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History of Watertown,
Wisconsin
Eunice Gruner
Home Town Prints
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Watertown
Historical Society Collection
Mrs.
Eunice Gruner turned her artistic interests into their business. She established a commercial outlet for her
popular sketches of historical and public buildings. She featured all of the local churches in the
centennial years for their celebrations.
Her business extended into several other states.
Mrs.
Gruner was a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and taught art at
Janesville and Reedsburg. She was also
the originator of the local art exhibits, which have become traditional in
Watertown. Watertown Wisconsin Centennial, 1854-1954,
booklet, p 62
1948
12 16 CITY
HISTORICAL MAP BY MRS. GRUNER NOW AVAILABLE
A special
copy of map of Watertown together with a listing of historical sites and events
here, which was prepared by Mrs. Eunice Gruner, wife of Ernest Gruner, has been
turned over to the Watertown Historical Society, while copies of the map,
printed by the Jansky Printing Company, have been placed on sale and are
enjoying an increasing sale as Watertown people buy copies to preserve.
Some
are also sending additional copies to old friends and former residents. The map may be secured at the Gruner Store. They sell for 75 cents per copy. They are
printed on sturdy parchment.
. . .
. The map is well worth owning and preserving, giving as it does, not only a
drawing of local stores and areas, but placing historic buildings and recording
historical events of Watertown in their proper location. Surrounding the map is a border which features
a goose (for Watertown stuffed geese), a badger, symbol of the badger state, a
beer baron to commemorate an important early Watertown industry and an eagle,
U.S. symbol.
Buildings
and events commemorated on the map are set off with clever pen sketches and
drawings made by Mrs. Gruner. One of the
largest sketches commemorate the singing society founded here in 1847 which was
associated with Concordia Hall. The
Concordia Saengerbund of Watertown is found listed in the page of the book,
"Early Choral Music in the U.S." and is one of the earliest of all
societies listed in that volume.
Other
events recorded on the map perpetuates some tangible record of early Watertown.
Among the things and events shown on the
map are the following: Karlshuegel, 1854, home of General Carl Schurz; Latin
farmers (the 48ers) who were German educated men who spoke Greek and Latin;
Lincoln School, 1867; birthplace of the Watertown quintuplets, born here in
1875, 5 boys who died soon after birth; Sacred Heart College, 1872; Union
Station; early Oak Hill Cemetery, 1850; the cheese industry; beer caverns under
W. Cady Street; Wisconsin Dairymen's Association founded here in 1872; Union
Park; site of Timothy Johnson's cabin, 1336; Boomer's Dam, 1847; French Fur
Trader's Cabin, 1837; old sawmills, 1952; old brewery; first American
kindergarten, 1856; Bank of Watertown, 1954; Black Hawk Trail, 1832; Town dam
(first dam here), 1837; Globe Mill, 1852; City's Meridian Stone, 1854; Buena
Vista House, 1847; The famous Railroad bond issue, 1853; Turnverein, 1860;
Webster School; Northwestern College, 1865; Water Tower; Hill Cemetery, 1840;
Library, site of old Tremont Hotel; City Park; Memorial Park; first post office
building,1837; Douglas School, 1863; beer gardens; Riverside Park; swimming
pool; armory; first free textbooks in state issued here in 1872; first train,
Milwaukee to Watertown, run as the Cannonball, 1852; Community cow pastures;
Cattle fair (Viehmarkt), 1858; Washington Park; Octagon House; old grist mill;
stage coaches from Milwaukee and Delafield, 1848; plank road and toll house;
Tivoli Island, owned by Concordia Society, 1875; Rough and Ready Dam, 1842; old
sawmill; first school house; Memorial Bridge; old Oak Hill cemetery, 1864; city
hall; Watertown's famous stuffed geese; first electric wire from Milwaukee,
8/26/1856; the Bohemian settlement.
In
addition, the various local churches and parochial schools as well as the
present high school are given space on the map, all in their proper locations.
1953
08 13 WATERTOWN
SCENES DEPICTED ON NEW STATIONARY
Eunice Gruner's Superb Sketches Being Featured
Watertown
residents — and others, too — are now able to purchase boxes of note paper
which features five Watertown scenes—the Octagon House, a park scene,
Northwestern College, the first American Kindergarten and the Old World Houses
in North Fourth Street.
The
note papers come in box lots, each containing 15, plus 15 envelopes.
The
designs are the work of Mrs. Eunice Gruner, well known Watertown pen and ink
artist, who has done some of her finest work in this new series.
The
boxes were to go on sale today and are available at the Octagon House, Gruner’s
store and the Busse Pharmacy. The cost
is one dollar per box.
The
product bears the imprint of Hometown Prints.
The sketches have an etching-like finish and are miniature works of art.
Mrs.
Gruner said that a suggestion was made to her that she prepare a sketch of the
Octagon House and it was decided to make prints of it on note papers which the
Watertown Historical Society, owner and custodian of the historic old home,
could place on sale. This led to other
suggestions and ended with her preparing five different Watertown scenes, all
done in beautiful pen and ink drawing.
Plates were-made and the papers printed.
The sketches have a dull finish which makes them look doubly artistic
and mellowed. All sketches are faithful
to the least detail.
The
papers are expected to enjoy a substantial sale, since those who have seen
advance samples have been enthusiastic about the idea and many orders have
already been placed. Not only do they
make suitable mediums for writing brief notes or short letters, but will also
be ideal as gifts. Former residents,
with fond memories of Watertown and its scenes, will be especially pleased to
receive them.
With
the city due to celebrate its centennial next year, the boxes bearing the
imprint of the five local themes will lend an interesting sidelight to the
celebration.
Mrs.
Gruner has done a considerable amount of pen and ink work and has helped design
many programs and other artistic printed materials, but in this new series she
has struck a new high point in what must be set down as really excellent work.
Among
her past designs was the sketch for the First
Congregational Church centennial program.
She is at present at work on other designs which are to be issued in the
future for private groups.
Those
who are looking for some suitable gift or memento to send to friends, notably
former residents who now live elsewhere, as well as those who like to have some
note papers that are out of the ordinary and which carry a local theme, will
find this new product just what they’ve been looking for.
1963
09 23 AMERICAN
LEGION PAINTINGS
Among
the pleasant and topical conversation pieces in Watertown these evenings are
the series of panels and a mural which Mrs. Eunice Gruner of 1010 Charles
Street has done for the Pitterle-Beaudoin Post No. 189, the American Legion,
for the Legion Green Bowl. That the art work is attracting attention is
stating it mildly. Mrs. Gruner, who
founded Home Town Prints, a commercial art service here and which she still
heads, has done, in these latest pieces, some of her most delightful art work
to date. When she was first approached
with the suggestion that she consider doing something for the walls at the
remodeled Legion Green Bowl she was hesitant and reluctant, but said she would
consider the request and come up with an idea in case she decided to do
it. WDT
Image Portfolio Panels and mural at Green Bowl (Lindberg’s)
08 09 BETHESDA MURAL
Mrs. Eunice Gruner,
Watertown commercial artist, has donated a 19 x 6-foot mural to Bethesda Lutheran Home.
On display in Bethesda’s main lobby, the traditional scene of “Christ
and the Little Children” (Luke 18) was made contemporary to the institution’s
situation with the use of retarded and handicapped children in the picture.
Painted particularly
for the 670 mentally retarded residents of this local home, hospital, and
training school, the artist wished the mural to say: “Here are the arms of Christ right here at
Bethesda.” She hoped the home’s patients
would identify with the 17 figures being received by Christ.
Seven months in the
making, 1,000 hours were spent in the mural’s creation.
Dr. Clarence F.
Golisch, executive director of the church-related institution, commented: “This beautiful mural is a concise summary of
the reason Bethesda has existed for 62 years.
The fact that our Lord is here among us, speaking through our lips and
working with our hands, has been concretely stated in Mrs. Gruner’s
visualization.”
Of the 17 figures, only
one has a living counterpart. The boy on
Christ’s lap was modeled after an eight-year-old hydrocephalic.
Mrs. Gruner received
her B.S. degree in art education from the University of Wisconsin in 1933,
after which she taught art three years in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Her involvement in home life replaced her
career, until 13 years ago a minister encouraged her to return to art. Since then, she has been a commercial artist
in Watertown, where she has organized Hometown Prints, a firm which custom
designs greeting cards and notepaper for both American and foreign consumers.
As part of her future,
Mrs. Gruner visualizes other murals of a smaller scale for Bethesda. “There are infinite possibilities of scenes
tying in the religious aspect with the meaning of Bethesda’s mission to the retarded.” WDT
1974
01 17 DEATH OF EUNICE GRUNER
LANGE (1906-1974)
A memorial service for
Eunice Gruner Lange, Perry Street, who died Jan. 17, will be held Sunday, March
17 at 3 p.m. at the First Congregational United Church of Christ. The Rev. Robert Tully will conduct the
service. If desired memorials may be
given to the Watertown Historical Society.
Mrs. Lange, wife of
Herbert W. Lange, died unexpectedly at their winter home in McAllen, Tex., Jan.
17.
Mrs. Lange was born in
Sisseton, S. D., Aug. 14, 1906.
Surviving are her
husband; two daughters, Mrs. Thomas Weesner, Boston, Mass., and Mrs. Wayne
Schnitger, Janesville; four grandchildren and one brother, Clifford Foss,.
Bàimbridge Island, Wash.
Funeral services were
held Jan. 20 at the Kreidler Funeral Home in McAllen, Tex.
Mrs. Lange was
organizer in 1953 in Watertown of the highly successful Hometown Prints. A talented artist, she made beautiful pen and
ink sketches of scenes and buildings of all types, including churches and
historic buildings and structures for correspondence notes. The business
thrived under her direction.
History of Watertown, Wisconsin