Exploring Stevens Point Wisconsin (#1)

Between family visits and outings, Laurie, her sisters and I spent a fair amount of time exploring Stevens Point.  I’d put together a list of locations listed on the National Register of Historic Places for Portage County Wisconsin…

This is the August G. and Theresa Green house at 1501 Main Street.  This Queen Anne style home was built in 1903.  August Green was a Prussian immigrant.  He invested in real estate and he operated a meat market as well as a lumber and coal businesses in Stevens Point.  Looks like he was successful! 

Some homes are faring better than others.  This unusual structure is the Christina Kuhl House 1416 Main Street.  Notice the For Rent sign in the front.  This huge French Second Empire house, built in 1886 by a family of cabinet-makers, brewers and developers, definitely needs some loving attention.  The home is a frame construction with a red brick veneer and that mansard roof is covered with tin.   

The Fox Theater at 1116 – 1118 Main Street was built for G.F. Andrae in 1894.  He was a German immigrant and well known businessman and builder in the city.  It was originally known as the Grand Opera House and when it opened it served as a vaudeville and stage theater.  Escape artist Harry Houdini performed here in 1897.  Eugene V. Debs, a 4 times Socialist candidate for President of the United States, took the stage in 1904.  Debs received 3% of the popular vote in that year.

Before becoming the Fox Theater, and after its stint as the Grand Opera House, the theater was renamed The Majestic.  The theater showed its last movie in 1986.  Andrae’s descendants owned the building until 2013 when they donated it to the city.  Attempts to revitalize and reopen it are underway…

Citizen’s National Bank built its first structure on this site at 1045 Main Street in 1893.  The bank was remodeled in 1921 and it’s considered the finest example of the Classical Revival style in downtown Stevens Point.  Note that giant eagle over the entrance!  This bank has operated on this site for 125 years as of 2018. 

Built in 1915, the Shafton Block at 1019 Main Street is a good example of the Art Deco style although it has elements of the Prairie School of design as well.  This building was constructed by merchant Israel Shafton.  He sold glassware and crockery.

 

I actually think that the building to the right of the Shafton Block is more appealing.  I love the windows above the doors and show windows on the first floor as well as the arches over the windows on the second floor.  The top of the building is very ornate and the date cap states that it was built in 1902.

This small corner building is the former location of the Bank of Stevens Point.  This 2-story stone Italianate style building at 968 Main Street was constructed in 1864.  Unfortunately the façade has been badly altered with that big window on the second floor and the aluminum and glass storefront on the first floor.  All the stone has been painted too…

This location apparently was previously occupied by Grubba Jewelers.  The current occupant is Radio KAOS, a shop that sells CD’s and vinyl records.

Grubba Jewelers has relocated to 949 Main Street.  It's now occupying the M. Clifford Block, an Italianate commercial building that was constructed in 1877.  The original elongated windows remain on the second story but a shake-covered mansard roof and a remodeled storefront have somewhat changed the look of the original structure.  It’s still a handsome building in my opinion…

The Ossowski Saloon and Glinski Building was completed in 1890.  It’s the best example of a Queen Ann commercial building in the downtown historic district.  It is ornate and eye-catching.  It is situated at 912 Main Street at one corner of the Public Square.  The large tower (bartizan) at the front is capped by an interesting bell-shaped roof.  Originally the building was occupied by 2 stores, hence the second entrance.

The current tenant occupying both sections of this terrific looking building is... appropriately enough for Wisconsin as well as for this structure...Graffiti’s Sports Pub.  

Kuhl’s Block was completed in 1885 at 925 Main Street on the east side of the Public Square.  The building now appears as 2 buildings due to the remodeling and painting of the former Gwidt Drug Store portion of the structure.  The other portion was once occupied by a store named “Hat City”.  I really love the brick work at the top of the combined structure.

Times change and today this structure is occupied by a women’s boutique named Bria Bella and Company and the Monkey Wrench Tattoo Company.

The good news is that these and most of the buildings I photographed in downtown Stevens Point are still in use…and not just abandoned and empty.

That’s about it for this edition of my blog.  Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave