Property Record
114 W COOK ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | |
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| Other Name: | ANTIQUE MALLS OF PORTAGE |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 29980 |
| Location (Address): | 114 W COOK ST |
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| County: | Columbia |
| City: | Portage |
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| Unincorporated Community: | |
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| Year Built: | 1876 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1992 |
| Historic Use: | retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Commercial Vernacular |
| Structural System: | Brick |
| Wall Material: | Cream Brick |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Portage Retail Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 4/27/1995 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 10/24/1994 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| Additional Information: | Parpet with string courses; tops of windows closed; first floor store front with recessed entrances altered. Migrating from Germany, Jacob Rebholz arrived in Portage in the 1850s. He worked as a merchant tailor in Portage. His son, Adam Jacob Rebholz founded the A.J. Rebholz Co. in 1895 to see men's clothing and furnishings. As late as 1915, Charles Vesly worked as a merchant tailor in the A.J. Rebholz Co. clothing store. He located his business by 1908 at 114 W. Cook where it remained until about 1915 when he moved his store to 210 W. Cook (56/7). The business was later continued at 210 W. Cook by Edward Adam Rebholz until 1944 (Columbia County Historical Society 1982; Register-Democrat 3/2/1915; 3/1/23; Portage Daily Register 1908 [5/19: 2/2-3]; 4/22/1952). Murrills and Taylor, furniture located their business at both sides of 114-116 W. Cook in 1915 after remodeling the building. Arthur E. Murrills had purchased the furniture department of the Bee Hive and formed the firm of A.E. murrills and Co. between 1910 and 1914 W. Cook. In 1914, Alvin C. Taylor entered the business as partner, and it became known as Murrills and Taylor. The store with its plate glass front included two floors and a basement of furniture. The stock also sold victrolas, pianos, china, carpeting, rugs, tapestry, linoleum. They remained in the building through 1929 (Register-Democrat 11/4/1915). Frank A. Rhyme purchased the drug company and store of Clifford Arnold in 1886. Arnold remained in Portage with Rhyme for a brief period following the purchase. Perhaps as early as 1890 (Wright 1890) and by 1908, the business had located at 114 W. Cook in the Voertman Block. Frank A. Rhyume purchased the building constructed fin 1893 at 101 W. Cook (25/23) in 1914 from the John A. Johnson Estate and established his drug company at that location. Rhyme soon added the stucco and glass block exterior and included a fountain. William Rhyme, took over the Rhyme Drug Company at the death of Frank Rhyme in 1919. By the mid-1920s, the drugstore also included a lunch counter. Frank Rhyme took over the drug company from his father in 1950 and maintained the Rhyme Supply Company at the 101 Cook Street address. Rhyme Drugstore occupied 117 E. Cook (56/5) after 1955 (Portage Public Schools 1948-51 [1950]; Mohr 1952; Portage Daily Register 7/2/1952; 2/24/73; Register-Democrat 7/21/1951; 1/19/1919; 1/21/1919). Serving the large number of German immigrants which settled in Portage by the late 1850s, the Columbia county Wecker was established by Gustavus A. Selback in 1874 (Butterfield 1880: 927; Jones 1914 [1]: 143). Prior to 1909, Frank Heidt published the Wecker and a second German newspaper, the Runshau, at 114 W. Cook. Heidt moved his offices to 233 W. Cook (49/24) about 1910. Julius Schnell took over the publication by 1913 and remained at 233 W. Cook through 1918 and perhaps as late as 1920. |
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| Bibliographic References: | The Antique Mall was previously Wiltz Drugstore and Schulze Bros. (Eulberg 1993). 116 (west) 114 (east) 1929: store 1918: furniture 1910: drugs/clothing 1901: drugs, hand printing second/gents furnishings 1894: drugs, cigar factory second/millinery, printing second 1889: dry goods, cigar factory second/grocery and saloon, printing second 1885: dry goods/bar and groceries and glassware second, printer and ins. office second. Columbia Co. Treasurer 1863- 1915-1930 Murrills, Arthur C. Taulor A.C. 1915: Murrills from Frank Voertman Taylor, A.C. 1910: Frank A. Voertman A.C. Taylor 1900-1905 Frank A. Voertman August Voertman (part of a larger tract included with 108 W. Cook) The date block states 1876. Directory 1955: (116.5) Household Finance Corp.; (114) Schulze Bros. Co. (Johnson Printing) 1948: Telephone Co. 1929: (114-16) Murrills and Taylor, furniture (Smith-Baumann) 1927-28: Murrills and Taylor, furniture (Smith-Baumann) 1927-28: Murrills and Taylor (Arthur E and Alvin C.) Furniture and pianos (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1917: (114-116) Murrills and Taylor, furniture and pianos (Farrell) 1917-18: Murrills and Taylor, furniture (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1915-16, 1913-14, 1911-12: F. A. Rhyme, drugstore and A.J. Rebholz Co. clothing (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1910: (116) F. A. Rhyme, drugstore (114) Rebholz Co. clothing (Voshardt) 1908-09: (116) Rhymes Drug Store; (14) A.J. Rebholz Co. (S.H Moore) 1905-06 to 1901-02, 1897-98, 1895-96: Rhyme and A.J. Rebholz and Co. (Adam J. Rebholz and Edward Fink), clothing listed (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1890: Rhyme, Frank A. Druggist and stationery s.s. Cook bet. DeWitt and Wisconsin (Wright); rebholz not listed 1886: no Rebholz or Rhymw |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |