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Summary
Joseph B. Funke Company
101 State Street, La Crosse, La Crosse County
Date of Construction: 1898 / 1908 addition
Architect: Stoltze $ Schick
The Joseph B. Funke Company was a candy manufacturer that constructed this building in 1898 as their confectionery. The building contained offices, salesroom, stockroom and shipping departments on its first floor; the chocolate department on the second floor; the cream department on the third floor and the hard candies were produced on the fourth floor. In 1907 the firm had 147 employees, although this number increased to approximately 220 during peak production times. Its candies were sold throughout the United States and also carried in the passenger cars of some of the country's major railroad lines. Business prosperity led to the construction of an addition on the back of the building in 1908.
Nationally and statewide, the candy industry experienced significant growth during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The value of products of Wisconsin confectioners increased by sixty-four percent from 1899-1904, eighty-eight percent from 1904-1909, and forty-one percent from 1909-1914. In 1914, confections were ranked 24th among all statewide manufacturing industries in terms of value of products.
As one of the larger candy manufacturers in the state, Joseph B. Funke Company products ultimately included over 160 different kinds of chocolates for fancy packages and over 500 other kinds of candies including bon bons, fibertines, pineapple dips, nougatines, nut caramels and caramel creams. The city of La Crosse had three large candy manufacturing companies and the Joseph B. Funke Company was the largest of those. The company occupied the building until the early 1930s when it closed. The building is representative of the city's turn-of-the-nineteenth century's thriving confectionery industry and the only surviving candy manufacturing building in La Crosse.
Property Details
| Criteria | Event |
|---|---|
| Area Of Significance | Industry |
| Period of Significance | 1898-1933 |
| Architectural Style | Late 19th And Early 20th Century American Movements,Commercial Style |
| Architect | Stoltze & Schick (original architect),Northwest Tile Company (builder: 1908 addition |
| Resource Type | Building |
| Historic Use | Manufacturing Facility |
Resources Within The Property
| Contributing Buildings | 1 |
|---|---|
| Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Contributing Objects | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Buildings | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Objects | 0 |
Designations
| Historic Status | Listed in the State Register |
|---|---|
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Aug 15, 2014 |
| Historic Status | Listed in the National Register |
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Oct 22, 2014 |
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
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426--430 Main St.
85001362
Located in La Crosse, La Crosse County
1560 West Pierce Street
13000956
Located in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County
519 Losey Blvd. S
86002302
Located in La Crosse, La Crosse County
