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Property Location
Location (Address)
213 DEWITT
County
Columbia
City/Village
Portage
Township
Unincorporated community
Town
Range
Direction
Section
Quarter Section
Quarter Quarter Section
Property Features
Year Built
1885
Additions
Survey Date
1992
Historic Use
Architectural Style
Structural System
Brick
Wall Material
Brick
Architect
Other Buildings On Site
Demolished
No
Demolished Date
Additional Comments
Parapet with stone coping and corbeling; segmental arch windows; pilasters along corners; star string course over decorative panels; wood oriel window; recent pent roof, altered glass and brick storefront.
Beginning his operation in 1866, James R. Brodie, who combined with Beattie between about 1870 and 1875, retailed and crafted boots and men's and ladies' shoes. Serving the northern part of the state, he was also a jobber and dealer in leather findings, mittens, gloves, and notions. Brodie employed four individuals tow of whom were skilled craftsmen or cobblers in 1880. He occupied a two story brick building with display room on the first floor and storage and shoe manufacturing on the second. This building at 213 DeWitt (25/4) was erected in 1885 while Brodie owned the property. He continued his craft in the building until about 1907 (Portage Daily Register 12/23/1889; Butterfield 1880: 880; U.S. Bureau of the Census 1850-1910 [1880: industrial schedule]).
After the turn of the century, the Portage retail district also contained several make shift theaters. Fred Fink and H.H. Niemeyer opened a nickelodeon or the Electric Theater in the Emporium Block at the southeast corner of DeWitt and E. Conant just after the turn of the century. Fink and Niemeyer later moved their theater to 213 DeWitt (25/4) about 1910. Then, it became known as the Crystal Theater (Voshardt 1910: 22; Portage Public Schools 1948-51; Portage Daily Register 4/11/1950; 4/22/1972; Columbia County Historical Society 1982).
August Haker and Arthur Cavanaugh operated the Crystal Bottling Company by 1906 at 417 W. Pleasent. Still standing, this frame building was later remodeled into a dwelling. Haker sold the company to William Raimer who operated the bottling works at the same location until his death in 1918. Sometime after 1019 and by 1918, the bottling works was also located at 213 DeWitt. During this period, R.R. Haker is listed as the owner and the Sanborn-Perris Map Co. indicates the presence of a bottling works in the building in 1918 (Sanborn-Perris Map. Co. 1918; Columbia Co. Treasurer 1863- [1910-1918]). In 1918, the Eulberg Brewery purchased the company and made soda pop under the name of Eulberg Products Company along with its malt during Prohibition (Portage Daily Register 3/11/1972; Sanborn-Perris Map Co. 1910; 1918).
Hugh Williams located his steam laundry at 213 DeWitt about 1919. William continued to use the building through 1929. By 1948 through 1955, it was the Modern Laundry.
Beginning his operation in 1866, James R. Brodie, who combined with Beattie between about 1870 and 1875, retailed and crafted boots and men's and ladies' shoes. Serving the northern part of the state, he was also a jobber and dealer in leather findings, mittens, gloves, and notions. Brodie employed four individuals tow of whom were skilled craftsmen or cobblers in 1880. He occupied a two story brick building with display room on the first floor and storage and shoe manufacturing on the second. This building at 213 DeWitt (25/4) was erected in 1885 while Brodie owned the property. He continued his craft in the building until about 1907 (Portage Daily Register 12/23/1889; Butterfield 1880: 880; U.S. Bureau of the Census 1850-1910 [1880: industrial schedule]).
After the turn of the century, the Portage retail district also contained several make shift theaters. Fred Fink and H.H. Niemeyer opened a nickelodeon or the Electric Theater in the Emporium Block at the southeast corner of DeWitt and E. Conant just after the turn of the century. Fink and Niemeyer later moved their theater to 213 DeWitt (25/4) about 1910. Then, it became known as the Crystal Theater (Voshardt 1910: 22; Portage Public Schools 1948-51; Portage Daily Register 4/11/1950; 4/22/1972; Columbia County Historical Society 1982).
August Haker and Arthur Cavanaugh operated the Crystal Bottling Company by 1906 at 417 W. Pleasent. Still standing, this frame building was later remodeled into a dwelling. Haker sold the company to William Raimer who operated the bottling works at the same location until his death in 1918. Sometime after 1019 and by 1918, the bottling works was also located at 213 DeWitt. During this period, R.R. Haker is listed as the owner and the Sanborn-Perris Map Co. indicates the presence of a bottling works in the building in 1918 (Sanborn-Perris Map. Co. 1918; Columbia Co. Treasurer 1863- [1910-1918]). In 1918, the Eulberg Brewery purchased the company and made soda pop under the name of Eulberg Products Company along with its malt during Prohibition (Portage Daily Register 3/11/1972; Sanborn-Perris Map Co. 1910; 1918).
Hugh Williams located his steam laundry at 213 DeWitt about 1919. William continued to use the building through 1929. By 1948 through 1955, it was the Modern Laundry.
Bibliographic References
Sanborn-Perris Map Co.
1929: Portage Steam Laundry
1928: Bottling works
1910: motion pictures
1901, 1894, 1889, 1885: boots and shoes
Columbia Co. Treasurer 1863-
1920, 1930: Hugh William
1910, 1915: R. R. Haker
1885-1905: James Brodie
The property valuation indicates that it was erected it was erected in 1886, and the building was constructed in 1885 (Sanborn-Perris Map Co. 1885).
Directories:
1955: (213) Modern Laundry and Dry Cleaners (Johnson Printing Co.)
1948: (213) Modern Laundry (Commonwealth Telephone Co.)
1937: ?
1929: (213) Portage Steam Laundry, Hugh Williams (Smith-Baumann Direc. Co.
1919-20: Portage Steam Laundry, Hugh William prop. (R.L. Polk & Co.)
1917-18: Portage Steam Laundry, Jones and Williams (R.L. Polk & Co.)
1917-18: (215) vacant: cleaners begin in ca. 1919; Crystal Bottling Works listed as 417 W. Pleasent.
1919-20: Starl. Bottling Works at 417 W. Pleasant (R.L. Polk & Co.)
1910: Haker and Stark, Crystal Bottling Works are listed at 423 W. Pleasant (Voshardt)
1909-10: Hacker and Stark, Crystal bottlins works (R.L. Polk & Co.)
1908-09: Brodie not listed as boot and shoe maker (S.H. Moore(.
1905-06, 1903-04, 1901-02 Brodie, James shoes (no address) (R. L. Polk & Co.)
1890 e.s., 1903-04, 1901-02 Brodie, James Brodie, boots and shoes (Wright)
1886: Brodie, boots and shoes, Cook not DeWitt (Rockwood and Godell 1886).
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
National/State Register Listing Name
Portage Retail Historic District
National Register Listing Date
Apr 27, 1995
State Register Listing Date
Oct 24, 1994
Contributing
Yes
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