Name/Title
Waupun City HallScope and Content
Historical information on Waupun City Hall for 1976 Bicentennial Celebration in Waupun, WI.
*Facts are typed and was scanned with mistakes, if any, left uncorrected.
WAUPUN CITY HALL HISTORY
The Waupun City Hall was built in 1927 and 1928, and the first service, sponsored by the pastors of the community was held on. Sunday evening, April 8, 1928. The Rev. William Staehling, of the Immanuel Lutheran Church was selected to preach the sermon. Music was furnished by the Waupun High School band and the Community Chorus.
For many years, before definite steps were taken to construct the City Hall, citizens discussed the advisability of a building to adequately house the city administrative offices, the police department, fire department and a Community Center.
The expense of such a building seemed unsurmountable. The Waupun Power and Light had a $60,000 surplus which could be used toward the building fund. Two bond issues were authorized, which brought in $70,000. Early estimates set the cost at $100,000, but the building actually cost more than $150,000.
The first definite action was taken by the Common Council in May, 1924, when a city resolution stated that the city should begin looking for a site for the building and it was referred to the board of public works.
On July 1, 1924, the board of public works reported favorably on the present site and the report was accepted by the Council.
On Jan. 21, 1925, the Council voted to appropriate $14,000 to buy the site from the Union Congregational Church.
On Feb. 3, 1925, Mayor F. A. McElroy, was authorized by the Council to appoint a committee of seven citizens as a municipal building committee. This committee was to investigate plans and suggestions for the new building. Two hundred dollars was appropriated for the committee's expense.
The entire building was planned and built under the supervision of Auler, Jensen, and Brown of Oshkosh. Henry Auler was in charge of the of the construction and he was insistant on high standards.
The overall diminsions of the building are 109 by 107 feet. At its highest point it is 43 feet above the street level, with the main floor of the building at 13 feet above street level.
Architecturally, it is of Grecian design. Four giant Corinthian pillars guard the Main entrance and contribute much to its impressiveness. It is terraced in two levels, the first about 8 feet high and the second about 5 feet. This elevation gives the entire structure a commanding position and adds to its beauty. Two separate sets of concrete steps mount the terrace to the main entrance, which opens into a beautiful lobby and the auditorium, which seats 500 persons in removable seats on the first floor and a balcony which seats another 300 in permanently set padded chairs. The edge of the balcony is magnificently ornate with 8 beautiful pendent-type fixtures that light the whole auditorium, and hang from the ceiling.
The east and west side entrances lead to offices or the main floor which surround the auditorium. The Clerk-treasurers and City Assessor offices and the Council Chambers are located on the west side, while the City Engineer, Health Office and City Secretary's offices and the maintainence office are located on the east side of the Auditorium.
On the lower level on the west side is the Park & Recreation office and the Chamber of Commerce is on the east side. In between is the Emergency Government office.
On the south side is the fire chief's office, the firemen's hall, the fire truck garage and on the south west side is the police department.
The floors were originally covered with Tile-Tex tile made of asphalt, asbestos, and rubber, making the floors 100% water, acid and alkali proof. The auditorium is hard wood, and varnished for dancing.
The City Hall is in fine shape today, as the walls of the offices have been paneled and the floors carpeted with commercial indoor-outdoor carpeting. Indirect lighting has beer placed in lowered ceilings.
Dr. F. T. C1ark was the mayor during the years of construction, and under his guidance, the financial program was formulated and both bond issues passed by large majorities when presented to the voters.
Opera chairs for the balcony were furnished by the Kotenberg furniture Company. The 318 chairs follow the horse shoe form of the balcony and are back and arm padded with a tilt-type seat. The seats are set on different step levels, are very comfortable and offer an unrestricted view of the auditorium stage. All the aisles are wide for quick exit.
The Kotenberg firm also furnished the 12 root Council table, in solid walnut of period design with a plate glass top. Nine upholstered chairs of walnut and blue grained leather formed the suite for the Council. Eight all wood pull up chairs accompanied the suite to furnish the Council Chamber which was located in the south west corner of the building. The Council was the city's executive and administrative board and in the Council Chamber, most of the important measures considered were either passed or rejected. The mayor was the chairman of the board and president of the municipal corporation. He had no vote except in the matter of a tie, but he could veto measures - which could be over rode by a 3/4 vote of the alderman.
The auditorium folding chairs were furnished by H. L. Beyers and were made in Fort Washington. The seats were grouped several to a section and were stored under the stage when not in use. Doors opened on the face of the stage to provide for this storage end trucks were built the full depth of the stage to aid in easy handling of the chairs.
The Community Room on the lower level was one of the most popular rooms of the new City Hall. It was designed to be used for small groups, with a seating capacity of 125 or less. It is 45 feet long and 32 feet wide and adjoins the kitchen for easy food serving. Today, this hall is used by the firemen for their meetings. Or election days, voters of the fifth and sixth aldermanic districts use this hall as their polling place. The first through fourth districts vote in the auditorium.
The large kitchen, 21 by 13 feet was designed to function for the Community room for smaller parties and for the large parties or banquets in the upstairs auditorium. Two dumb waiters were installed to handle dishes or food to the upstairs diners and a serving room 13 by 13 feet with a pass through window shelf aided either area.
The new clerk's office was located or the south west side of the building, where the City's formal business was transacted. Two rooms south of the west entrance were used by the Clerk, Richard Zimmerman, and the third room was used by the treasurer, Otto Amthor. The three rooms had a space of 29 by 14 feet. A large safe was used for current records in the general office and the older records were stored in the spacious vault below the auditorium lobby. Both the Clerk and Treasurers Offices opened into the corridor through windows and business was transacted with out entering the offices.
The Waupun Savings & Loan and Chamber of Commerce office was located in the north west corner of the City Hall, starting on May 1, 1928. It was the first tenant besides the city offices. Today, that office is occupied by the City Assessor.
The satin lined velour window draperies and the twisted wrought iron rods with novelty iron brackets and center ornaments were supplied by Welch Bros., a well known department store at that time. All the draperies were custom made in their work room.
On the balcony and in the Community room the drapes were hung on rods with draw cord equipment (the fore runner of today's traverse rods) and decorated wooden cornices covered the rods.
The plumbing was installed, by F. E. Grebe Plumbing and Heating firm. Crane fixtures were used through out all the restrooms. Rest rooms were provided for men on the north west corner of the main floor and the lower level and the ladies rest rooms were located on the north east corner on the main floor and also on the lower level. Lounges adjoined the rest rooms on the lower level for both sexes. The police department was equipped with wash rooms and toilets were installed in the jail part. Lavatories were provided in the dressing rooms adjoining the stage in the auditorium. The Grebe firm also supplied the down spouts from the roof.
The electrical wiring and fixtures were installed by O. Danielson and were of the finest design and finish and followed the latest scientific lighting principles.
A Beaver Dam firm, Frank Zweck, did the sheet metal work. The building material, bricks and woodwork were supplied by the Fuller Goodman Company located or E. Main Street.
The Police Department is located in the south west corner on the street level. The police department office was 13 by 21 feet, a door at the rear of the department opened to two cell rooms (jail), one for male a7d one for female prisoners. Police Chief, William Tetzlaff, noted that there was room for 8 cells in the male jail, but thankfully, they were never needed. The women's part was one room without cells.
The fire department, housed on the street level, had 34 by 38 foot room to keep the two fire trucks, the hook and ladder truck and the hose cart. One fire truck was for City protection and the other for country or community use. Three large doors on Forest Street opened to assure exit effeciency when answering alarms.
The City fire truck had a 90 horse power Seagrave motor, which was also used for pumping purposes. It was fully equipped with 1800 feet of hose; about 500 feet of 2 ½ inch hose were carried on the hose cart, which was always ready it case of emergency. Axes, pike poles, helmets and other equipment were carried on the truck. The volunteer firemen, with Albert Kohlman as Chief, Walter Luck as ass't chief, Peter Masstricht as hook and ladder captain and Albert Hoeft as hose captain and 18 other firemen were always ready to go as soon as the fire alarm rang.
The townships of Alto, Waupun, Chester and Trenton are protected by the Community truck. Three volunteers were in charge of that truck at that time: Elmer Landaal captain, with Fred Haase and Walter Robbins assisting.
Today, we still have both the City and the Community trucks, but they have been replaced by newer equipment and new trucks.
Today, the Park and Recreation office is located in the former men's lounge, or the lower level, adjacent to the men's rest room.
The Emergency Government office is located in the original cloak room and the Chamber of Commerce office is located in the former ladies lounge, adjacent to the ladies rest room.Acquisition
Accession
2016.0075Source or Donor
Waupun Area Chamber of CommerceAcquisition Method
Donation
