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Cordes Brick Co

1866

Kiessling, Elmer C., Watertown Remembered (Watertown: Watertown Historical Society), 1976, p 177.

In 1866 two Watertown brickyards employed 109 mainly seasonal workers, more than any other industry except the St. Paul Railroad. They produced ten million bricks each year and exported seven million. Visible reminders of this once thriving industry are the downtown brick buildings, the hundreds of brick houses scattered throughout the city and the two little lakes near the south end of Third Street. They were once filled with the clay used in making bricks. Mr. O. E. Carlson operated the last brickyard in Watertown between 1925 and 1935, with an annual production of three million bricks. The use of cement blocks in the construction industry made such inroads into the brick business that Wisconsin, which once had 30 brickyards, now has only one at Oakfield, near Fond du Lac.

Louis Cordes, profile of

Terbrueggen, Joseph 1912, Obit

For about 30 years past he was a member of the brick manufacturing firm of L. H. Cordes & Co

Third, S, 406 1912, Home of L H Cordes

1907

07 18 1907

Three remonstrances were presented to the council [at the last council meeting] from residents on Church street protesting against the proposed paving of that street with brick and urging the use of macadam paving material. They are opposed to brick for several reasons. First, because of the high grade of that street; second, because brick is too noisy for a residence street; third, because brick paving is too expensive and would prove a burden to the tax payers. The communications were filed in order that the parties may have an opportunity to be heard.