This file portion of www.watertownhistory.org website
Wethonkitha Club
116 S First
1940s
04 19 2008
Watertown Daily Times
article
Lou Kuckkan,
bowling legend, bowled at the old Wethonkitha Club lanes.
1955, 08
26
The
Western Union Telegraph Co. has been ordered to move from its quarters at 112
South First Street by Oct. 31 so the city can utilize the property for its
South First Street parking plans, it was disclosed today. W. A. Krienke,
manager of Western Union, announced that as yet the company has not decided
where it will locate. There have been reports that if quarters can be made
available in the Carlton Hotel, opposite the present site, that may be done.
The city of Watertown acquired the building occupied by Western Union, as well
as a strip of land directly to the north, from the Wethonkitha Club Realty Co.,
some time ago in order to provide ample space to carry out contemplated plans
for the proposed automobile parking ramp. The city already owned the major
portion of the lot which it plans to use for parking purposes.
1955, 10
14
The
Western Union office, located in South First Street, has been given some
additional time to vacate the building it now occupies, city officials
disclosed today. The building is to be part of the site for the proposed
automobile parking ramp and was acquired from the Wethonkitha Club some months
ago. Originally the telegraph company was to vacate it by Oct. 31. The
telegraph company will move its office and equipment to quarters in the Hotel
Carlton, directly across the street. Work on changing the installations will be
under way as soon as arrangements are completed.
1955, 10
28
The
Western Union Telegraph Company started moving operations yesterday. It is
moving its Watertown office to new headquarters in the Carlton Hotel, across
the street from its old office in South First Street. The telegraph company is
vacating the building directly north of the Wethonkitha Club, the city recently
having purchased it along with a strip of land and plans to utilize the land as
part of the South First Street parking area, on which a car ramp is to be
constructed.
1955, 12
12
Four members
of the City Council last night applied the brakes to plans for construction of
an automobile parking ramp in South First Street. The fifth was not able to be at the adjourned
meeting due to out of town business. The four councilmen voted unanimously to
reject all bids submitted for the ramp after it was officially stated the
lowest bidder, Farmer Bros. of Tomah, had made “an honest error” in computing
their basis for their estimate. Their bid figure was between $8,000 and $10,000
too low, the county was informed. The
bids were filed Nov. 8.
1955, 05
16
Work
of razing the building in
1959
03 13 Election of officers WDT
2003
03 01
Abstract from Watertown Daily Times article
Social club located at 116 South First Street,
along the Rock River, with the name coming from an Indian word that means good
fellowship or gathering place.
All stockholders of the club are
Lutheran laymen; only members of the Missouri or Wisconsin Lutheran Synod are
eligible to join.
The club was formed in 1923 by a group
of 12 Watertown Lutheran men who agreed that they needed a meeting place that
would provide opportunities for socialization outside of their church.
Specht’s Harness Shop
This property was site of first hospital
in Watertown
Meetings were first held at Raue’s
Hall, on the third floor of what is now the Morgan Stanley Witter building at
200 East Main Street. In 1923 the
members purchased the Sprecht property
on South First.
Club members purchased stock in the
newly formed Wethonkitha Realty Co. to pay for the building. The realty company still controls the stock
(800 shares).
In 1955 the club sold the north portion
of the building to the city for the Western Union building.
For a time, the Wethonkitha Club was
also the site of the Watertown Chamber of Commerce office.
2005
Wethonkitha
Club 2005, 116 S
First, Sale of building, society history
Image of property
WHS_005_215
