Flat-Iron Building - Wisconsin Rapids, WI
N 44° 23.505 W 089° 49.451
16T E 275066 N 4919264
This flat-iron building is located in downtown Wisconsin Rapids at 130 1st St N. It was built in 1907 by the First National Bank. It now houses offices for a local lawyer.
Waymark Code: WM3PCE
Location: Wisconsin, United States
Date Posted: 04/29/2008
Views: 12
This location has housed a flat-iron building since before
1894.
From the Taylor Book web
site:
The top picture was taken about 1894. In the center of the picture
is the Flat-iron, with the small frame building with not less than
three occupants in it.
John Wagner was the owner for many years, and had a cabinet and
undertaking shop. The point end of the building had one room in
which he stored the old and ugly shaped wood coffins that gave one
the shivers. The youngsters never bothered that building at
all.
At one time Mrs. J. D. Witter came from some Federation meeting
with the urge to do some "uplifting" and furnished the funds and
asked the Methodist minister to take charge and establish some sort
of a public reading room and coffee shop for temperance
refreshments for the young men and boys of the town. It was an
evident desire to plant the seeds for a Y M C A of the future but
it did not survive her contributions and went through one winter
and did, most certainly, help some boys spend a nice time.
The changes between 1894 and the conditions in 1907 when the
First National Bank built the new buildings shown, are so apparent
that they need not be brought into the discussion. The First
National Bank's new building was the first move away from the old
and original location, before going over to the west side.
Cement walks replaced the old plank walks of the top picture and
brick paving covered the dirt roads. Automobiles are in evidence as
against the loads of hay and horse drawn vehicles."