| Additional Information: | Parapet; wood cornice with brackets, panels, and dentils; cast iron window pediments; segmental arch lintels; two oriel windows; denticulated cornice separating floors; cast iron columns at canted entrance with sidelights; display window.
Dave Eulberg (1993) recalled that Zimmerman Plumbing occupied the building. Known as the Hillyer Block.
Selling staple and fancy goods, Porter H. Shaver ran a grocery known as the High Priced Grocery in the Hillyer Block at 320 DeWitt and Conant (25.12) by 1890. He remained in business occasionally with partners such as Charles C. Jaeger between 1887 and about 1901 when he sold the grocery to Herb Slowey, his former clerk. The business then operated under either the High Price Grocery of P.H. Shaver and Co. By 1917, it became the White Market Grocery with Slowey remaining in the business until 1920. He sold the grocery to M.C. Hettinger and Thomas Mulcahy. By 1929, Whalen's Cafe occupied the whole building, and Zimmerman's plumbing located in the building by 1937 through 1955 (Columbia County Historical Society 1982; Register-Democrat 12/34/1920; Portage Daily Register 12/23/1889.
"The construction of the Hillyer Block was undertaken by D.A. Hillyer in 1889. P.H. Shaver who sold staple and fancy goods, located his High Priced Grocery here in 1890. In 1901, he sold the grocery to Herbert Slowley, his clerk. Operating as the White Market, Slowley remained at 320 DeWitt until 1920. A grocery remained here for part of the 1920s, but Whalen's Cafe was here by 1929 and Zimmerman's Plumbing from 1937 through 1955. This building is an excellent example of the Italianate Commercial style with its wood cornice and brackets, projecting oriel windows, window embellishments, cast iron columns at the angled entrance, and intact display windows." Historic Portage, WI: Downtown & Waterfront Walking Tour, 1995. |
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| Bibliographic References: | DATESTONE.
PORTAGE 1989 LANDMARKS CALENDAR.
Sanborn-Perris Map Co.
1929: two part store
1918, 1910, 1901, 1894; two part store; both are a grocery.
1894: Millinery/grocery
1889: "to be built"
Columbia Co. Treasurer 1863-
1930: Josephine Shackell
1885-1925: D.A. Hillyer
The change in valuation between 1888 and 1890 concurs with the date block; 1889. A building existed at the location prior to the current one.
1955: (320) Zimmerman Plumbing and Heating with apartments upstairs (Johnson, Printing Co.)
1948: Zimmerman, plumber (Commonwealth Telephone Co.)
1937: Zimmerman, E.A., plumbing and heating, cor. of DeWitt and Conant (Commonwealth Telephone Co.)
1929: (320-22) Whalen's Cafe (Smith-Baumann Directory Co.)
1919-20: Herbert Slowey, grocer (R.L. Polk & Co.)
1917: 320-22: Hillyer Block owned by Miss Alice Hillyer
322: White Market Grocery (Farrell)
1917-18: Slowey, Herberg, grocer (no White Market Grocery) R.L. Polk & Co.)
1915-16, 1913-14, 1911-12: Shaver, P.H. Co. and H.J. Slowey, prop., grocers (R.L. Polk & Co.)
1910: no business listed for 320 or 322 but 330 is listed as P.H. Shaver co. with Herbert Slowey, grocer (Voshardt)
1909-10: Herbert Slowey, grocer (R.L. Polk & Co.)
1908-09: (322) The High Price Grocery (S.H. Moore)
1904-05, 1901-02, 1897-98: P.H. Shaver and Co. (Porter H. Shaver and Charles C. Jaeger, grocers) (R.L. Polk & Co.)
1893-94, 1895-96: Shaver, Porter H., grocer (R.L. Polk & Co.)
1890: Shaver, Porter H., grocer at SW corner of DeWitt and Conant (Wright)
Historic Portage, WI: Downtown & Waterfront Walking Tour, 1995. |
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