126 N WATER ST

126 N WATER ST

Monroe

Sparta

1907

1989

small retail building

Commercial Vernacular

Brick

No

The Kollertz Confectionary and Toy Store was erected in 1907. It replaced an earlier building which was known as the Gus Kollertz Confectionary. Members of the Kollertz family had owned this property since at least 1862. This business originally was started in 1862 by John E. Kollertz, and in 1875 was known as the Kollertz Variety and Soda Fountain Store. Kollertz conducted the business until 1884, when Gustave Kollertz became associated with it. This confectionary was an earlier building here until 1907, when the present building was erected. The building was known also as the Gustave Kollertz Confectionary, which lasted until at least 1916 or even later. From 1922 to 1931, unnamed retail stores occupied this site. The Kollertz Confectionary and Toy Store was one of Sparta's oldest established businesses, having started in 1862. It gains local historic significance under Criteria A in association with the topic Taverns and Confectionaries under Sparta's Commercial Theme. The building's period of historical significance ranges from 1907 and its erection to 1916, the last known date when the Kollertz Confectionary occupied the structure. Additional research may extend this date beyond 1916. The Gus Kollertz Confectionary and Toy Store is a cream brick two-story building with a half-story attic floor constructed in the commercial veranacular form. Mainly ornamented by decorative brick work, the facade is divided vertically into three bays by four, two-story, brick applied pilasters with corbeled ends terminating directly above the storefront. Corbeled brick along the top of the panels recessed between the pilasters as well as band of decorative brick work in various patterns across the upper facade and a round arched pediment inscribed with the date of construction "1907" rising above the roof line decorate this vernacular building. Plain flat stone window lintels and simple stone windows sills ornament the windows [presently displaying replacement lights and sashes] on the upper story. A contemporary metal and glass storefront with a recessed centrally located main entrance and a door to the upper story located on the north side of the facade also characterizes this early 20th century commercial building. Generally well-preserved, the Kollertz building has been altered by the addition of a contemporary-styled storefront and by the addition of replacement metal windows on the upper story. The present brick Kollertz building was constructed in 1907 to replace the earlier frame, one-story, J.E.Kollertz confectionary store established in the early 1860s. The brick commercial building, 25 x 80, was used originally by Gus Kollertz, who in c. 1888 purchased the family confectionary and toy business from his father and identified his store as the Palace Confectionary. The Kollertz Confectionary is a vernacular building displaying minimal Classical Revival influence exhibiting a fair degree of integrity and some architectural interest. However, this building does not meet the criteria of NRHP for architectural significance because it has less integrity than other examples of the commercial vernacular building. This building has sufficient historic character to contribute to the Water Street Historic District.

(A) City of Sparta Tax Records, 1870-1920. (B) Sanborn Insurance Maps 1884, 1889, 1894, 1900, 1911, 1922, 1931. (C) Sparta Herald April 9, 1907. (D) "Sparta-Up-To-Date," Souvenir Supplement of the Monroe County Democrat, June 30, 1899, p. 43. (E) City of Sparta Property Tax Rolls. (F) Map of Sparta (compiled by Phoenix Map Company, Milwaukee), 1875. (G) French, Bella, "History of Sparta, Wisconsin." The American Sketchbook. La Crosse: Sketch Book Company, Publishers, 1875, p. 70-74. (H) Annual Directory of Sparta, Wisconsin. Vol. 1. Chicago: Interstate Directory CO., 1897. (I) Sparta City DIrectory, 1903-1904. Sparta: R.C. Glover, Publisher, 1904. (J) City Directory of the City of Sparta, Wisconsin. Sparta: compiled and published by E.B. Bell, 1916.

Water Street Commercial Historic District

Nov 12, 1992

Jul 03, 1992

Yes