OSHKOSH DOWN UNDER. Basement Businesses and the Tunnel from the Hotel Athearn to the Grand opera house. By Julie Krysiak Johnson

Transcription

1 OSHKOSH DOWN UNDER Basement Businesses and the Tunnel from the Hotel Athearn to the Grand opera house. By Julie Krysiak Johnson

2 OSHKOSH DOWN UNDER Basement Businesses and the Tunnel from the Hotel Athearn to the Grand opera house. By Julie Krysiak Johnson Ghost Sightings to watch for 2002 by Julie Krysiak Johnson, All Rights Reserved Printed by Digital Printing Innovations, Oshkosh, WI.

3 Table of Contents Acknowledgments Introduction 1 Basement Business at 81 Main Street 3 Barber Basement Business at 23 High Avenue. 5 Confectionery Advertising Agents Sign shops.. 8 Transfer Company Basement Business at 192 Main & Merrit Streets. 14 Barber Sign Painter Billiards Restaurant Basement Business at 15 High Avenue. 27 Barber Dance School Beauty Salon Basement Business at 103 Main Street.. 31 Barber Restaurant Basement Business at 99 Main Street 34 Barber Shoe Maker Hat Shop Basement Business at 24 High Avenue. 40 Bill Posting & Advertising Basement Business at Opera House Square.. 43 Printer Wholesale Cigars Newspaper Agency Electric Company Municipal Code Book City of Oshkosh The Ornamental Bandstand 1892 Completed and the Hicks Soldiers Monument The Tunnel from the Hotel Athearn to the Grand Opera House 1-31 Resources

4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many thanks to the wonderful people of Oshkosh who have been so obliging. Special thanks are also due a few friends who have brought to this book what could not have been obtained from any other resource. Anita Bishop, who was my partner years earlier, made many phone calls, visited and photographed several Down Under sites. Unfortunately, other interests took her away from continuing our research together on this project. Her partnership was greatly missed. John Bangs, Sr. opened his family s personal archives on the history of Bangs Rapid Transfer Company along with photographs which are rare and one of a kind. He graciously allowed me to feature them exclusively in this book. Dick and Nels Naslund have been so accommodating by allowing me to research and photograph to my heart s content their hollow sidewalk and basement areas on Market St., a vital Down Under site. Lillian Fraser was an employee of the Hotel Athearn from 1935 to the 1960 s. We had long talks about the hotel and tunnel, supplying me with information and photographs and in the process, became a dear friend. Bob Zellmer was our very first witness who had been in the tunnel. His testimony became very important (along with the private golf lessons for two summers). Augie Tiedje, historian and collector of Oshkosh past and present, supplied me with copies of photographs from his personal collection pertaining to my cause. And last but not least, Janet Shepherd, Anne Anderson, Catherine Hodge and Paul Poeschl for their typing, editing and patience. I can t thank you enough. I hope you enjoy reading Oshkosh Down Under. Julie Krysiak Johnson

5 Bangs Rapid Transit Company First National Bank Building Basement office space Emelius Prawl Bangs is shown above as a successful businessman in the 1920's in the Main St. office of Bangs Rapid Transfer Company. He started in the transportation field when he and Sam Neff built the tugboat "Ajax" in 1870 which ran the lakes and rivers until 1880 when it was dismantled. He also owned the paddlewheel steamer "K. M. Hutchinson" in 1886 but it was destroyed by fire in Needing a job, he operated the horse-drawn carousel at Eweco Park. Page 8

6 Eweco Park, also called White City, was located just south of the present Oshkosh Country Club, which was the end of the line of the streetcar run by Eastern Wisconsin Electric Company. Eweco Park had a roller coaster, a dance pavilion and other amusements. When the Park closed for the winter, Mr. Bangs needed a means of making a living, and so he traded one of his horses for a wagon and parked the pair on the corner of Main St. and High Ave. where he advertised Livery Service at 5c and l0c a trip. One of his first steady customers hired him to take his company's mail to and from the post office every day for 5c a trip. That's how Bangs Rapid Transit got its start in Page 9

7 Business was good and in 1905, Mr. Bangs moved into a basement office space in the First National Bank Building on the corner of Main & Washington Streets. He shared a desk with Harmon Insurance Agency. Rent was $10.00 per month. Mr. Bangs stayed at this location until Page 10

8 In 1910, the business moved to 78 Main St. above Klemmer Bros. Harness shop. Rent was $6.00 a month. In 1911, he purchased property on Bay St. from Clara Wildermuth for $ and built a barn for his 13 horses. In 1919, they moved the office to 64 Main St., at the corner of Otter St. Page 11

9 The method of transportation changed to motor car, and in 1915 the company bought a 5-passenger Ford for $730, a Studebaker for $700, and the following year a Hudson for $1,300. In 1917 they bought a Packard and a Reo. During this period the company name changed to Bangs Transfer & Taxi. Page 12

10 Emelius P. Bangs died in 1930 and was succeeded by his son Fred L. Bangs, whose wife Amanda worked part-time for the firm. In 1923 the last move of Bangs Transfer & Taxi was to 52 State St. and the name changed to E. P. Bangs Trucking Co. John F. Bangs, Sr. worked for his father, Fred, from The door closed Sept 1,1981 ending 80+ years of Always Moving". The information in this chapter was provided through the courtesy of John Bangs, Sr. who allowed us to re-print portions of his personal files. Page 13