950's Boston Store sold the Oshkosh store to Johnson Hills and after W. T. Grant went out of business the company purchased the building, combining the two and remodeling the facade and making one large department store.  The building has long since ceased to be used for retail. 

More Oshkosh Buildings, Part Six

 It has been stated in this blog on other occasions that by the turn of the twentieth century Oshkosh was well established as a center of commerce and population and working to cast off vestiges of the past century. Many of the Italianate or Second Empire style homes were replaced by more fashionable trends in architecture and commercial buildings experienced changes in appearance as well. One such business was S. M. Hay Hardware, located at the corner of Pearl and Main Streets. The company had occupied the corner since 1848 and put up a new building after the fire of 1875 which was most likely the work of William Waters in as much as Mr. Waters was the architect of Mr. Hay's 1873 residence built on Algoma Blvd.

By 1903 Hay Hardware, a purveyor of stoves and other large goods wanted a better display space. The old building had three arched opening along the front on the first floor which were not conducive to product display and the company decided the remodel the building. An article in The Daily Northwestern of May 26, 1903 there was a detailed description of what was to be done; the front of the building was to be removed. The three arched openings which hindered the proper display of merchandise were to be replaced by large plate glass windows. An attractive entrance with display windows was to be add to the Division St. side of the building. The missive further states that the plans were drawn by a local architect, it was not until August 8 in another release that Mr. Waters was named as the planner.  

What emerged after the remodeling was a three story red brick building with large display window on the first floor and oversize widows on the upper floors. Classical details such as a cornice with dentils adorned the top of the structure. The first floor was occupied by the hardware company and the second and third floors were offices. After the Hay Company closed other retailers took over the first floor. The building was razed in the 1960's.

The Twentieth Century Club

The story of the Twentieth Century Club’s meeting place is long and convoluted, its start with the home of Joel Mead, a lumberman and partner in the Mead and Ripley Company. Mr. Mead built his Italianate house circa 1860 on the corner of Wisconsin Ave. and High Street, his partner Sylvanus Ripley built his house around the corner on Algoma Blvd. In 1900 the heirs of Joel Mead either sold or bequeathed the house to The Ladies Benevolent Society. The group had been around for many years and maintained the Home for the Friendless a home for elderly and indigent old women. The home was a small old house located on Main Street and it was the hope of some the club members to convert the Mead place into the groups’ headquarters and home for the friendless. The leaders of the society even went so far as to hier William Waters to draw plans for an eight room addition and other improvements. The next monthly meeting was poorly attended but the society voted any way to move ahead with the renovation plan. The next week there was yet another meeting where it was reviled that a $10,000 bequest from the estate of the Senator Sawyer was only good if a new building were to be constructed. The senator’s son Edger assured the ladies that an endowment of $10.000 would be set aside should the society ever decide to build a new home. A few days later those members against the plan made their opposition known.

So great was the argument stated that Ladies Benevolent Society abandoned plan to renovation the Mead House and sold it to the Twentieth Century Association for $5,000. The Twentieth Century Association was formed in 1898 to promote music and art in the community. Their plan was to renovate the house, making it into a modern club house to be used by various clubs. By April of 1901 the firm of William Waters & Son had drawn plans and bids were let for the remodeling which was expected to cost $10.000.  The club house was completed by mid October of 1901 with the first use coming on the last day of that month.  The club sold the building in 1968 and has since been converted to student housing.