St. Paul's, Neenah

At the turn of the twentieth century there were five Lutheran Churches in Neenah and not one of them worshiped in english.   By 1912 a group of english speaking lutherans decided to form their own congration.  The church rented a small chapel on Bond Street from The Norwegian Lutherans but it wasn't long before the group realized the need for a bigger house of worship.  In the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern of October 3,1914, under the headline; "A PROPOSED TWIN CITY CHRUCH." there appeared a rendering of a beautiful new edifice.  The accompanying article told of the congregations need and described the new building designed by William Water of Oshkosh.

In March of 1915 there were a series of notices in the Oshkosh press concerning the letting of bids for the construction of the new church, the paper didn't mention who got the job.  St. Paul's was similar to other churches that Waters design during the early decades of the twentieth century, gone were the scoring steeples of the mid 1800's.  Instead architect Waters employed an English County church style as seen in Oshkosh's First Congregational Church of 1910 and St. John's of 1914(See Oshkosh Churches Part Three, 61,2012.  St. Paul's cornerstone was placed on July 12,1915 and the building served as designed until 1956.  It was in that year a massive remodeling project was undertaken; both ends of the church were removed and rebuilt such that the congregation would face east instead of west, and the entrance was moved from N. Commercial Street to the W. North Water Street side of the church.

Appleton Churches

I've posted entries on all Mr. Waters' Oshkosh churches and a surprise in Waupaca, it seems as good a time as any to report on churches in other cities.  Mr. Waters' religious works outside of Oshkosh were confined to Waupaca,  Neenah and Appleton.  The architect designed two houses of worship in Appleton, namely St. Joseph Catholic and The Methodist Episcopal Church.  Both commissions came at about the same time too.

St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church was formed 1867 when the growing number of German Katholishers wished to have their own parish.  The group received permission from the bishop to start a congregation and so purchased the old Third Ward School House for $150, moved it to Elm Street and turned it into a church.  By 1870 a building committee was assembled to consider plans for a building. Young architect William Waters had made a reputation with two important Wisconsin State jobs; the architect of the new Oshkosh Normal School and superintendent of construction of the Northern State Hospital for the Insane and it was his plan selected by the committee. Construction began in 1871 and cost $21,140 to build.  The church was dedicated on the first Sunday of November 1872. Over the years there were some remodeling projects, a major one in 1889 with the addition of two pillars and expansion of the sanctuary.  Later the front entrance was changed but what had remained constant was the steeple.  Many churches would for maintenance reasons remove the towering spires for something easier to re-roof.

The Methodist Church in Appleton was there with the founding of Lawrence University and the 

Methodists worshiped in college buildings until 1854 when a church was built across the street from the main college building.  On the morning of March 9, 1872, just before service the church burned down, holy smoke!  The congregation was  eager to rebuild, a lot on the corner of Lawrence and Morrison was acquired and William Waters was engaged as architect and the corner stone for a new church was laid in October of that same year.   That building served the congregation for more fifty years but was replaced in 1925.  The old church was sold to The Knights of Pythias and remodeled to look more like a castle and serve as their meeting hall,late the building was turned to retail use.

Waupaca Surprise

The subject of my last post, the Plymouth Congregational Church of Oshkosh was unusual yet familiar to me.  There was something about the bell tower that resonated with me, as if I'd seen it somewhere else in a different context.  I decided to check the on line reproduction of “Illustrated Waupaca” a book published in 1888.  The original book had no photographs but instead drawings based on photographs.  There was a fine drawing of the Methodist Episcopal Church with a steeple identical to that of the Plymouth Church in Oshkosh. It also bore a resemblance to Oshkosh's 1873 First Congregational church.  I contacted the Waupaca Historical Society and received friendly and informative response from the groups' president.  He sent a photo for the Methodist Church with a truncated steeple and a newspaper article as to how it got that way.    

The article was dated February 20, 1875 told of a thunder storm and a bolt of lightening which struck the 110' spire, destroying it but it seems unlikely that a thunder storm of such ferocity would occur in the winter.  Further investigation was needed so I contacted the church and the pastor sent a copy of the church history.  According to the church history, in 1875 pastor Rev. Moses Alley advocated for a new church in the Gothic style.  A building committee was formed with R. N. Roberts, A. Gordon, Winfield Scott and William West, with Mr. West being credited with raising money, picking committees and drawing plans.  The claim that Mr. West drew plans notwithstanding I believe William Waters to have been the architect of the church.  As for lightening struck steeple there were a few inconsistencies between the newspaper article and the church history.   The church history places the event in 1890 which is more credible for the 1888 “Illustrated Waupaca” pictured the church with a tall steeple, after the mishap the bell tower was considerably abbreviated.  The building served the congregation until 1961 when it was replaced.              

P. S. Just for fun I went, via Google to William Waters' home town of Franklin in Delaware County New York.  There was St. Paul Episcopal Church with a steeple looking much like that of the churches in Waupaca and Oshkosh.  The top of the tower also resembles that of Appleton's 1873 First Methodist Church.   St. Paul's church, built 1865 was the work of Richard Upjohn a prominent eastern architect. Mr. Waters may have been in Franklin at that time and may well have been influenced by what he saw.  

Another Oshkosh Church

Some time ago I did a series of posts on William Waters' Oshkosh churches and I thought I'd covered all of them. That was not the case, for not long ago while perusing the photos on Oshkosh Past perfect, I saw a church which was unfamiliar to me. The image was identified as the Plymouth Congregational Church, located on the corner of Church and Franklin Streets. I studied the image carefully, surly it must have been designed by William Waters I thought.

 The building was a wooden frame structure and rather unusual with what appeared to be large bays on the side walls. The steeple featured fancy woodwork reminiscent of Stick Style and a roof very much like that of St. Joseph in Appleton. After a short time it occurred to me I'd seen a sketch of the church among the drawing in “Willie's Book” and I search it out. There it was, a front elevation and floor plan which explained the large bays on the side walls.

Further research of church histories reveled a contradiction as to when the building was constructed. All the accounts agree the original church was built 1856 but differ as to weather this church, its' replacement was put up in 1868 or in 1876. Mr. Waters was in Oshkosh by 1868 and this could have been a very early job. The drawing collected by the architects' son and affixed to a discarded magazine, "Willie's Book", date from the mid 1870's which makes the 1876 date likely.  I believe the 1876 date to be more accurate.  The small wooden church served until 1894 when it was replaced by a large red brick house of worship designed by prominent Minneapolis architect Warren Howard Hays.   

More Oshkosh Buildings, Part Five

Many new commercial structures were erected in Oshkosh in the last decades of the nineteenth century. One, the Uhlien Block was of particular grace and beauty with a engaging history.  The first mention of the building was made in the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern of March 16, 1886 which tells of the purchase by Wm. Dichmann form Mr. Forbes of property at the corner of Washington and Shonaon or State Street as it was later known.  Mr. Dichmann paid $5,000 for the land and intended to put up a handsome building of two or three stories with several stores the first floor.  A few days later it was reported that Mr. Forbes wanted to back out of the deal but the contract was upheld.  Not long after that Mr. Dichmann was denying rumors that the purchase was made on behalf of the Schlitz Brewing Company but was made with an interested friend.  He also denied a claim by a temperance group that the building would house a saloon.

 The project seemed to disappear until late October of 1889 when it was reviled that a hotel might be erected on the spot with Charles Josslyn as landlord.  Architect Waters had drawn plans which were to be approved by Mr. Uhlien of Milwaukee with the hope that hotel could be completed soon after the new government building was finished.  Another year past before there was word that Mr. Dichmann had just returned from Milwaukee and a meeting with Mr. Uhlien where it was decided to erect a building of three or four stories.  Just two days later the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern of January 29, 1891 ran a headline, “ Five or Six Stories High.  A magnificent structure to be erected on Washington and State.”  The article went on to talk about Mr. Waters estimating stone block and that it was to be built of red pressed brick.  It was also said the Crescent Lodge of the Knight of Honor would have apartments of the upper floors.  On April 13, 1891 final plans were announced.  The Crescent Club opted to stay where they were which precluded the need for more than two floors.  It was to have 100' frontage on Washington Street and a large dome at the northeast corner. 

Four businesses could occupy the first floor and the second story would be office space.  The building was a great success, occupied by tenants such Medberry and Bemis and Schlitz Hall. The building at last became to Oshkosh offices of Wisconsin Public Service and was remodeled in the 1950’s.  The tower and dome were removed and replaced by polished red granite.   

In the Oshkosh Times of April 9, 1895 there appeared a notice the sealed bids for the construction of a store for J. E. Kennedy and Sons.  Plans could be viewed at the office of architect William Waters.  By mid-June of the year the first floor was nearly finished and would rise two more with cold store apartments.  Kennedy and Sons were wholesale grocers and this new building was the grandest for that purpose in the city.  The building was on High Street, just east of the Soo line tracks.  It was made of red press brick with a limestone foundation and limestone lintels and trim.  Three arches dominated the front elevation above which was a sill of stone and three sets of windows just below a cornice and parapet.  The store served other businesses as well, notably Bemis Hooper Hays, also a wholesale grocer.   In the 1960’s it was a marine supply store and was demolished to make way for a parking ramp.          

The Oshkosh newspapers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries often ignored the news from south of the river.  The Daily Northwestern of 2/4/1893 did however report plans to build a fine hall on Kansas and Ninth streets, undertaken by Joesph Stringham and designed by William Waters.   The description of the building to be called Columbine Hall, said it was to front 75 feet on Kansas Street and 90 feet on Ninth Street with marble pillars flanking the front door and three commercial spaces on the ground floor.   The hall on the second floor was to be 68 x 70 feet with a balcony and four foot high stage measuring 16 x 40 feet. The article also mentions that the land had been used as a garden for many years by Mr. Stringham and although rather low it would fine location for the hall.

1893 was the 400^th anniversary of the discovery of the New World by Columbus and America celebrated in many ways, the World's Columbine Exposition, aka the Chicago’s World's Fair was one manifestation, Oshkosh was to get a new opera house on the south side.  The problem was that the fine building as described in the newspaper was not what was built.  The Columbine Hall was built on the west side of what now South Main Street, about half way between 9^th and 10^th  Streets.  The newspapers never mention the change of plans which were altered probably because the southeast corner where it was to be erected was too low and wet to support a large, heavy building.  The press also never offered a description of the amended plan.  The structure which was put up was just as grand as the first concept with three stores on the first floor and an arched entrance to second floor hall to the far left.  The size of the hall and stage are unknown for the building was turned to other uses after a short time.

New London School

One of the earliest posts on this blog was “Small Schools” an exploration of of five school buildings built from 1891 through 1901, namely Menasha's Forth Ward School, Punhoqua School in Oshkosh, Dartford School in Green Lake, the Edgar Grade School, Edgar, Wisconsin and Winneconne's West Side School.  All the buildings were of a more diminutive scale, based on a similar floor plan and exterior features.   About a year ago I came across an old postcard of the Fifth Ward and Waupaca County Teacher's Training School in New London, Wisconsin and  there was something very familiar about the building.  The fenestration, arched entrance and bell cast hipped roof looked much like the 1900 grade school in Edgar Wisconsin.  I did as much online research as I could but found no information about the building.  In my frustration I turned to the director of the New London Public Museum, Christine Cross.  I sent her images of both the schools in Edgar and the 5th Ward School, asking her and her husband, archivist at the Oshkosh Public Museum, to compare the two.  Their conclusion was, given arraignment of the window, arched entry and roof shape that the buildings were by the same architect.  Ms. Cross went even further by locating an article in the New London Republican of 7/24/1907 crediting William Waters with the design and specifications for the new school building.    

The school was known as the Fifth Ward School or North Division School and was later renamed McKinley School.  It also served as the Waupaca County Teacher Training School.  As with the other schools of this pattern, there was central pavilion with an arched entrance flanked by windows.  Above the front door was a set of double windows with two windows on either side, all the window had jack arch lintels.  At the top of the wall, above the roof line was a dormer with a single arched window with an elongated keystone.  Wings on either side of the the central pavilion had nine windows, three on the basement level, three on the first floor and three on the second floor, along the sides were four window on each level.  At the back of the school was another wing, giving the structure a “T” shape.  There were windows on basement and upper floors as well as side doors protected by porches with shed roofs.  The school was built of  a cream colored brick and had a bell cast hip roof.  Chimneys on the back side flanked a bell tower that sat at the center of the roof ridge.     

More Oshkosh Buildings, Part Four

Mr. Waters continued to get commissions for commercial structures and the Oshkosh business district extending well beyond Main Street. For blocks on either side of Main there were hotels, warehouses, train depots and offices.  Algoma Blvd. for one was lined with the buildings of fraternal organizations, churches, warehouses and an empty lot or two.  In 1889 Moses Hooper had William Waters draw plans for an office building to be built on the north side of Algoma just past the Beckwith House.  It was to be constructed of local limestone, two stories high with an ample basement. Attorney Hooper had hired Waters seven years earlier to plans his residence next to the Normal School further up Algoma Blvd. That building too was of limestone and stands to this day as does the Algoma Building.

Moses Hooper, a very successful lawyer was born in Massachusetts, studied law there and came west in 1857 settling in Neenah and later moved to Oshkosh.  He made his reputation dealing with water rights, was also Kimberly Clark's business attorney and his office occupied one of the many in the Algoma Building.  Just south of the Algoma Building, on Monument Square was another Waters' building. My research has not reviled for whom or what year it was built or the building's early occupants.  In a photograph from the 1920's an F. W. Woolworth sign hung above the door.  It was no doubt the back entrance to the store for at the time of the photo Woolworth's had a Main Street address.  

The building was of classic William Waters styling: constructed in the two store front template, of cream colored brick with limestone trim and lintels.  Above the second floor windows were two pseudo gables trimmed with limestone and each holding a set of small triplet windows.  The building was demolished many years ago.   Another Waters building was just on the other side of Main Street at number 11 Waugoo Avenue.  According to the state historical society the building was built in 1891 with an addition in 1894.  It's first tenants were the North Pacific Express Company and Eagle Portrait Company.  There was no information as to who commissioned the building.

Mr. Waters employed the two store front and central stairway arrangement that had proved so effective.  The building was built of cream colored brick with accents of dark brick.  Along the top of the building was a cornice of alternating stepped out courses, just below the cornice was some intricate brickwork.  A stack of three bricks was as long as one brick, using that ratio Waters created a basket weave effect by placing a dark brick between two cream colored and alternated them vertically and horizontally.  For many years the fancy brickwork was hidden under several coats of paint but was recently cleaned away.