Property Record
216 W WISCONSIN
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Portage City Police |
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| Other Name: | Wheel In Bike Shop |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 39320 |
| Location (Address): | 216 W WISCONSIN |
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| County: | Columbia |
| City: | Portage |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
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| Year Built: | 1888 |
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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: | Corbeling along parapet; decorative brick work along second floor facade; segmental arch windows with corbel stops; first floor of the facade covered. Dave Eulberg (1993) recalls it as Hill Electric and before that, the police station. Sanborn-Perris Map Co.: 1929, 1918, 1910: police station. 1901: police station first, Portage Underwear Co. second. 1894: police station first, hand printing second. 1889: saloon and billiards. 1885: no building, only a one story brick wall (demolishing or building?). Columbia County Treasurer 1863: 1892-1942: City of Portage (exempt from tax). 1891: City of Portage not listed. 1890-91: T.C. Madden ($1000 value). 1888: J.C. Showers ($1000 value). Exact building date is not clear. It was built after 1885, probably about 1888 while Madden owned the property. The value of $1000 seems low for this location. The building shown standing in 1889 looks much like the one shown for 1894. The land descriptions for buildings along this section of W. Wisconsin are vague. Directories: 1955: (216) vacant (Johnson Printing CO.). 1948, 1937: (216) police (Commonwealth Telephone Co.). 1929: Police Headquarters (Smith-Baumann Directory CO.). 1917-18: Police Station, Fred W. Miller (Farrell). 1890: T.C. Madden, produce dealer but at the SE corner of Adams and Conant at his residence (Wright). The 1890 Foote map appears to show a building in this location, but since it is represented by a rectangle it is difficult to distinguish it from an earlier building. Between about 1888 and 1890, 216 W. Wisconsin functioned as a saloon. Its operator remains unidentified. Hand printing occurred on the second floor of 216 W. Wisconsin (24/25) about 1894. By 1891, it became the city's police station. The City Hall hot only housed the city offices but its existed as a symbol of the city's authority. Prior to the late nineteenth century, Portage's city offices were scattered within the retail area. The city placed its police department in a retail building at 216 W. Wisconsin (24/25). in 1891. It sold the building to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in 1949. Manufacturing Vivette Brand underwear, the Portage Underwear Company was established in 1891. L.L. Breese served as the company's initial president. The factory occupied several existing retail buildings in the city. Between 1891 and about 1897, it was located in part of the building later replaced by the Beehive at 108 W. Cook (57/34). About 1897, the company moved to 214 W. Wisconsin (24/24) and remained there until about 1910. It also utilized the second floor of 216 W. Wisconsin, the city police station, about 1901. By 1910, the company located somewhere on W. Conant and by 1918, the factory had moved to 312 W. Conant where it remained until about 1941 when the factory closed. This small factory building is now gone. In 1925, the company employed 15 individuals. The company supplied national wholesalers (Portage Public Library n.d. [trade catalogue dated 1929]; Portage, City of 1930-41 [1934-35: 78; Sanborn-Perris Map Co. 1929; Register-Democrat 6/6/1924; 5/5/1941; Columbia County Historical Society 1982; Wisconsin Power and Light ca. 1925: 6; Sanborn-Perris map Co. 1894). The Cleary-Krech Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars organized in 1929. In that year, the group met above the police station on 216 W. Wisconsin (24/25) which it purchased in 1949. The post later erected a hall on Collins Road. The organization supports community projects and assists indigent veterans and their families (Columbia County Historical Society 1982; Portage Daily Register 7/2/1952: 25; Murtagh 1986). |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) Dave Eulberg (1993). (B) Columbia County Treasurer 1863. (C) City Directories. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |