Property Record
131 W COOK ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Buckley and Leisch, Clothiers |
|---|---|
| Other Name: | Kiddie Kastle |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 45282 |
| Location (Address): | 131 W COOK ST |
|---|---|
| County: | Columbia |
| City: | Portage |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
| Range: | |
| Direction: | |
| Section: | |
| Quarter Section: | |
| Quarter/Quarter Section: |
| Year Built: | 1868 |
|---|---|
| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1992 |
| Historic Use: | retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Commercial Vernacular |
| Structural System: | Brick |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Portage Retail Historic District |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date: | 4/27/1995 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 10/24/1994 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| Additional Information: | The double building contained Pat Riley's Restaurant through the 1950s and Dave Leich's Barber Shop in the 1950s and Browne's Barber Shop in the 1960s. Philip H. Goodman, born in Bavaria, entered the shop of L. Funkenstein, merchant tailor, in 1867. Funkenstein had begun operation in Portage by 1860 employing seven workers. At the retirement of his employer, Goodman established his own shop. In the 1870s, he empoyed 24 workers in the second floor of the Pettibone Block. By 1884 through 1894, the company had located at 135 W. Cook (56/25). After the Goodman's death in 1886, the enterprise was continued by the estate. In 1887, Maurice Goodman with J.A. Carroll and C.C. Buckley established Ph. Goodman Company. C.C. Buckley began employment sa a traveling salesman for the Goodman shops in 1875. J.C. Leisch worked in the Goodman shop as a cutter from 1885. The company then em,ployed about 50 tailors. Buckley and Leisch formed from this company in 1895 then employing 16 tailors at the site of Wood's Barber shop. In the late 1890s, Buckley and Leisch was the largest merchant tailor firm in Portage and much of Wisconsin outside Milwaukee. They served customers in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota. By 1908, Buckley and Leisch formed a men's clothiers and furnishings store at 131 W. Cook. By 1910, Leisch with Otto Kirschoperatedd the store under the same name employing a merchant tailor as well as retailing clothing. The firm remained at that location through 1921 when it, now recently named Leisch and Kirsch, moved to 128 W. Cook (57/15) (Portage Daily Register 12/23/1889; 9/3/1909;o Democrat 7/30/1897; Butterfield 1880: 900; Turner, A.J. 1903: 17; U.S. Bureau of the Census 1880 [industrial schedules]) E.E. Lieder opened a dry goods and men's furnishings store for a short period in part of the double store at 131 W. Cook. He probably remained at that location between 1919 and 1929. The Eulberg Brewing Company owned the double store building at 131 W. Cook (56/24) between at least 1876 and about 1915. Between 1895 and perhaps as late as 1918, Henry Windus operated a saloon in the east side of the building. Edward C. Vogt operated as a barber at 131 W. Cook between at least 1927 and 1929. |
|---|---|
| Bibliographic References: | Sanborn-Perris Map Co. 1929: double store 1918: clothing and saloon 10910: Haberdasher, tailor, furniture and saloon 1901: gent's furnishings and habidasher and saloon 1894, 1889: tailor shop second and clothing and gent's furnishings first and saloon 1885: tailor shop and work room second and clothing and gent's furnishings first and saloon Columbia Co. Treasurer 1863- 1925-1930: Anton Luak 1920: Paul Luak 1910-15: Barbara Haertel 1880: C. Haertel Est. 1865-1876: C. Haertel In 1881, the tax records indicate that it is standing. There was no building standing at the site in 1868 (Rugen). The 1873 (Foote) map indicates a buildingbut it may have been an erlier one. It was probably erected sometime between 1868 and 1873 but the records do not clearly verify this conclusion. Directories: (131) 1954: (131) Pat's Restaurant, Grand Beauty Shop, and Wood and Brown Barber Shop (Johnson Printing Co.) 1948: (131) Pat's Restaurant and Grand Beauty Shop (Commonwealth Telephone Co.) 1937? 1929: 131-39: Eulberg Building: (131): E.E. Leider Dry Gods and L.K. Beauty Parlor on second floor (Smith-Baumann Directory Co. 133: Edward C. Vogt, barber 1927-28, 1924-25, 1921, 1919-20: Emile Lieder, dry goods and men's furnishings (R.L. Polk & Co) and Vogt, Edward, barber for 1927-28 1917 (131) Henry Windus, saloon (Farrell) (not in 1921 or 1919-20-Polk) (133) Buckley and Leisch, clothing (listed only as Leisch and Kirsch in 1`919--1920, 1921, 1924-25, 1927-28 - also clothing 1917-18, 1913-14, 1911-12: Buckley and Leisch (J.C. Leisch and Otto Kirsch), clothing; Windus not listed (R.L. Polk & Co.) but there 1910: (131) Windus, Henry C., saloonh (Voshardt) (133) Buckley and Leisch, clothiers and men's furnishings1905-06, 1903-04, 1901-02, 1895-96: Henry C. Windus, saloon (R.L. Polk & Co) 1896 Buckley and Leisch (Cornelius C. Buckley and Jacob C. Leisch), merchant tailors. 1890: J.C. Leisch and Cornelius Buckley works for Ph. Goodman Co. Ph. Goodman Co. (Maurice Goodman, James A. Carroll and C.C. Buckley) merchant tailors and men's furnishings located at 33-35 W. Cook (matches Sanborn) (Wright) 1886: Ph. Goodman, principal merchant tailor of Wisconsin, Cook (Rockwood and Goodell) 1885: Goodman, Phillip, merchant tailor (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1884-85: Goodman, Phillip, clothing (R.L. Polk & Co.) 1873: Goodman, clothing (Platt) 1870: Goodman, P. clothing merchant, Cook not listed in 1865 (Hawes) Historic Portage, WI: Downtown & Waterfront Walking Tour, 1995. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |