1124-1128 Oregon St

Summary

Baumann Block
1124-1128 Oregon Street, Oshkosh, Winnebago County
Date of Construction: circa 1894; (remodeled 1910; 1926)

The Bauman Block, also known as the Star Theater, is a fine example of Queen Anne commercial architecture in the city of Oshkosh. When the downtown area in north Oshkosh was rebuilt after city wide fires in 1874 and 1875, many were designed by local architect William Waters in the Queen Anne style. Much of the downtown is intact today. However, few examples of Queen Anne commercial architecture exist in south Oshkosh.

As a theater, the Bauman Block, also known as the Star Theater, is one of the last remaining examples of a neighborhood theater in Oshkosh. On the interior the Star still has elements of design from its days as a theater. The projection room still exists on the second floor and features the cutouts for the film reels; the ticket booth and swinging doors are in place at the entrance which is also adorned with decorative cast tin sheets.

Built circa 1894, it operated as a grocery store in the north half and a meat market in the south half. In 1910 the grocery section was converted into a movie theater named the Star Theater. In 1926 a fire broke out in the projection room. An extensive remodel took place that same year that included repairs, remodeling and fireproofing. When the building was sold in 1961 it transitioned into a dry-cleaning business on the north half and an insurance business (office space) in the south half. The west facing facade was "modernized" with an infill of wood over the theater's arched lobby entryway reducing the size of the entrance. At some point the theater marquee was removed. The entrance at the corner of W 12th Avenue and Oregon Street was also reduced in size. In 1994 efforts were made to restore the facades to their original look for the building's 100th birthday.

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