Historic Places: Commercial Buildings (School Buildings and Commercial Property)
1. Lullabye Furniture Warehouse and Plywood Mill
 Location: 1020 First Street, Stevens Point WI
 Built: 1931
 Added to the Register: 1993
 Architectural Style: Late 19th and early 20th Century American Movements
 This building was a significant building between 1925 and 1949; it served as
an industrial and processing building that housed Folding Furniture Works
Company. It is a timber-framed building that was built following a fire in
1931 that destroyed the previous building. Today it has been revamped into
apartments by local architect Tom Brown.
2. Opera House/Fox Theater
 Location: 1116-1128 Main Street, Stevens Point WI
 Built: 1894
 Added to the Register: 1982
 Architectural Style: No Style Listed
 Although Stevens Point had several theaters, this theater is the most
important and it is the most talked about and most written about building on
Main Street. At one point this theater was the hub of all activity in Stevens
Point, once bringing in Harry Houdini as an act. The architectural details on
the front of the building include: an ornate wooden marquee, three distinct
bays, tall transform windows, brick work, inlaid metal panels under a large
brick arch, and a large metal cornice. This structure has housed many
different businesses and served many different purposes including a radio
station, a movie theater, and the first offices of Hardware Mutual (known
today as Sentry Insurance). In 1985 the building was closed down, never to
reopen again.
3. Hardware Mutual Insurance Companies Building
 Location: 1421 Strongs Ave, Stevens Point
 Built: 1922 (Northern portion)
 Added to the Register: 1994
 Architectural Style: Classical Revival
 This building looks like it fell right out of Rome and into Central Wisconsin
because of all of the classical details on this structure. It is one of the only
Classical looking structures in the city and its size really takes over the block.
It is considered the most architecturally significant building in town. Notice
the columns with capitals, and the pediments. This building first held the
offices of Hardware Mutual and today Sentry Insurance.
4. Hotel Whiting
 Location: 1408 Strongs Ave, Stevens Point
 Built: 1923
 Added to the Register: 1990
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Architectural Style: Mission/Spanish Revival/Late 19th and 20th Century
Revival
For the area, this was a landmark hotel and helped the city guide the city into
the modern hotel era. This building is five stories tall and one of the tallest in
Stevens Point. Today this building houses offices on the first story and the
remaining floors include some of the most impressive apartments in town.
On the very top of the Hotel Whiting is a roof deck that gives an amazing
view of the downtown and surrounding area.
5. Mathias Mitchell Public Square
 Location: Main Street from Strongs Avenue to Second Street
 Built: 1847
 Added to the Register: 1986
 Architectural Style: Many surrounding buildings in the square include: Art
Deco, Late Victorian, and Classical Revival
 The public square has held significance since the 1860s when it was first
plotted out by the founders of the city (including Mathias Mitchell) to create
a public square for farmers to sell livestock and other goods. Many
significant and surviving towns in Europe had successful town squares; this
is not a new idea but a very old one. Today many could argue that Stevens
Point’s claim to fame is the town square. It is rumored that Stevens Point
was once in the Guinness Book of World Records for the city with the most
bars per city block. But the square serves many more purposes such asa
gathering place, a shopping area, and continues to be a place for a market
where local farmers can sell their goods.
6. Ossowski-Glinski Building
 Location: 912 to 920 Main Street
 Built: 1890
 Architectural Style: Queen Anne Style
 This building symbolizes the large Polish influence that is in the town of
Stevens Point. The corner building was built by Nicholas Ossowski (a saloon
keeper) and Joseph Glinski (a tailor) and it embodies the rising Polish
influence of the community of Stevens Point. The architect on the project was
a Milwaukee man by the name of Bernard Kolpacki. Some of the noticeable
details include a larger corner bartizan, a bell-shaped roof, trim, and the
corner entry. At one time there was another turret on the other side of the
building, but for one reason or another that was torn off. This building at one
point was considered one of the most elegant in town.
7. Frame Presbyterian
 Location: 1300 Main Street
 Built: 1892
 Architectural Style: Gothic Revival
 When looking at a gothic structure it is important to notice the emphasis on
the vertical of the building, the steep sloping roofs, and the ornate details that
can be usually found in the windows. Gothic is sometimes referred to as
“gingerbread” due to all of the details. This church’s exterior is made mostly
out of red brick and there are several high gothic pointed-arch windows on
both Main Street and Church Street. On this building there is a major tower
with a pitched roof on the corner and buttresses on the ground that are
accented with stone trim. This is the only true gothic structure in Stevens
Point.
8. Kuhl Bros Building
 Location: 1003 Main Street
 Built: 1873 and updated with brick in 1902
 Architectural Style:
 In 1873 the west half of this building was stone and in 1902 the Kuhl brothers
built the east half and replaced the stone front façade with brick. There is an
arcaded cornice with pilasters that frames four small windows under the
pediment. The Kuhl brothers are a part of the Kuhl family responsible for
some of the finest architecture in Stevens Point. The father of the family
owned a brewery and the mother of the family spent a lot of money on real
estate.
9. Citizen’s Bank
 Location: 1045 Main Street
 Built: 1893 and updated in 1921
 Architectural Style: Classical Revival
 This is another of the few classical commercial structures in the downtown
district. The original building that stood in it’s place was an equally
impressive Romanesque Revival building with heavy brickwork. On the
building that still stands today, from the front façade you can see the Ionic
Classical Order within the columns and the column capitals. On top of the
columns there is a frieze panel and pediment with dentil details. There is a
large eagle sculpture that fills in the tympanum.
10. K. Chilla Building
 Location: 1205 to 1209 Second Street
 Built: 1892
 Architectural Style: Second Empire
 This is one of the tallest buildings in the downtown district with two stories
and an attic. This building sits on the site of the former Mansion House
Hotel that burned down in 1891. The center bay in the structure houses the
staircase. Some architectural features to note are the Palladian windows,
rounded arches and the domed tower on the top of Second Empire styling.
Its original use was for the city hall and today this building is used as The Art
Village which is a contemporary art studio and gallery where people can take
art classes and paint pottery. They have professional studio spaces available,
equipment and knowledge to help people learn in an art environment.
11. Congregation Beth Israel Synagogue
 Location: 1475 Water Street
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Built: 1905
Architectural Style: “Synagogue Architecture”
This simple wood frame building first housed Stevens Point’s first Synagogue
that was a house of worship for the local Jewish community. It is hard to
distinguish a style from this building, but the windows are of gothic origin with
the pointed arches at the top of each. But this structure is not gothic because it is
rather short. Synagogues are not consistent in design; they may resemble many
different kinds of structures that are common in any place or time. Services in
this building ended in 1985 and it now houses the Portage County Historical
Society Museum.
12.
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Bell Telephone Building
Location: 1045 Clark Street
Built: 1924
Architectural Style: Tudor Gothic Elements
This building at one time housed the central switching offices of Bell (later
AT&T) formerly located in the Kuhl Building on Main Street. Architectural
elements to note include: limestone detailing at the entry door, the windows,
the cornice at the very top of the structure and the corners. Today this building
houses legal offices and other professional offices.
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Stevens Point Brewery
Location: 2617 Water Street
Built: 1857
Wisconsin is known for its beer and breweries, and The Stevens Point Brewery is
the 5th oldest continuously operating brewery in the United States, surviving
through the Great Depression and Prohibition. The brewery served troops beer
during the Civil War, they also created “near-beer products” like soda during
Prohibition, and continue to widen their market outside of Wisconsin today.
Next to mills, the earliest industrial buildings were breweries. The soil in
Wisconsin produces excellent malting barley, so Wisconsin became the “brewery
capital at an early date.
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Old Main (aka: State Normal School at Stevens Point)
Location: 2100 Main Street
Built: 1894
Architectural Style:
Old Main was the first building to open its doors to the Stevens Point Normal
School in 1894 to 300 students. Some of the classes taught at the time were home
economics and teacher preparation. Some architectural features to note are the
white cupola which is the symbol of the University today. Two wings (a west
wing and east wing) were added in 1901 and 1914. But during renovations in
1979 and 1980 these wings were removed. Today this building houses
administrative offices including those of the Chancellor and Vice- Chancellor and
is listed on the Register of Historical Buildings.
15. Nelson Hall
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Location: 1209 Fremont Street
Built: 1915-1917
Architectural Style: Italianate
This building is one of the oldest university dormitories outside of UWMadison. It was named after George B. Nelson, a long time Stevens Point
attorney who served on the Wisconsin Supreme Court and was a regent of the
State Normal School System. This building has a long history of many different
uses throughout the years. Originally, this building was used as the first
dormitory on campus, and housed the women attending the Central State
Teachers College. This building has also been used as a practice place for music
students, temporary housing for troops in WWI and WW2, and offices for
teachers and students during remodels. In the 1970s during the Vietnam War,
students took over the building briefly to protest the war and the killings at Kent
State. This building has interesting features including the large porch on the
front façade, a fire place on the first floor, and tall ceilings even on the basement
level. In 2003 this building was added to the “10 Most Endangered Properties
List” by the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation. Some students and
faculty claim Nelson Hall to be haunted.
Historic Places: Residential Structures (Personal Homes, Bed and Breakfasts)
1. August G. and Theresa Green House
 Location: 1501 Main Street
 Built: 1903
 Added to the Register: 2005
 Architectural Style: Victorian Eclectic/ Neo-Classical Revival
 The original occupant of this single family home, Mr. August Green, was the
owner of a well-known meat market located in downtown Stevens Point. He
wanted a house that would be, “not as large as some in the city.” There are
several details that make this structure distinctly Victorian; the turret, the
wrap around porch, the front gable, and the pent roof that runs around the
house between the second and third stories. There are also several details
that make this property look Neo-Classical as well; the front veranda with
Tuscan columns, the pediment with scrollwork, the frieze under the pent
roof, and the cornices over many of the windows.
2. J.L. Jensen House
 Location: 1100 Brawley Street
 Built: 1901
 Added to the Register: 1988
 Architectural Style: Queen Anne Victorian / Victorian Eclectic/
Neoclassical Revival
 The original occupant of this single family home was a prominent local
family, and this home has remained in the family ever since. The original
owner, J.L. Jensen was working in the Jackson Mill in the early 1800s and
then quit to open his own grocery store. He sold his original home for $2000
to buy the land this home sits on and then to build this home. The details
that make this home distinctive are the complicated Victorian Roof with the
capped window. There are also Tuscan columns, a small turret, fish-scale
shingles, beveled glass, and much more on the interior. Very few changes
have been made to this structure since it was built, and today this home
serves as one of the Bed and Breakfasts in town.
3. Christina Kuhl House
 Location: 1416 Main Street
 Built: 1886
 Added to the Register: 1978
 Architectural Style: Second Empire/ Italianate
 This building has a great location because it frames the entrance to the
downtown district. And has therefore been considered one of the bestknown houses in the city. Some of the most notable features include; two
four story - eight-sided towers with cast iron railing ornamentation and the
mansard roof. This type of roof creates more space in the third floor. When
this style was brought to the United States from Europe, it was changed and
combined with other styles (such as Italianate). The Italianate Style can be
seen with the heavy bracket detail under the eaves, and the intricate
ironwork. In 1886 this home was built for $10,000, a small fortune at that
time.
4. David McMillian House
 Location: 1924 Pine Street
 Built: 1872-1873
 Added to the Register: 1974
 Architectural Style: Gothic/ High Victorian Gothic
 This is the Stevens Point’s only remaining Gothic Style house; therefore it is
very important to the history of Stevens Point. The main characteristics that
are common to the Gothic Style are; the high-pitched gables with ornate
bargeboards, the decorative finials that are on top of the peaks of the gables,
and the pendants that hang from the gable ends. The Gothic Style is seen
mostly in churches throughout time, but in this case we have a residence.
The emphasis for the Gothic Style is the vertical elements that draw the eye
up, which can be seen with pointed tops on the windows or doors. But the
windows throughout the front of this house are not pointed at all; they have
a rounded top and are considered Roman. This home has been owned by
many people throughout time including; a banker, a business officer, and the
president of the Journal Printing Company.
5. John Sims House (aka: The Inn on Main Street)
 Location: 2141 Main Street
 Built: 1922
 Architectural Style: Colonial/ Federal Revival
 The original building was built for John Sims who was the president of The
Normal School (which is now UW Stevens Point). This building is located
across the street from “Old Main.” At some time in the 1940s, the building
was sold to a new family and ten years later the original wood siding was
covered with stone. The sunroom located on the side of the home was added
because of the threat of tuberculosis and other diseases which result from too
little exposure to the sun. The classical details of the home include; Tuscan
Columns and full pediment sidelights all located around the front door. But
a lot of details are missing from the home to make it purely one style or
another. Today the building has been turned into a Bed and Breakfast.
6. Philip Rothman House (aka: A Victorian Swan on Water)
 Location: 1716 Water Street
 Built: 1889
 Architectural Style: Victorian Eclectic
 This home was built in steps from 1888 to 1890 and was home to several
prominent downtown merchants throughout the years. The house was
originally located on Clark Street, but was moved to its current location on
Water Street by the Hardware Mutual Company (today Sentry Insurance).
The original owner, Mr. Philip Rothman was the founder and owner of the
C.O.D. dry-goods store and was the mayor of the city for one term. It is easy
to tell that this house has been renovated extensively because there is a turret
on one of the corners of the house where much of the detail has been covered
up. Also there was once a grand porch, an odd arched window, and fish
scaled shingles. Today this home was been restored to a Bed and Breakfast.
7. G.F. Andrae House
 Location: 1249 Clark Street
 Built: 1877 (enlarge in 1890)
 Architectural Style: Italianate with Classical Elements
 This house has long been associated with the family of G.F. Andrae, who was
a prominent downtown landowner and merchant who owned a dry-goods
business. G.F. Andrae is also known for building the Opera House. The
original house is one of the best examples of Italianate, in a city full of
Italianate. Some of the characteristics that make the residence Italianate
include; the overall cube shape, deck roof, and wide eaves with brackets.
Other characteristics to note include, Greek Revival Pilasters, a bay window,
beveled glass in diamond patterns, and the iron fence around the yard. This
home is also considered one of the best preserved homes in the city, and was
repainted in the 1980s.
8. R.A. Cook House
 Location: 1532 Church Street
 Built: 1882
 Architectural Style: Italianate
 Although there are many Italianate style houses in Stevens Point, this can
be argued is the best example. These homes were designed after country
villas in Italy (hence Italianate) and were very popular in Wisconsin.
Characteristics to look for include; the basic square shape of the home,
wide overhangs with ornate brackets underneath, and heavy arches over
the windows. This home has all of these features, but it is missing the
typical cupola on the very top of the roof, instead it has ironwork. The
original owner Richard Cook was born in England and moved to Stevens
Point where he owned and managed a foundry at the west end of Main
Street.
9. A.L. Shafton House
 Location: 1909 Clark Street
 Built: 1932
 Architectural Style: Half Timbered/Tudor
 There are several half-timbered homes in Stevens Point, but this seems to
be a favorite. Half Timbered is a very easy style to recognize, because it
looks as if part of a piece of timber is sticking out of the mortar or stucco.
(This idea dates back to the Medieval and Renaissance Periods in
Europe.) Also note the “belt” that runs around the middle of the house,
the pointed gable, (which is called a jetty) and the gothic doorway with
additional stonework. The original owner of this house was a
Jewish/Russian immigrant that worked hard and started as a grocery
clerk and eventually was an owner of a wholesale fruit and vegetable
company.
10. St. Stephen’s Catholic Church Rectory
 Location: 1401 Clark Street
 Built: 1932-33
 Architectural Style: Jacobethan Revival
 The term “Jacobethan” refers to buildings built during the reigns of
Elizabeth I and James I in the 1500s and 1600s in Europe. This rectory
was obviously not built at this time, but is instead a “revival” style. The
features to note include; the use of stone as a material, the stonework
around the windows, and the stone mullions dividing the window. Also
common are the gothic doorway at the front of the house and the detail
above the bay window, which is called a “battlemented parapet.”
11. James Mainland House
 Location: 2124 Clark Street
 Built: 1915
 Architectural Style: Bungalow
 There are many bungalow homes in the city, but this one includes a lot of
the details we look for in a bungalow. The term bungalow comes from an
Asian work “bangle” refers to a low house with porches surrounding it.
Therefore the details to note include; the front porch with the big dormer
and exposed rafter ends on the sides, the open brackets under the eaves,
shingle work, the brick chimney, and the overall small size. There were
thousands of bungalows built around the country especially due to the
accessibility of materials. At one time a person could buy an entire
bungalow house kit from Sears in the 1930s. The original owner was
James Mainland who was the superintendent of the Stevens Point
Lighting Company.
12. W.E. Ule House
 Location: 1417 Main Street
 Built: 1915-1916
 Architectural Style: Prairie
 Prairie Style is what Frank Lloyd Wright and Wisconsin are known for;
although this home was not designed by Wright it is still a significant
building for Stevens Point. There are many characteristics to note; a
heavy hip roof with wide eaves, horizontal bands of windows, canopies
that stick out over doorways, stucco finish, wings that contain only one
room, and a low but massive chimney. The original owner of this home,
William Ule was a wealthy contractor who would build almost any
structure. He had a sad fate because he ended up murdered in Chicago
after getting in trouble with the “underworld” there. The next owner
Laura Mae Corrigan married a wealthy man from Cleveland and fixed up
this home for her parents.
13. Bernard E. Nigbor House
 Location: 1701 Main Street
 Built: 1941-1942
 Architectural Style: 2 ½ Story Gabled House w/Classical Elements
 This is one of the most popular homes in the city, not because of how old
it is but because it is the most visible corner in town. The interior is 4,478
sq. ft. and includes five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and three fireplaces. It
was built after the Classical Revival, so it can not be that style; instead it is
a mixture of styles. Important features include; the dominating columns,
classical portico or porch with pediment, dentil molding, and oval
windows to both sides of the doorway. The original owners, the Nigbor
Family had to buy three lots to get the land big enough to build this
house on the corner. The owners operated and owned a furrier business
from 1895 until 1977, when the grandchildren closed the local store and
moved the company’s headquarters to Berlin.
14. E. E. Kidder House
 Location: 1501 Clark Street
 Built: 1933 (tower added in 1951?)
 Architectural Style: 2 ½ Story Gabled House w/Classical Elements
 This is the only home of its kind in Stevens Point, so it is an important
building. The details to note are; the brickwork and stone throughout the
whole exterior, as well as the wide chimney, steep roofs, and the tower
(although added later) with it’s medieval windows and pointed roof. The
first owner was Dr. Earle Kidder who was a physician in Stevens Point;
his wife’s father was a contractor and supervised the construction of this
house.