Property Record
314-318 DEWITT
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Thomas Drew Grocery/Smith and Derring/J.C. Forbes Jeweler |
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| Other Name: | Kourt House, etc. |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 3647 |
| Location (Address): | 314-318 DEWITT |
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| County: | Columbia |
| City: | Portage |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
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| Year Built: | 1883 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1992 |
| Historic Use: | retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Italianate |
| 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: | Cast iron cornice with corbel stops; corbeling and dentils; segmental arch window lintels continuous stone sills; corbeling between floors; corinthean cast iron columns along 1st floor storefront; store front closed. Thomas Drew entered the grocery business in 1859 and operated except for the years 1861-65 as an individual proprietor until 1879. In that year, he added T.D. Pugh as a partner. He then also dealt in farmers' produce. By 1890, Drew was located at the northwest corner of Edgewater and DeWitt in a building which no longer remains. Sometime prior to 1908 probably by 1894, he moved to 314 DeWitt (25/13) and occupied the bulding until the store became F. Cushing Grocery by 1917. F. Cushing remained at that location through 1929 after which he located at 316 DeWitt (25/13) through 1937 (Butterfield 1880: 663, 895). J.C. Forbes was established at Portage as a jeweler and watchmaker in 1867. By 1883 until 1890, he was located at 316 DeWitt (25/13). In 1890, he moved to the east side of the street (Portage Public Library n.d. [photo]; Butterfield 1880: 597, 663; Wright 1890). Between 1908 and 1910, the Portage American Gas Company office occupied the building. Cast iron cornice with corbel stops; corbeling and dentils; segmental arch window lintels; continuous stone sill; corbelling between floors; storefront closed. Established in 1878, the firm of Smith and Dering, including Silas S. Smith and Charles L. Dering, purchased the abstract company of Alverson and Yule and sold insurance. Purchasing abstracts of titles to the lands in Columbia County, Miles Alverson and Yule had established their abstract business in 1872. In 1879, Charles dering had also established his legal practice in Portage. The office of Smith and Dering occupied 318 DeWitt (25/13) between 1883 when the building was constructed and about 1910. After that date, the two partners probably separated with Charles Dering, lawyer at the site of 110 E. Cook ni 1910 and 316 DeWitt (25/15) between 1917-1920 and the abstract company at 318 DeWitt (25/16) from 1910 until 1955. Between 1910 and 1916, Smith operated the company. and it became the Smith-Andrews Abstract Company in 1917, the Smith-Rogers Abstract Company by 1921 through 1929, and the Columbia County Abstract Company by 1937 (Butterfield 1880: 875, 894, 928). David Eulberg (1993) recalled a land title company and the Phoenix Agency in that building. Sanborn-Perris Map Co.: 1929: store. 1918: office. 1910: insurance office. 1901, 1894, 1889, 1885: insurance and law office. 1882: building present? (Stoner). Columbia County Treasurer 1863- 1910-30: C.H. Smith Estate 1883-1925: Smith and Dering 1880-1882: R. M. Wilson The value of the property changes dramtically between 1883 and 1884, and Stoner illustrates it in 1882. He may have shown it prior to actual construction. The building was probably erected in 1882-83. Columbia County Treasurer 1863- 1955: (318) Columbia County Abstract Co. and Phoenix Agency (Johnson Printing Co.) 1948: (318) same (Commonwealth Telephone Co.) 1937: (318) Columbia Co. Abstract Co. (Commonwealth Telephone Co.) 1929: (318) Smith-Rogers Abstract Co. (Smith Baumann Directory) 1927-28: Smith-Rogers Abstract Co., Harland B. Rogers, pres. and Margaret L. Maitlands, sec., abstracts and insurance (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1924-25, 1921: Smith-Rogers Abstract Co. (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1919-20: Smith-Andrews Abstract Co. (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1917: (318) Smith-Andrews Abstract Co. and Jerry L. Mahoney., lawyer (Farrell) 1915-16: Smith, Charles H., abstracts (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1910: (318) Smith, C.H., abstracts, insurance (Voshardt) 1909-10: (318) Smith and Dering, Charles H. and Charles L., abstracts, real estate, insurance, loans (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1908-09: (318) Dering, Charles, abstracts (S.H. Moore) 1903-04, 1901-02, 1897-98: Dering, Charles L., real estate, lawyer and abstracts of title (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1895-96: Dering, Charles L., lawyer (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1894-94: Dering, Charles L., lawyer, real estate, insurance, and abstracts (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1890: Dering, Charles L. (Smith and Dering) pension attorney, W.S. DeWitt, 3 S. Conant (Wright). 1885, 1884-85 SMith and Dering (Silas M. SMith and Charles L. Dering), lawyers (R.L. Polk & Co.) By 1927 through 1929, M.A. Heller, plumber, located in the building. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Sanborn-Perris Map Co. 1929: store 1918, 1910, 1901, 1894: grocery 1889: saloon first, hand printing second 1885: American Express Co. and telephone Office Columbia Co. Treasurer 1863- 1905 to 1930: Fred L. Comstock 1900: L.D./ Comstock 1890-1882: W.H. Eldred The value of the property jumped $1000 from 800 to 1800 between 1883 and 1884. The building was erected in 1883. Directories: 1955: (314): Black and White Restaurant (Johnson Printing Company) 1937: (316) Cushing's Grodery (Commonwealth Telephone Co.) 1929: (314) F. Cushing, grocer (Johnson Printing Co.) 1917-18, 1915-016, 1913-14, 1911-12: Thoms W. Drew, groceries (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1910: (314) Drew, T. W., Groceries and sundries (Voshardt) 1909-10: Thomas Drew, grocer (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1908-09: (314) Thomas Drew, grocer (S.H. Moore) 1905-06, 1901-02, 1897-98, 1893-94: Thomas Drew, grocer (R.L. Polk & Co.). In 1890, Thomas Drew is located at the northwest corner of Canal and DeWitt Waite H. Eldred does not use the building as a place of business. Sanborn-Perris Map Co. 1929: plumbing 1918: office 1910: gas office 1901: meat 1894: fruit 1889, 1885: jewelry Columbia County Treasurer 1863- 1930: Martin A. Heller 1920, 1925: A.S. Quackenbush 1890-1915: Mrs. Josephine Maxwell 1882-1890: J.C. Forbes The variation in assessment indicates construction in 1883. 1955: (316) The Bee Hive; 316.5: Al J. Weiss (Johnson Printing Co.) 1929: (316) M.A.l Heller (owner) plumber (Smith-Baumann Direc. Co.) 1927-28: Heller, Martin A., plumber (R.L. Polk & Co) 1919-20: Charles Dering, lawyer, real estate, and insurance (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1917-18: (316) Charles Dering, lawyer (Farrell) 1915-16, 1911-12: Dering, Charles, lawyer, real estate, and insurance (R.L. Polk & Co.) By 1910, Dering is at 110 E. Cook. 1910: (316) Portage American Gas Co., A.S. Quackenbush, manager. 1908-09 (316) Portage American Gas Co. (S.H. Moore) American Gas Co. extant as ear]ly as 1901-02 (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1890: J. Clark Forbes, watches and jewelry, but on the east side of DeWitt (Wright) 1885, 1884-85: J.C. Forbes, jeweler (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1886: Forbes, J.C., jeweler, DeWitt (Rockwood and Goodell) |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |