Property Record
67 MAIN ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Frank Tesch House |
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| Reference Number: | 2922 |
| Location (Address): | 67 MAIN ST |
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| County: | Calumet |
| City: | Chilton |
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| Survey Date: | 1977 |
| Historic Use: | house |
| Architectural Style: | Craftsman |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Board |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | FRONT PORCH ON FIELDSTONE BASE WITH EXPOSED RAFTERS. SIDE BAY WINDOW. GABLE DORMER. March 2005-This stucco Arts and Crafts style home, with matching garage, was built for Frank Tesch in 1914, or shortly before. The exterior is notable for the craftsmanship in the use of multi-colored Georgia stone in the front entry pillars, porch parapet and in the front walk and retaining wall along the street. On the interior, the house retains its early floor plain, wood trim and Arts and Crafts fireplace. There is also a bathroom with original tile and fixtures. Shortly after construction, the Tesch family split the home into two units to provide a separate living unit for an elderly relative. The well-designed alteration had minimal impact on the original plan. Notable local builder, Joseph H. Schmidlkofer, apparently constructed some of the finer houses in the city in a range of styles. He later became the local post master. The Tesch House exterior, with its rich use of stone, carved wood and stucco possesses excellent integrity, little altered from its original construction. As noted, the interior also has high integrity. The composition of the façade is almost identical to that of the Leonard Statdmuller House (CT 33/72) of 1916. Further, the plan of the home is very similar to the T-plan of the stucco Prairie School house at 105 E. Grand Ave. (1918-1919), also built by Schmidlkofer and extensively remodeled in 1914, apparently by Schmidlkofer. The Tesch family, partner with the Knauf family in the firm of Knauf and Tesch, was one of the city's leading businesses. They were grain merchants, millers, general store operators and coal dealers. The firm became nationally important in the production of birdseed. The name Tesch is the origin of the "Tee" in Kaytee Products, a prominent business in Chilton which was closely held by the family members until the late 1990s. |
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| Bibliographic References: | . |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |