Property Record
307 S KNOWLES AVE
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | BEEBE FURNITURE STORE |
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| Other Name: | COMFORTABLY SIMPLE |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 47581 |
| Location (Address): | 307 S KNOWLES AVE |
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| County: | St. Croix |
| City: | New Richmond |
| Township/Village: | |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | |
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| Year Built: | 1899 |
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| Additions: | 1921 1912 1907 |
| Survey Date: | 19832018 |
| Historic Use: | large retail building |
| Architectural Style: | Commercial Vernacular |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | New Richmond Commercial Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 12/22/2022 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 5/20/2022 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| Additional Information: | Sylvester S. Beebe settled in New Richmond in 1891. In 1905, Beebe established a large hotel at the southwest corner of East Third Street and South Knowles Avenue. The hotel building, located at 116 West Third Street and 307 South Knowles Avenue, had 40 rooms on the upper floors and contained a furniture store, mortuary, and drug store on the first floor. Sylvester Beebe’s brother, Walter W. Beebe, operated the mortuary and furniture business, while Sylvester managed the hotel and drug store. A small carriage house, later a garage, was also constructed the same year at 126 West Third Street. The Beebe garage was sold in 1915. An addition was completed in 1907 to the hotel and another, much larger one was completed to the south at 311 South Knowles Avenue in 1912. The entire facility was sold, divided, and remodeled in 1942. The hotel, furniture, and drug store became the Lowry Hotel with other businesses along the first floor. This 2 story building has concrete, rock faced and brick exterior fabric. See SC 25-8 Beebe's Morturary) SC 25-9 (Lowry Hotel and Cafe) and SC 25-10 (abandoned garage) for the rest of this building. The 1st story is plate glass window.s Second story is the Hotel and has block glass windows. A metal cornice with brackets and corbel brick is on one section. Some windows have brick arches and stone sills. Roof is flat. While interesting as a multi-use facility. This complex has no architectural significance because too many alterations have been done. The Beebe family came to Wisconsin in the 1850's. In 1891 Walter Beebe settled in New Richmond. Beebe and Ed Kaye ran a drugstore until the 1899 cyclone. After this Beebe opened his own store in a temporary shack on the present site (SW Corner S. Knowles Avenue and West Third Street). The brick portion was built in the fall of 1899. The drugstore was in the North part, the rest was rental space. The building was 44' x 80'. The upper story had more cornice than it does today. A semi circular piece was in the front center and it had the firms name and date on it. There was a corner entry and one where the present entry is on S. Knowles. Windows were where the Beebe's sign is now. Windows were 1/1. In 1904 the mortuary and furniture store were begun. A 44'x80' addition south of the original was built in 1907. At the same time a 40'x88' 2 story addition was built on the west side and a second story was put over part of the furniture shop. In 1912 this and another addition became the 430 room Beebe Hotel. A garage was added at the West in 1921. In 1924 Walters son L. H. took over the morturary. By the 1930'sds he was also running the furniture store, whle Walter ran the drugstore and hotel. Walter died in 1942 and the drugstore was sold. The hotel closed the next year until it was sold c.1944 to Wm. Lowry. The drugstore had moved out by 1969 after being leased and then sold to Claude Howard and, later, Wayne Tubbs. This is an interesting complex of buildings but it has no historical significance for New Richmond or a wider area. It is not associated with significant people or events, nor is it closely associated wiht the development of hte city. |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. 100+5 Edition of "The News". |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |