Property Record
108 W COOK ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Carroll & Klug; Beehive; Schulze & Co. |
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| Other Name: | F. W. WOOLWORTH CO.; J & J ATTIC CORNER; MR. G'S |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 3640 |
| Location (Address): | 108 W COOK ST |
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| County: | Columbia |
| City: | Portage |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
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| Year Built: | 1880 |
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| Additions: | 1915 1897 1908 |
| Survey Date: | 1992 |
| Historic Use: | department store |
| Architectural Style: | Neoclassical/Beaux Arts |
| Structural System: | |
| 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: | Commercial block; parapet rebuilt with red brick; asymmetrical facade: line of small round arch windows along a continuous sill, which are closed above a series of hooded windows placed below segmental arches and separated by pilasters and resting on a continuous sill; series of three adjacent windows separated by pilasters; first floor storefront with recessed entrances altered; some windows completely or partly closed. Mr. G's was occupied by Woolworth and J.J. Attic Corner by Spurgeons (Eulberg 1992). Sanborn-Perris Map Co.: 106-108 (east) 1929: metal ceiling and iron columns 1918: dry goods and clothing 1910: clothing and dry goods 1901: D.B. 110-112 (west) 1918: millinery 1910: Beehive, department store 1901: Beehive. The Beehive, the west two thirds of the building, replaced a building which contained in 1894 an underwear factory. One third of the adjacent Phoenix Block (106-108) is included in the Beehive - it was remodeled about 1918 by Carroll and Klug. The Phoenix bank block replaced an earlier building in 1880. Columbia County Treasurer 1863- 106-108 (east) 1920-1930" Carroll and Klug 1915: Schulze and Co. 1900-1910: Schulze & Co. 1895: Schulze and Co. 110-112 (west) 1920-1930: Carroll and Klug 1915: Carroll and Klug, a corp. 1900-1910: Emma Voertman, et al. 1895: August Voertman The change in valuation indicates that the 110-112 (west) portion was erected in 1897-98 and the Phoenix Block (east) was built in 1880. Directories: 1955: (108) J.C. Penny; 110-112: F.W. Woolworth (Johnson Printing Co.) 1948: (108) J.C. Penny; 110-12: F.W> Woolworth 1937:? 1929: 106-112: Carroll and Klug Dept. Store (Smith-Baumann). 1927-28: Carroll and Klug (James A. Carroll and Charles J. Klug) clothing and dry goods (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1919-20: no Beehive. 1917: (106-108) Beehive; 110-112: Carroll & Klug, clothing and dry goods (Farrell). 1917-18: Beehive, K.R. Schulze, pres., Paul Schulze, sec., general store (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1910: (108) Beehive, dry goods; (11) Carroll and Klug, dry goods (Voshardt). 1908-09" (106-108) The Beehive, dry goods; (110) Carroll and Klug, dry goods (VOshardt); (110-112) Carroll and Klug, dry goods, clothiers and mens furnishings, merchant tailors (S.H.Moore) 1905-06: Carroll and Klug, clothing; Beehive (Ferdinand Schulze, pres.; A.E. Murrills, sec.), general store (R.L. Polk & Co.) neither in 1903-1904. 1903-04, 1901-02: Schulze, Ferdinand, general store (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1893-94: Schulze & Co. (Ferdinand), general store (R.L. Polk & Co.) Friedrick W. Schulze and Gerhard Schumacher operated as the firm of Schumacher & Schulze, wholesale and retail dealers of general merchandise, from 1867 to 1869. In 1869, Ferdinand Schulze joined the firm which became known as Schumacher & Schulze Brothers. When his Friedrick Schulze left in 1873, the business returned to Schumacher & Schulze. It later became Schulze & Co. By 1873, the company operated as a wholesale and retail cash department store or mercantile store. Its stock included dry goods, notions, clothing, carpets, boots and shoes, and hats. Moving from a location on W> Cook, the store probably occupied the west portion of the Phoenix Block after it was built in 1880. This block replaced the Pettibone Block which burned in 1880 (east portion of 108 W. Cook or 106-108 E. Cook). In 1893, Schulze & Co. was re-organized and incorporated as the Bee Hive department store with Ferdinand Schulze as the senior member of the firm. The store offered its customers 26 departments of general merchandise. After Schulze died in 1907, ALvin C. Taylor became president of the Bee Hive Company and remained so through 1914 (Portage Daily Register 12/23/89, 12/13/1917; Butterfield 1880: 663, 926; Democrat 7/30/1897: 5; Jones 1914 [2]: 627; Sanborn-Perris Map Co. 1885, 1889, 1894, 1901, 1910, 1918, 1929; Columbia Co. Treasurer 1863 [1895-1930]; R.L. POlk & CO. 1919-20, 1905-06, 1903-04, 1893-94; Farrell 1917-18; Voshardt 1910; S.H. Moore 1908-09; Merrill, Woodward & Co. 1877). Schulze Brothers, a mercantile store at 108 W. Cook, employed a tinsmith in 1880 (U.S. Bureau of the Census 1880 [industrial schedule]. Founded by 1889, James A. Carroll and Charles A. Klug operated their clothing and dry goods establishment in the building to the west (west half of 108, once 110-112 E. Cook). The Voertman Block replaced the existing building ay 110-112 E. Cook in 1897-98. August Voertman sold the block to Carroll and Klug Department Store in 1908, and they extensively remodeled the store. They arranged their store so that the entrances into the men's and women's clothing departments were completely separate. In 1908, the store advertised as "...dry goods, clothiers, men's furnishings, merchant tailors" (Moore, S.H. 1908-09). Carroll and Klug purchased the building next to them previously occupied by the Bee Hive in 1918 and remodeled the building. They placed their mens' and boys' in new store and women's clothing remained in the west portion of the store. Carroll and Klug remained in the store until after 1937. F.W> Woolworth occupied the west portion of 108 E. Cook and J.C. Penny was located in the east side after 1948 through 1955 (Portage Daily register 11/29/1918; Jones 1914 [2]: 622; Register-Democrat 3/2/1915, 2/8/1908; 3/2/1908; Sanborn-Perris Map Co. 1885, 1889, 1894, 1901, 1910, 1918, 1929; Columbia Co. Treasurer 1863 [1895-1930]; Johnson Printing Co. 1955; Commonwealth Telephone Co. 1937, 1948; Smith-Baumann Directory Co. 1929; R.L. Polk & Co. 1927-28, 1919-20, 1905-06, 1903-04, 1893-94; Farrell 1917-18; Voshardt 1910; Moore, S.H. 1908-09). Men's clothiers also employed merchant tailors to supplement their ready-made clothing. The firm of Carroll and Klug employed five coat makers, three pants makers, and two vest makers in 1889 (Portage Daily Register 12/23/1889). It continued to employ merchant tailors through 1908. The department store occupied the west half of 108 W. Cook from 1908 through 1937. |
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| Bibliographic References: |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |