302 E MAIN ST

302 E MAIN ST

Jefferson

Watertown

1885

1986,2020

small retail building

Commercial Vernacular

Brick

No

Betwene c. 1889 and at least 1930 this building housed only one business, the Grube Store. It was known as the Grube and Achtenhagen store until the turn of the century. In the early twentieth century it was known as the Grube-Greinert dry goods store.

Little is known about this business, except that it was one of the moderately sized dry goods stores of which the Schempf and Brandt stores overshadowed. While the business has some historical interest, it probably is not individually historically significant, although further research may alter this opinion. However, it does contribute to the overall development of commerce in the Main Street Commercial Historic District.

Built between 1884 and 1890 according to the Sanborn Insurance Maps, this small, brick commercial building is characterized by a molded, raised brick cornice ornamented by a row of dentils and by vertical brick pilasters with corbelled ends. Plain rectangular windows are located on the second story. Originally a separate property, this store originally used as a dry goods store, was incorporated into the adjacent property at 304 E. Main in the 1930s.

The former Grube and Achtenhagen dry goods Store has been altered by the addition of a contemporary storefront that links it with the adjacent store.

The Grube and Achtenhagen store is a commercial vernacular building ornamented only by a wide brick cornice. Although this building is not architecturally significant, the Grube and Achtenhagen building contributes to the historic architectural character of the proposed Main Street Historic District.

(A) Tax Records, City of Watertown, 1860-1910, Area Research Center, Library, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. (B) Sanborn Insurance Map, City of Watertown 1884, 1890. (C) Watertown City Directories, 1866-1930, Watertown Public Library.

Main Street Commercial Historic District

Jun 02, 1989

Yes