Property Record
318 ELM ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Walter Brewing Co. |
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| Other Name: | WALTER'S BREWERY CO. |
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| Reference Number: | 29642 |
| Location (Address): | 318 ELM ST |
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| County: | Eau Claire |
| City: | Eau Claire |
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| Year Built: | 1909 |
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| Additions: | 1913 |
| Survey Date: | 1997 |
| Historic Use: | brewery/distillery/winery |
| Architectural Style: | Romanesque Revival |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
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| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | The Walter Brewing Company, located on the city's near north side, is a large brick industrial building. According to the 1931 Sanborn Perris map the large corner structure contained the brew house, the stock house, and the main office. At one time another large structure located just west of this building served as the malt house and beer storage area. The original structure that remains ranges from two to four stories and features round headed and rectangular openings, and decorative corbelling. The entire eastern portion of the building has been covered by concrete panels. To the rear of the structure and facing North Barstow Street is another building marked "Bottlery." Rectangular in plan, the brick edifice is highilghted by a stepped parapet and large rectangular openings. According to one source (B), the tile bricks used on the interior of the bottlery were an innovative measure. There is some confusion, at least in my mind (surveyor M. Taylor), concerning the evolution of the brewery and the structures. Sources stated that the first brewery was located at Forest and Elm Streets and was destroyed by fire in 1909. The 1897 Sanborn map shows the brewery at its present location with the main building, which is no longer standing, at the northeast corner of Hobart and Elm Street, a location that coincides with the address of the Sommermeyer brewery given in the directories (Sommermeyer was the original owner.) The 1931 map provides both buildings but the first structure is smaller in size - the entire rear portion which contained a beer storage area is gone. Thus from this information, it appears that the 1909 fire destroyed the rear of the malt house and the structure that remains today was constructed at that time (E). John Walter, born in Germany in 1853 (his residence is located at 605 N. Barstow Street, 3L/37), settled in Eau Claire in 1889. He purchased the Sommermeyer family brewery in the same year, and reopened it as the Walter Brewery in 1890 (B,D). Still in operation today, the Walter Brewery is one of the few surviving small, family-owned breweries in Wisconsin. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) Building inscription. (B) Eau Claire Industrial Review, 1955, pamphlet available at Chippewa Valley Museum. (C) Leader Telegram, November 7., 1981. (D) Eau Claire Leader, May 10, 1932. (E) 1897, 1931 Sanborn Perris Maps. (F) Barland, p. 304. (G) See City of Eau Claire Commission Landmarks Nomination form. Eau Claire Landmarks booklet published by the Landmarks Commission in 2002. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |