Name/Title
A Walk Along Main StreetScope and Content
A Walk Along Main Street Author Unknown and Date Unknown
A WALK ALONG MAIN STREET BRINGS RECOLLECTIONS OF EARLY BUSINESS MEN AND THEIR STORES
Let us take a walk on washington Street (Main Street), from the east end and beginning on the south side. But first, will one of you take a shovel and dig away down deep near the tree on the line between Mrs. William F. Johnston's property and the Witt property and you will find a big cube of lead; this marks the spot where all surveying started in the city of Waupun.
On the corner just west of the Johnson lot, now stands the Classic Theater building. This was the site of the Boston House in 1857, later called the Carrington Hotel. This original building was burned to the ground as related by Louis Spannagel, who watched the fire from the Exchange Hotel across the street. The present building was erected by Newell Whiting in 1894. He belonged to one of the old families and his son, DuMont, married one of the Althouse girls.
After the burning of the hotel, this corner was used for all kinds of celebrations. Here on March 25, 1877, to properly celebrate the election of Hayes and Wheeler, was held a barbecue. A huge pit was dug, with a heavy crotched tree at each end, a whole ox was prepared, and a pole put through the ox. With John Snyder as master of ceremonies a grand feast was enjoyed. I visited with Will and Allie Kastein about the early days and Will told me that here too were held many an Indian medicine show, with the Indians doing dances and giving their war whoops. One summer a merry-go-round was installed here and all of our good citizens enjoyed it immensely, including Mrs. L.D. Hinkley whom most of you will remember as a very dignified lady. My husband also tells me that when Mr. Maxon, the cigar maker, was feeling especially jovial and benevolent, he would buy all the evening tickets and the kids would ride that evening free.
Crossing the street, we find a building put up by W.W.Hatcher, the father of Mrs. L.L.Young. On this corner back in 1858, we are told a Mr. Arthur Hammon had a cigar, tobacco and snuff store. Later, here was a saloon run by Max Sterr. West of this, we come to the Harness Shop run by Prentice Carrington. Some of you will remember the noble white steed that used to be rolled out in the morning and back in the evening. That steed is now at the White Horse Inn, Elkhorn. We now pass a bakery formerly run by Mr. Luedtke, the gentleman who would furnish the rye bread when the butcher Shady on the S&N corner would make bologna and the gang would gather in the marble shop on the corner to the northwest and have a party.
We come to the John Hurley store. Do any of you recall the huge dried cod fish that hung out in front in all kinds of weather? John Hurley was considered one of the educated Irish of the day and was-the father of Mary Hurley a teacher and Agnes who was in the National Bank. He used to open his store on Sundays to the great indignation of many Waupun citizens. Next was a saloon run by Hangevelt, who later returned to Holland. Later was Louis Meyer's butcher shop.
Another saloon (it seems there have always been a great number of saloons in our city) and this one was run by Weinberger, who came here from LeRoy way. Where Buteyn's store is, was the former Gerrits Hardware store, owned and operated by the father of Nettie Gerrits. This was a leading store of its time and included 2 buildings. In part of it was the Gnauck Tailor Shop and Henry Kastein was with him for some time. Here as early as 1872 we find Bausch, the shoemaker and repair man, and upstairs was Keyes, also a shoemaker. In front of the upper part in 1860 was the cigar factory of Charles Bush. Here, too, Charles Hall had an office with a sign "Flour". Later he moved over to the Theater Building and this was the town office of the Banner Mills. Still later Mr. Hall had a feed store in the little triangle building on the north side of Main Street.
Now quite a wide alley, and then the building where the Trojan now stands. You go down two steps into the Shady Nook, a cozy little saloon run by Pat Brown, and later by Mr. Kukuk. Back of this building was a stable and a hitch rack (I suppose sort of forerunner of the car port), and here farmers used to tie their horses while shopping and gathering news, and discussing politics and religion. Of course, there were a great many hitching posts all along the street. There were three of these hitch racks, this one, one at the old Commercial Hotel and one at the Exchange Hotel.
Carpenter's Harness Shop stood west of this and according to the old directory he was here as early as 1858. Just remember, at the time these 1858 merchants were here in business, the city was hardly 20 years old. Mr. T.Carpenter lived on the corner of Carrington and Brown Streets, in the Kotenberg house. Later, Mr. Schuppert and his son Wesley, had this shop. In 1858, we find the Corn Exchange Bank occupying the site of the 101 Club, and it was from this bank that Mr. Hobkirk left with the bank's money, and Mr. Young could recall lifting bags into the train when Mr. Hobkirk departed out of town.
In 1861 Edward Padgham came to Waupun and bad a grocery store right along in this neighborhood. First, Mr. Phelps Moore was with him and later Mr. Padgham was alone. He married the daughter Addie of Mills Moore and Mr. Moore built the house where later the Lindsley family lived on the corner of East Brown and Watertown Streets. Later on, John Herman had a general store in the same building, and the property was then owned by Minnie Herman, the sister of John.
On this corner way back in 1858, we find listed one Florence Donohue as running a grocery store, a lager beer saloon, and a hair dressing shop. Jacob Jackson had a grocery store in this neighborhood in those early times. This southeast corner of Washington and Madison Streets now occupied by Gysbers Food Store was the Samuel Chamberlain Hardware Store in 1863. Mr. Saalfield also had a store in this building later, and sold clothing and dealt in wood, hides, watermelons, apples and potatoes. Upstairs was the downtown branch of the M.D. Wells Shoe Company where women were employed to do some of the stitching on the shoes for the M.D. Wells Company which had the convict labor at the prison. Mr. D.C. Woods, the father-in-law of Duncan McEwan, did all the draying between this branch and the prison. The cutters and the foreman for M.D. Wells Company came here with them from Massachusetts, and this brings up the names Benwaym Pratt, Ahern, Schell, Leonard, Kerigan, Sheehan and Conway.
I think the earliest name connected with the southwest corner of Washingon and Madison. streets was that of Thomas Stoddard, the organ maker and one of the men who started and helped to lay out our beautiful. Forest Mound Cemetery. He seems to have been a man of many interests as the 1858 directory lists him as bookseller amd stationer, drugs, and medicines, dye woods and dye stuffs, grocer, dealer in paints, oils and glass. Clinton Brooks and Amos Nudd were in business on this corner about 1870 selling furniture and organs which they made.
Mr. H.H. Hoard, after four years with John Roberts, a grocer, started a store on this corner in 1876, at first with A.S. Clark, and then alone, and finally with his two sons. This Mr. Clark married Lizzie Stanton, who was the daughter of George Stanton, and if you will just hurry down to the Farmer'is Elevator, you will find the Stanton Elevator. Mr. Stanton came here in 1865, and the Farmer's Elevator was moved up here from Chester now known as East Waupun. He started in buying grain and built up a big business for those days. His home was the present home of Will and Allie Kastein and they tell me he had the big barn there filled with horses and used horse power to elevate the grain at his elevator.
Then we come to Billy Moore's saloon, and next a grocery, and the earliest one I could find as owner was W.T. Schwantz, who left to become Register of Deeds of Dodge County. The store was then taken over by Will and Otto Fuss, who lived in the big brick house on Carrington Street owned by the Gerrits Reality Company. Than the Wells Drug store opened in 1856. Mr. R.W. Wells lived in the house at 12 South Madison Street. Mr. Hobkirk and Mr. E.B.Patton purchased this drug business. Then John Kastein was the owner, and it now is a Walgreen Store with the Damsteegts as owners.
The State Bank was organized in 1903 and on its present site,bringing up the names of J.C. Sherman, Sidney Sherman, cashier, Jon Herman, J.S. Morris, E.M. Beach, Oscar Hanisch, J.S. Roberts, Henry Hartgerink, and Will Rank.
Where the Hub stands today was a building formerly owned by Chris Neilson, who lived at 115 South Madison Street.
The Express Office was located in half of what is now Beyers store and the other half was Ihde Brothers Barber Shop.
Now we come to that store which used to have three steps to climb before you could enter it. The earliest occupants were Davis and Marsh (a silent partner) who ran a restaurant here. Later Frank Beale took over. About 1899 Ray Curtis, son of Professor Curtis of the old North Ward had the first pool hall here. Afterwards John Herman had a general store on this site.
The two sons of old Dr. Moore(Frank and Will) had a jewelry store next and later D.A.Hoard was in that building for a time.
Here we are at the corner, where we find Emil Haueisen with his furniture store and undertaking establishment. In 1860 he came to Waupun and went into business with Mr. Meyers and in 1872 took it over. Here in 1876 George Jess built a two story building and organized the George Jess Company Bank, on the southwest corner of Mill and Washington Streets. In 1885 the First National Bank succeeded the Jess Bank. In 1905 the National Bank of Waupun succeeded the First National Bank. Back of the bank there used to be the Bennett House, in charge of the grandparents of Grace Sheehan. The Odd Fellows Block comes in just west of the bank. West of this the Baptist Church stood on the corner.
Dr. Moore of olden days had his home on the southwest corner of Forest and Washingtin Streets on the corner where there is now a filling station, and next L.F.Butts built a very fine home about 1878. Re also put up the Butts Building which is the site of Jockey's Tavern today and was considered the finest building in the town at the time it was built and at one time housed the United States Post Office.
Beichel and Kleugel ran a hardware store in the place where Landaal Brothers had their store for some time. Next came Meyers Horseshoeing shop run at various times by Charles Graves, John Luck, and Bob Bloedel. The building at 101 East Main Street where the Lucks now have a grocery store was the old Methodist Church.
In the next block came Althouse-Wheeler and then the Railroad Store. Wood and Meddins were here in 1875, and in 1882 A.C. Scott bought the stock and building from Henry Wood.
West of the railroad tracks was once the location of a Pump Shop owned by Althouse and Isaac Thompson, the father of Elinor Evensen's father. Will Green, whom some of you may remember as a former mayor, was employed here.
West of the Pump Shop was the Ohio House, run by Joshua Crawford. In 1871, his grandson, Benjamin Harding, the son of a Civil War soldier was born there. Benjamin after attending school in Waupun returned to Ohio with the family and became a doctor. His son was Warren Harding.
On the southwest corner of Beaver Dam Road and Washington Street was the former home of Fred Rikkers' father. On beyond was the store run by Fred Bush. Do you remember him and his peddler's wagon?
Guess we will have to walk a little faster on the other side of the street. We will start back at the east end again as more history seems to be within those next two blocks. Where the S&N now stands, (Northeast corner of Washington and Fond du Lac Streets) the father of Charlotte Davie had a little store in the earlier days, and then the butcher shop of Mr. Shady was in that place.
Across the street to the west was the livery barn of Phelps Moore and in 1851 it was said he had the best livery stock in this part of the country.
Later this was the site of the Johnston Brothers' Livery Barn, which will bring memories to many old time Waupunites. This was the gathering place of the Democrats of the vicinity and much history was made here and it earned the name of Tammany Hall. In the summer there were long benches out in front on which gathered many of our citizens and listened to words of wisdom. Frank Johnston was one of the chief speakers. In the winter they moved inside and here were three cots and four captains chairs. Two of these are now in the veterinarian's office across the street as well as the old clock. When the Post Office eas moved up to the corner of Mill and Main, the pigeon holes were brought down to this office and you could go in and ask for almost anything on earth and you could be sure it was in the Post Office: candy, gum, oranges, apples, small repair hardware.
Then comes the little marble shop owned by Mr. Claman, mentioned before. Next were the livery stables of Chet and Billy Warren and Mr. Bocher ran the bus for them between Waupun and Chester.
Pat Donovan, the father of James Donovan, had a saloon next and I am told that the Scotch used to gather here regularly, the Stoddarts, the Inglases, the Middletons and Nickersons, to transact business deals and discuss politics. About where Hull's Store now is, Timothy Donovan, son of Pat, had a clothing store, and he later moved to Fergus Falls, and this was the first movie theater with James Donovan managing it. Was this the place where the Erdman boy used to read the story of the movie aloud?
Upstairs over Donovans was Bush and Tillotson, later Tillotson and Maxon Cigars, Later William Fisher and William Gorehouse, cigar makers.
Now we come to the City Hotel, opened by Mr. Spanagel in 1863 as the Exchange Hotel. This had 25 rooms, 5 rooms having two beds in each. It was heated by a huge long stove that could take 6 pieces of cord wood at once. The cooking stove had 8 griddles with a long pipe with a drum in the middle of it for baking.
An alley with one of the parking places of those days, came where we remember Art Davison's Store; where is now Meenk's Electric Store was Bogie's meat market. Fenelons used to intimate that Bogie's Meat Market was not as clean as Fenelon's. The school kids used to go to Bogie's and get short ribs for clappers.
In 1872 Fred Schnasse and Duven had a general store where Farmer's tavern now is. In 1872 Silber had the first "Jew Store" in Waupun next west, and later Louis Sapiro, and Kramer was in there. The Post Office was at one time where the Farmer's Tavern now is and I think Tom Stoddard was the post master at that time, or else later on when the post office was located where Giebink's Store was.
Another saloon run by Herman Carroll (who married Kitty Manogue) and Glen Denning, and later by Silas Warren.
William Gore, Sr. was the owner of a general store along in here back in 1882 and his son Mr. W.C.D. Gore, had a grocery store near the corner for some time, in the east side of the Rank Building in 1886.
Mr. Rank, the father of Charles and Will, came to Waupun in 1885 and early had a store in partnership with Mr. Manz and is so listed in early directories. Later he built the Rank Block and in 1876 is listed as operating the store alone. Of course most of us know that corner as Rank Brothers Dry Goods, and later Charles was there alone and Will Rank was in partnership with Albert Donovan where Welch's Store now is.
I read somewhere that Bryce and Ferguson were at one time near this same corner and that the lock up was in back of their store.
In this same old directory of 1858 there were eleven teachers listed and the population of Waupun was 1935.
In 1846 the Emporium was established on the northwest corner of Madison and Washington Streets, by Thomas Snow. This was. the first store in the present business part. Mr. Snow had started his store in a small building in connection with John Ackerman's home on the west side. When it prospered he moved the building to East Washingtion Street.
Where the corner Drug Store now stands there was an old building which was later moved onto the lot north and used by Matt Mugridge as an implement shop. The present building was built by Mr. De Groat. Hattie Hill was born in the old building on this corner.
Some of the old time names along here were James De Witt Saloon, Ralph Whiting Candy Kitchen and the Henry Boland Saloon. Then came Bryce and Ferguson Hardware store and this dates from about 1860. C. and E.W. Jones had the dry goods store where is now the Welch Store and Stelsel and Williams were early owners of a clothing store where the United Electric Store is. Dr. Turner had a drug store where the Heuer Store is and next Wm. Oliver had a hardware store. Lovell Hardware Store and the John Roberts Grocery. Mr. Roberts was also agent for the American Express Company. He was the father of Mrs. Jessie Welch and Myra Roberts.
Dr. Leonard Jeremiah Look came to Waupun in 1848 and had a home on the northwest corner of Mill and Washington Streets where the Waupun Hotel now stands. Dr. Look was the first president of the village of Waupun, elected in 1857. The village trustees under his administration were: Wm. Reinhardt, Seymour Wilcox, J.W. Whitney and George Bly. W.H. Taylor was clerk. The doctor's daughter, Mable, was a great friend of Inez Wilcox.
The corner where the Schrank Clinic now stands was the home and tailor shop of R.L. Graham who came here in 1848 and worked with Howard and Tanner for a while and in 1853 started alone. I think this was the house that Mrs. Levey told us she used to like to pass and look into the dining room with its beautiful display of silver on the sideboard.
"Ma" and "Pa" Blaisdell ran the Brunswick Hotel where the Chevrolet Garage now is located at 116 East Washington Street. After the Brunswick Hotel burned. they had as their hotel the house on the corner just east of that location where Dr. Newton, the veterinarian, lived later, and the Standard Station is now. Dr. Newton bought the Railroard Store of A.C. Scott in 1897 and had it moved west of his home for use as an office.
There was a coal yard in about where Staehling Brothers now are and on the corner was a paint shop owned by Althouse.Acquisition
Accession
2011.0500Source or Donor
Waupun Newspapers and other newspapers.Acquisition Method
Bequest,Collected byCredit Line
These are basically newspaper article that Jim cut from the newspapers and presented for documentation.
