Property Record
1905 - 1907 S 13TH ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Martin Zurowski Building |
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| Other Name: | Alvine's Tap |
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| Reference Number: | 109991 |
| Location (Address): | 1905 - 1907 S 13TH ST |
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| County: | Milwaukee |
| City: | Milwaukee |
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| Year Built: | 1896 |
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| Additions: | 1898 |
| Survey Date: | 19792015 |
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| Architectural Style: | Italianate |
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| Architect: | K. Kolpacki |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
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| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office. The Martin Zurowski building, built in 1896, may have been designed by Bernard Kolpacki, a leading Polish architect in Milwaukee. The building has two projecting bay windows on the north facade and one on the east. All three have been re-sided with wide vinyl siding, and the east gable has lost part of its finial (visible in the 1979, AHI photo). The east facade has a solid horizontal cornice with three sets of brackets in the frieze: a pair at both ends and two more widely spaced in the middle. The east gable features a single 1 over 1 double hung window, while the window opening on the north gable appears to have been down sized and has two windows, 1 over 1, double hung and the other a 3 over 1 with the upper 3-pane possibly a fixed transom. Both pedimented gables (north and east) have been re-sided with narrow, tongue and groove wood siding. The corner (canted) entrance which would have opened to the northeast, was bricked in on the west facade before the 1979 survey, and now has only a narrow entrance facing to the north. Whatever display windows there may have been are now gone. On the west facade, there is a narrow, horizontal 2-light sliding window at eye level. Since the 1979 survey photo, a large, flat, 2-light picture window has been cut into north facade, just to the west of the entrance (beneath the easternmost of two second story bays). The building was apparently a bar called Alvine's Tap in 1979; it is now Jalisco Western featuring exotic boots and other western wear. The interior has no remaining features from the historic period. The space is open with removable racks and display cases. The original address of the building was 723 8th Avenue. It did not change to its current address until 1930 when the City of Milwaukee drastically changed its street names and building numbers. The building's historic name, according to the AHI, is Martin Zurowski. Martin and his wife Julia came to the United States in 1881. Martin worked as a butcher on Rogers Street before purchasing the property at 723 8th Avenue (today 1905-1907 S 13th St.) in 1885. He operated a meat market at that address and lived there with his family until his death in 1900. He was in possession of the property at the time the current structure was built in 1896. Julia continued to own and live in the building after Martin's death, and some family members can be documented at the address up until 1917. Julia died in 1918. City Directories and Census information provides background on those who resided at the address in later years. In 1905 a Charles Yuokus, or Yrkus, lived in the building with his wife Mary. Both emigrated from Lithuania (Russia), Charles completing his journey in 1895 and Mary in 1902. They had five children all who resided at the residence. At the time of construction Charles is listed as working at a grocery store. According to the 1910 Census a Julia Zurowski, a widow, owned and lived in the building with her children. Julia, who is also referred to as Julian, was born in Poland and immigrated to the United States in 1884 or 1889. Her children ranged in age from 10 to 23 and had various jobs such as a machinist and butcher. The younger children were in school. It appears that Julia took in boarders as a Harry Hanson is listed as renting at this address. It appears that this address matches the overall cultural makeup of the surrounding community on 8th Street/13th Street at the turn of the century. The community was made up of mostly Polish and Eastern European immigrants or Wisconsin born citizens with Polish heritage. Though it is likely to have been designed by Bernard Kolpacki, the building does not stand up in comparison to his other work and the severe loss of historic integrity negates any possibility of eligibility for the National Register. The building itself is not important to the events or people in the surrounding Polish community. |
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| Bibliographic References: |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |