Property Record
9990 S WATER ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor |
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| Other Name: | Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 26080 |
| Location (Address): | 9990 S WATER ST |
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| County: | Door |
| City: | Ephraim |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
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| Year Built: | 1910 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 19752014 |
| Historic Use: | small retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Boomtown |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Clapboard |
| Architect: | Oscar Wilson and Peter Knudson |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| National Register Listing Date: | |
| State Register Listing Date: |
| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. 2014- "This 2-story Commercial Vernacular building was constructed in 1910. It is irregular in plan with vinyl siding and an asphalt-shingled gable roof. The front elevation faces west and is asymmetrical in plan with a false front. A pair of 2-over-2 windows is located in the center of the second story. A shed-roofed porch spans the west elevation; this features squared wood supports and turned wood railings. Inside the porch are a pedestrian doorway and a series of multi-pane picture and double-hung windows. A series of early-twentieth-century additions are located along the north and south elevations and off of the southeast corner. The building’s interior was not accessible at the time of survey, but some areas were visible through un-shuttered windows. From this view, the interior appears to contain concrete floors, a drop ceiling, and counter that runs the length of the shop with a wooden base and a marble countertop." -"STH 42: Bluff Lane (Gibraltar) to Country Walk Dr (Sister Bay), WisDOT#4140-19-00, Prepared by Gail Klein, (2014). 2016- "Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor is a Commercial Vernacular building constructed in 1910 by owner Oscar Wilson and local carpenter and hotel owner Peter Knudson. The property consists of an original rectangular balloon-framed building with subsequent gable-roofed additions to the north and south, and shed roof additions to the east. The original clapboards have been covered or replaced with vinyl siding. Windows vary in size and style, and are a mix of replacements and multi-paned originals. The roof is clad in fish scale asphalt shingles. Exact dates of many of the exterior and interior alterations are unknown, as multiple owners took on many different projects during their separate tenures. West (front) elevation The front elevation of the building faces west towards STH 42 and Eagle Harbor. The recessed central entryway consists of a paneled and glazed door flanked by three 9-over-9 double hung windows on each side. The hipped roof porch that spans most of the front elevation originally wrapped around the south side of the building, but the southern portion was enclosed prior to 1941 with multiple 8-pane casement windows, three of which are visible on the west elevation and may be original. To the north of the original building is a two-story addition constructed prior to 1941, with the first story of the addition projecting forward under a shed roof to be flush with the fac;:ade of the original building. This addition contains a bay of three single-paned casement windows with decorative shutters and a bracket-supported flower box underneath. The second story of the original building features a false front, added between 1941 and 1961, with the peak of the gabled roof projecting slightly above. The cornice is plain, supported by four curved brackets. The only decorations are the raking and horizontal fascia boards underneath the gable cornice that form a subtle triangle. The pair of second-story windows are 2-over-2 double hung and are slightly arched. Originally, there was only one window in the peak of the gable, but another was added when the second story interior was partitioned into two rooms lengthwise along the ridgeline. The second story of the north addition contains a bay of two smaller double hung windows flanked by shutters, in the same style as the windows in the primary gable. Prominent signage for the restaurant is mounted to the top of the porch roof and wraps around to the south side. The porch features square wooden support posts and turned wood railings. North elevation The north elevation consists of a two-story gable roofed addition with a one-story flat roofed projection to the west. This first story of this addition was built out to be flush with the rest of the original facade between 1961 and 1965, in order to accommodate the addition of four more booths in the restaurant's interior. The full details of the north elevation are not visible due to the fence and tree line, as well as the close proximity of the neighboring hotel building to the north. A wooden staircase is visible on this elevation, however, which provides access to the second floor living quarters. East elevation The east elevation is partially obscured from view due to a high fence around the rear service entrance of the restaurant. The elevation is comprised of multiple shed-roofed additions to the original gable roofed structure. The peak of the gable on the second story contains a pair of slightly arched 2-over-2 double hung windows identical to those on the second story of the west elevation. An enclosed shed-roof addition begins just below the windows in the gable, and contains a pair of 9-over-9 double hung windows on the northern end. A further projection of this shed roof addition has been added in the middle of the elevation and serves as a rear entry. The exact dates of these shed roof additions are unknown. The east side of a one-story gable roofed addition extending from the southeast corner of the building is also visible on this elevation, but the view is hindered by a walk-in cooler unit attached to the east wall. South elevation The south elevation is comprised of the enclosed side porch of the original gable-roofed structure and the single-story front-gabled addition to the southeast corner of the building, both added to the building prior to 1941. The enclosed porch features a row of nine 8-paned casement windows and a set of multi-paned French doors giving access to the interior of the restaurant. Above the porch, on the roof of the original gable-roofed building mass, is a shed-roofed dormer with two 9-paned windows, added to the building between 1975 and 1980. In the immediate foreground of the enclosed porch is an outdoor seating area on a slightly raised wooden platform. The front of the one-story gable-roofed addition is asymmetrical, with an offset entryway underneath a flared, shingled awning supported by curved brackets. New 6-over-6 double hung windows flank either side of the awning. Immediately above the awning are brackets for possible signage, now empty, with a circular vent in the peak of the gable. Interior The interior of the restaurant consists of the original restaurant space as well as additional seating areas, provided with the enclosure of the southern porch and the building and alteration of the north addition. The rear additions of the restaurant contain the service areas and kitchen. The original restaurant space is rectangular in plan and has hard wood floors and a drop-tiled ceiling. On the southern side of this area is a marble-topped ice cream and soda fountain counter. Shelves and a mirror line the south wall behind the counter and are covered by a red and white striped awning. The marble-topped counter rests on a wooden, vertical board base with wrought iron brackets. The marble counter top was added in the past 20 years, replacing the original wooden top. The north wall of the original space is covered by a large white shelving unit with a cash register and display case in front. An opening in the rear wall of this space formerly held a staircase to the second story living quarters. Between 1985 and 1997, the staircase was removed to the north exterior of the building. The space now contains a jukebox and the entrance to the modern, tiled restrooms. An opening on the north wall leads to a separate seating area with high-backed vinyl booths and wall-mounted tables. Each booth has its own personal jukebox mounted on the wall. In the original building space, an opening on the south wall at the end of the soda fountain counter leads to the enclosed porch seating area to the south, containing four vinyl booths. A set of French doors on the exterior wall of the porch leads to the outdoor seating area. The flooring in this section of the restaurant is comprised of large flagstones laid by the original owner when the porch was first enclosed. Light fixtures in the restaurant are Tiffany-style glass lamps suspended above the booths and the fountain counter. Walls throughout these dining areas are plaster, with high chair rails and painted wooden paneling underneath. Wall decor is a mixture of antique signs and posters, added from the antique collections of former owners from 1985 to the present day, as well as photographs of the restaurant's changing interiors and exterior. The kitchen and service areas of the restaurant are found at the rear of the building. These spaces are more utilitarian than the public restaurant spaces, with fluorescent lighting and tile or concrete floors. The main kitchen contains stainless steel appliances and cooking tools and is housed in the southern gable-roofed addition, with a door to the outside on the south wall. The shed-roofed addition to the rear of the original building contains a series of walk-in freezers as well as an office and storage space. The small shed-roofed entryway with a paneled and glazed door is located at the very back of the kitchen additions. Historic Context First explored by French fur traders and explorers as early as the 1600s, permanent white settlement of Door County began in the 1840s in the area of Fish Creek. The county was first organized in 1851 as part of Manitowoc County, and was later separated from Manitowoc in 1855 and reorganized. The first economic pursuits in the forested Door County were fishing, trapping, and logging, with agriculture not far behind. Success in farming was limited, however, as much of the peninsula was covered in a layer of limestone just a few feet below grade. Too shallow for traditional farming, the soil was soon found to be an excellent environment for fruit trees. The earliest orchards were planted in 1862, with large-scale fruit plantings of apples, cherries and plums occurring by the turn of the century. Also at the turn of the century, Door County's tourism industry began to develop. The peninsula's natural beauty had long attracted summer visitors and sightseers, but travel to the area was difficult, with limited rail and road access. That changed with the arrival of the Goodrich Shipping Line in 1888, which made Ephraim a regular port of call and opened the door to trade, travel, and tourists. Improvement of the roads began in 1905, further increasing access to the area. Door County's summer tourism and resort industry soon grew to be the foundation of the region's economy. By 1917, the summer tourism business was bringing the county a quarter of a million dollars per year. As the number of visitors every year increased, development in and around Ephraim expanded to accommodate them. In 1919, the Village of Ephraim was incorporated. Summer tourism continued to increase to such a degree that in 1927, one newspaper speculated that 300 visitors had been turned away on Memorial Day weekend because of a lack of available accommodations. 8 Hotel dining rooms, which formerly offered three meals a day to their guests, began to discontinue service as demand for outside dining grew. During the early-and mid-20th century, area restaurants began to prosper. Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor thrived during the early 201h century because it offered the mid-meal treats and short-order food services that were not available at other traditional restaurants and hotels in Ephraim. Although their offerings have expanded over time, Wilson's continues to thrive due to the subsequent owners' promotion of the restaurant's vintage ice cream parlor experience. Currently, the number of restaurants within village limits remains low when compared to neighboring towns Sister Bay and Fish Creek, possibly due to the fact that Ephraim was, and remains to this day, a dry town. As tourism is almost exclusively a summer industry, the population of Ephraim swells from just under 300 permanent residents to 2000 during the summer. The increase is comprised mainly of seasonal resort, retail, and restaurant workers. Tourism drops off at the end of October, and many hotels, restaurants, and businesses are shuttered for the winter. Property History Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor was constructed in 1910 by owner Oscar Wilson and local carpenter and hotel owner Peter Knudson. Originally a confectionary and ice cream parlor, restaurant services with short-order foods like burgers were added within a few years as business grew. The business remained in the Wilson family for 51 years, followed by a number of subsequent owners. Each new owner attempted to enhance and modernize the business without altering the "old-fashioned ice cream parlor experience." Oscar Wilson, a candy-maker from Milwaukee, relocated his family to Door County in the early 1900s. He established his first confectionary and ice cream parlor at the corner of Cedar Street and Water Street in Ephraim in 1906, but soon constructed a new building south on Water Street with the help of local carpenter and hotel owner Peter Knudson. This original structure was a simple balloon frame, gable-fronted building on a rough-cut stone foundation. It featured an offset, hipped roof porch that wrapped around the west and south sides of the building. The main fagade faced west towards Eagle Bay, and contained a recessed entryway flanked by large 4-paned windows, and a single 4-over-4 window in the second story above the porch. During the early years of Oscar Wilson's ownership, the Wilson family lived above the restaurant during the summer season and rented their permanent home (no longer extant) to summer vacationers in order to increase their profits. The location of this home was south of the restaurant on what is now municipal park land. To accommodate a family with four sons, the second story of the restaurant was split in half lengthwise, and a second window was added to the main facade to provide natural light in each room. A third bedroom was also added to the second story when the restaurant was expanded to the north, giving the building a gabled-ell shape. Also during his ownership, Oscar Wilson enclosed a portion of the porch on the south side of the building, adding a row of windows allowing for views of the harbor, and replacing the wooden plank floor of the porch with heavy flagstones that are still present today. Business was booming during the early years, leading to several alterations to the original building. In addition to the expansion to the north, an addition was attached to the southeast fagade with an entrance to the south, which housed a real estate office operated by son Harold Wilson, as well as an office for a branch of the Sturgeon Bay Bank. In 1941, Orvis Wilson bought the business from his father, who still remained in an advisory capacity for several years. During his ownership of 20 years, part of the addition on the southeast corner devoted to the Sturgeon Bay Bank was absorbed into the restaurant as part of the kitchen. At an unknown point during this time, the west facade of the original building was altered with the addition of a purely decorative, squared false front, with the gabled peak of the roof protruding. Signage on the roof of the porch of the west facade was also in place by 1950. Despite exterior alterations, however, until 1961 business continued as usual at Wilson's in much the same way as in 1906. In 1961, Wilson's Ice Cream Parlor left the hands of the family that started it. Orvis Wilson sold the business to young out-of-towners Bob and Liz Schroeder. During their short tenure, the Schroeders expanded the first floor of the building's north addition, bringing the wall forward to be flush with the west facade of the original building in order to add four more booths for seating. In 1965, they sold the building to Marge Binder and Mary Elizabeth "Bibs" McAghon, who transformed the real estate office into The Little Store, selling eggs, bread, and other convenience items. They also began to update much of the kitchen equipment, including a large walk in cooler, automatic ice machine, three new refrigerators, and an upgraded cash register. During AI and Chris Ashley's ownership from 1975 until 1980, they undertook the task of updating the second level of the restaurant, which had served as employee living quarters since the 1930s. They further divided the space into smaller, more private rooms with bunk beds, adding a shed-roofed dormer to the southern elevation for more light. They also discontinued The Little Store, expanding the kitchen into that space and thereby absorbing the entirety of the southern addition into the restaurant. Tim and Nancy Christofferson owned the restaurant from 1980 to 1985, and created the popular outdoor seating area on the asphalt to the south of the building, enclosed by removable white fences and flower pots and covered with the distinctive red and white striped awning. They also combined the original two soda fountain counters inside the restaurant into one long counter that stretches along the southern wall of the original building. AI and Judy Lohman, owners from 1985 to 1997, undertook the re-roofing of the entire building, first removing five layers of old shingles. They also removed the interior staircase to the second story at the rear of the original structure (the second floor is now accessed by an exterior staircase to the north), allowing for the addition of a jukebox in that space. They also added many of their own antiques to the restaurant in an attempt to enhance the feeling of an old-fashioned ice cream parlor. It is also likely at this time that the wooden clapboard siding was replaced with vinyl. The Elquist family, the property's current owners, have owned and operated Wilson's since 1997. During their tenure, they have added air conditioning units to the restaurant interior as well as screening to the outdoor seating area. In addition, they have replaced the wooden soda fountain counter top with one of marble." -"Willson's Ice Cream Parlor", WisDOT#4140-19-00, Prepared by UWM-CRM (Kelly Noack), (2016). |
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| Bibliographic References: | DOOR COUNTY ADVOCATE, 6/9/1910. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |