Property Record
618 E MAIN ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | William Krueger Bakery |
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| Other Name: | Draeger's Floral and Gifts |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 76749 |
| Location (Address): | 618 E MAIN ST |
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| County: | Jefferson |
| City: | Watertown |
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| Year Built: | 1885 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 19862020 |
| Historic Use: | bakery |
| Architectural Style: | Italianate |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Cream Brick |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Main Street Commercial Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 6/2/1989 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| 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. This was the location of William Krueger's bakery between c. 1885 and c. 1889. Krueger was a German immigrant who came to Watertown in 1854. In 1889 the bakery was operated by Henrietta Krueger. She operated it until about 1915. After a short time as the Hurtgen Dairy Company, the building housed the Wenzel Stupka bakery until at least 1930. This building has some historical interest as the location of several bakeries. None are individually historically significant, but they contribute to the overall development of commerce in the Main Street Commercial Historic District. Built in the late 1880s for William Krueger to house his bakery, this tall three-bay building is dominated by a large projecting metal cornice ornamented by a row of dentils and console end brackets. Articulated by three two-story recessed panels, the facade is characterized further by segmental arched raised brick window heads with corbelled ends. Similar window heads are located on the east elevation. A remodeled storefront featuring a central recessed entrance and cream brick window aprons has been added to the building. A one-story cream brick addition featuring a molded brick cornice and "filled-in" segmentally arched windows is located at the rear. This former bakery building has been altered by the remodeling of the windows on the lower story and the brick surface has been altered by the sandblasting process in 1986. The William Kruger building is a vernacular building exhibiting the influence of the Italianate style. Although this building is not architecturally significant, the Krueger building contributes to the historic architectural character of the Main Street Commercial Historic District. Also, the architectural significance of the Krueger building has been altered by the sandblasting of its exterior and by the alteration of its windows. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) Tax Records, City of Watertown, 1860-1910, Area Research Center, Library, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. (B) Sanborn Insurance Maps 1884, 1890. (C) Watertown Daily Times, Sept. 25, 1986. (D) Watertown City Directories, 1866-1930, Watertown Public Library. (E) C.W. Butterfield, History of Jefferson County, Wisconsin, Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879, p. 615. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |