(Editor’s note: With this post, we’ve completed surveying the first 100 years of each of the lots, buildings, key owners and best-known occupants for the properties on the north side of the 400, 500 and 600 blocks of West Water Street – our historic downtown. Time to celebrate! This information has been gleaned from original newspaper accounts, property records and the Sanborn fire insurance maps – the trifecta of primary local historical sources.)
Lot 5 of Block E today is home to the Princeton Public Library, 424-428 West Water Street. Prior to the library being built on the site in 2019, the frame building (428) that stood just west of the present library’s entrance had housed restaurants for several years and served as office space for local attorneys and judges in its earliest years.
The first building on Block E was built in 1850-51 and was the fifth or sixth store (depending on whether you count a burned building) erected in Princeton.
We first learn of the building in the history of Princeton published by the Princeton Republic in 1869: “In our last, we closed with Seeley & Hall’s building, it being the fourth. The next, put up in the summer of 1850, occupied the ground upon which August Thiel’s residence now stands and was built by Richmond Tucker, who filled it with a miscellaneous stock of merchandise, but was burned out in little over a year, when he erected the building now owned and occupied by Esq. Myers as a law office and residence on Water Street.”
I believe, but am less than certain, Myers’ 1869 law office is the building referred to in early deeds of Lot 4 of Block E as the office of attorney S.W. Holmes, insurance agent R.P. Rawson and attorney J. Edmund Millard.
The deeds noted the building was excluded from the sale, indicating it was sold separate from the property.
Myers building (428)
Richmond Tucker, who built the Myers building, sold the west part of Lot 5 to a New York group led by Charles Connors, and the property passed on to John Wheeler and, in June 1864, to William Jackson for $300 (Deeds, Volume 23, Page 400).
Jackson sold to Abram H. Myers for $750 in September 1864 (Deeds, Volume 24, Page 243).
Myers built an addition and updated the original building in 1885.
Princeton Republic, June 18, 1885 – “Judge Myers is going to build on an addition to the building he has occupied so many years as office and dwelling. It will be a material addition to his home and add much to the looks and value of his property.”
Princeton Republic, June 5, 1890 – “R.P. Rawson has moved his insurance office into J.H. Davidson’s law office (520 West Water). Mr. Rawson has had a desk in A.H. Myers’ office for twenty years. It is like leaving an old friend to move, but Mr. Myers was in want of the room, hence the removal.”
Myers was born in June 1829 in New York, moved to Wisconsin in 1851, worked as a teacher and farmed in Marquette County, and arrived in Princeton in 1864. He was a justice of the peace for several years and served as county judge for four years. His legal work focused largely on probate court. He was a major force in the construction of the stone school on Main Street in 1867 and served as school board director for several terms. He was involved in most major village projects of the 19th century.
Myers died from heart failure on Nov. 24, 1894. His property passed to his three daughters. Ellen Long, of Milwaukee, Elizabeth Warren, of Juneau, and Henrietta Whittemore, of Princeton. Long and Warren sold their share of his holdings to Henrietta and Washington Whittemore for $2,400 a few years after Myers’ death (Deeds, Volume 68, Page 7).
The holdings by that time also included the east 37.5 feet of Lot 5 and the west 2.5 feet of Lot 8, which had passed from Henry Treat to Alta. Knapp, to Charles W. Loomis, to Laura and Lafayette Fisher, to Myers, for $650 in May 1873 (Deeds, Volume 24, Page 182).
Princeton Republic, April 22, 1897 – “R.P. Rawson has moved his office from the second floor of Mittlestaedt’s block back into the old corner he occupied years ago in the late Judge Myer’s office, now Wash. Whittemore’s place.”
The “Industrial Review of Princeton, Wisconsin,” published by A.I. Lord, of Milwaukee, in 1897 offered this description of Rawson: “Mr. Rawson is one of the pioneer residents of Wisconsin, having come to this state in 1844 and settled in Dane County where he held several offices. He removed to Princeton in 1850, when she consisted of six or seven families. During this time, he has held many positions, such as president of the village, clerk, supervisor, coroner, etc. Mr. Rawson is one of the most beloved and respected men of the community in which he has always been a prominent figure.”
After Rawson died in 1899, Washington Whittemore took on his insurance business and continued to operate from the same building until 1909. At one point he advertised insurance and “notions,” another time as a gift shop.
The Whittemores sold the west 42.5 feet of Lot 5 to Jennie and Thomas Roberts for $3,000 in May 1909 (Deeds, Volume 69, Page 613). The Roberts family opened the first restaurant to grace the site.
Princeton Republic, Sept. 9, 1909 – “W.W. Whittemore and family who have recently sold their place to Tom Roberts are moving their household goods to the place they purchased from T.J. Paull. Mr. Roberts is remodeling the Whittemore place and will soon have same ready for business.”
The Roberts family operated the restaurant for several years. Thomas Roberts passed in 1920.
Princeton Republic, July 13, 1911 – “Dr. Griswold and family have moved into the Thos. Roberts residence on East Water St. and has his office across from the Turner Hall.”
There was a millinery at about 524 West Water in 1914, according to the Sanborn fire insurance map.
Princeton Republic, Oct. 21, 1920 – “Chiropractors Beaver & Beaver (Joseph and Edith), of Milwaukee, have obtained living and office quarters from Mrs. Jennie Roberts opposite the Turner Hall.”
John Shew Jr. operated an appliance store and radio shop in the building in the 1930s, I believe, before moving to his father’s building next door west.
Princeton Times-Republic, June 8, 1939 – “The Pantry is the name of the new restaurant and ice cream parlor opened in the building formerly occupied by the John Shew appliance store. … The Pantry is spick and span and nicely furnished – surely an attractive place to eat. Mrs. Jennie Beaver will be assisted by her daughter, Mrs. Mildred Deau in the conduct of the business.”
Princeton Times-Republic, Aug. 19, 1943 – “The Pantry restaurant is undergoing extensive improvement. A room is being finished in the front of the building which will be used as a kitchen and other improvement have been made in the restaurant.”
Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Gruber formally opened The Pantry’s successor, Gruber’s Restaurant, on Feb. 26. 1944. Four months later the Grubers purchased the former Corenke building across the street at 433 West Water and moved the restaurant there in April 1945.
Princeton Times-Republic, May 10, 1945 – “Mrs. Millie Deau announces that she will reopen the Pantry Restaurant Saturday, May 12th.”
Princeton Times-Republic, Nov. 22, 1945 – “The Pantry Restaurant, conducted by Mrs. Millie Deau, has been sold to parties from Mauston.”
Princeton Times-Republic, Dec. 6, 1945 – “Mr. and Mrs. Roy Barber and Miss Artyce Smith are the new owners of the Cozy Café, formerly the Pantry Restaurant. They came here from Tomah.”
The new owners did not find Princeton all that cozy and were gone in seven months.
Princeton Times-Republic, July 11, 1946 – “Two former war prisoners satisfied a dream of starvation-long prison days here in Princeton this month when they opened a restaurant, the Princeton Café, opposite the theatre. The men, William Crabb, former flying fortress ball turret gunner and his brother, Robert Crabb, a newspaper man in the Philippines, have bought the restaurant in partnership with their brother-in-law, Robert Fadner, one of the University of Wisconsin’s boxing greats. … Fadner, formerly from Fond du Lac and Plainfield, was the only boxer at the University of Wisconsin ever to complete his varsity career without a defeat or tie in dual competition. A Green Bay Golden champion in 1934, he went on to win the state Golden Gloves title the same year, and the next year took the Minneapolis diamond belt. In 1936 he won the national intercollegiate championship, the first Wisconsin boxer to win that title.”
Leonard Gruber, owner of Gruber’s Restaurant across the street from the Princeton Café, a short time later sold his kitchen equipment to the café and went into the clothing business.
Princeton Times-Republic, Nov. 21, 1946 – “Without bus service for many years, Princeton at last has been included on the schedule of a new bus company (Swenson Coach Lines) operating from Wisconsin Rapids to Milwaukee, with transfer arrangements at Beaver Dam. The service begins Saturday when a south-bound bus pulls into the Princeton Café, the local depot, at 8:12 in the morning. This bus reaches Milwaukee at 12 o’clock noon. Another Milwaukee-bound bus leaves the café at 5:22 in the afternoon. Going north, where Wisconsin Rapids is the terminal, buses leave here at 1:10 in the afternoon, and 9:58 at night. … Much credit for bus service goes to Melvin Parsons and Mrs. Ernest Cernik (formerly Violet Rozek).”
After Fadner’s departure, Crabb brought on Marvin Dugenske as partner in August 1947. Marvin’s brother, Bob, became a partner after Crabb left, and the Dugenskes unveiled their Princeton Café.
Princeton Times-Republic, April 29, 1948 – “The new dress of stone-faced insulation on the front and sides of the Princeton Café adds greatly to its appearance.”
They employed two people and were open 24 hours a day. Marvin Dugenske bought out Bob in 1951. Chicken dinners and chicken noodle soup were among the menu’s more popular choices over the years. The usually busy restaurant, which used 428 as its address in advertisements, was even busier during deer hunting season.
Princeton Times-Republic, Oct 20, 1960 – “Some recently completed remodeling of store fronts greatly enhanced the beauty of several business places here recently. Marv’s Princeton Cafe received an entire new front covering the restaurant and garage, set off by a metallic awning. A new floor inside and new counter tops also were added.
A fire necessitated more remodeling in 1967.
Princeton Times-Republic, Feb. 23, 1967 – “Fire completely gutted the interior of the Princeton Café Tuesday afternoon, when workers were installing natural gas in the café kitchen drilled into an L-P Gas line installed in the wall. The pilot light on the gas range ignited the gas and the result was an action like a blow torch. The proprietor, Marvin Dugenske, immediately sprayed the fire with a fire extinguisher but when the contents of the two extinguishers failed to make headway with the blaze, he called for someone to get the fire department. Warren Wachholz, volunteer fireman, was in the café at the time and he ran through the alley to the fire department building and sounded the siren. Within minutes the fire department was at the scene, but in spite of the prompt action the café interior was burned out in a matter of a few minutes. For a short time it looked like the fire might spread to the Library building next door, but the efficient action of the 20 firemen at the scene soon got the fire under control.”
“Since the firehouse was behind the restaurant on Main Street they got there really quickly and that is probably the only thing that saved the building from completely burning down,” Dugenske’s daughter, Leslie (Dugenske) Kamauskas, of Denver, recalled in May 2021.
After the fire, Dugenske moved the restaurant to temporary quarters in the former Holly’s Restaurant building (529 West Water Street). The café was remodeled and reopened in May. Dugenske made even bigger improvements to the building two years later as his list of employees grew to 14, including his children, Leslie, Marvin Jr. and Ronald.
Princeton Times-Republic, May 4, 1969 – “With the granting of a liquor license Tuesday evening, the Princeton Café formally became a cocktail lounge and restaurant to be known as the King’s Pub and (Princeton) Café. An extensive remodeling program has been culminated with the completion of a 20 x 15 foot addition to the rear of the restaurant and installation of a service bar which will permit the serving of cocktails and beer at the tables. With the addition, the King’s Pub will have accommodations for 50 to 75 people for banquets or private parties.”
Dugenske also purchased and tore down the former Princeton Creamery building on Main Street, creating more parking space behind his restaurant.
Dugenske turned over the business to Chuck and Joyce Hallett on Feb. 1, 1976.
Princeton Times-Republic, Feb. 1976 – “For the first time in 29 years the King’s Pub is under new management. Marv Dugenske turned over the business to the Halletts of Janesville on Feb. 1.”
The couple in September 1977 installed a Char-Broiler. “The Char-Broiler is 26 x 18 and lets the meat retain its savory flavor. Not only is the flavor improved but many doctors and dieticians advise the use of a broiler when preparing your meats,” the newspaper said.
They also redecorated and enlarged the Blue Room to increase its capacity for meetings and banquets. Other improvements over the next few years included new freezers and french fryer, remodeled storage space with new roof, new floor in the walk-in cooler and more.
The Halletts sold the business in 1979 and moved into their new home on Fox River Drive off the Bend Road.
Princeton Times-Republic, July 19, 1979 – “The King’s Pub and Princeton Cafe is under new ownership since July 1. A mother-son duo are co-owners, Loretta Sommers, who was previously associated with the restaurant before the Charles Halletts purchased it, is back as co-owner with her son, Mathew. The two have been managing the business since May 25 until necessary arrangements were finalized.”
Another Hallett owner arrived in 1987.
Princeton Times-Republic, May 7, 1987 – “Jim and Pam (Miller) Hallett opened The Country Cafe, formerly Kings Pub, on Friday, May 1, located at 428 W. Water Street in Princeton. They have carried through the country motif with red and white checked table cloths and needle point country scenic pictures. Pam stated, ‘Our main goal is homestyle cooking with homemade pies, biscuits and gravy, real mashed potatoes and soup.'”
The Halletts sold in April 1991.
Princeton Times-Republic, May 16, 1991 – “Troy Lenz, Ripon, and fiancee Sharon Gimenez of Berlin, recently moved to Princeton after purchasing the Country Cafe. Lenz has a total of eight years of experience and Sharon has approximately five years. A 1992 wedding is being planned. The restaurant hours will remain the same, however, there have been changes in the decor. There have also been menu changes including an array of Mexican items and wide variety of sandwiches have been added. Later in the year, pizza will be added.”
New owners arrived again in 1996.
Princeton Times-Republic, Nov. 21, 1996 – “Todd and Wendy Kuklis are from Brookfield and are now the new owners of the Country Cafe in downtown Princeton. The Kuklises took over the business on September 23rd. Their family includes Rachael, 14, and Matthew, 13. Wendy is the cook and has experience from working in the cafeteria at Quad Graphics in Sussex. Todd was a pressman and now is the general manager of the Country Cafe. Glenda Otto is the head cook, and Ruth Deishsel is the head day waitress and Debbie Snamiska the head night waitress.”
424 West Water
A residence and garage occupied the property, for many years owned by the H.J. Westfield family, just east of the Princeton Cafe-King’s Pub-Country Cafe until the site was selected for a new library in 1983.
It was a contentious debate, with library board members initially lobbying for a site on the triangle on the south side of Water Street. Opponents said the city needed the parking lot, which was used as a car-pool lot for many area residents who worked at Speed Queen in Ripon.
Princeton Times-Republic, July 14, 1983 – “Persistence finally paid off for the library board and its members and the Friends of the Library. This week, a new site was chosen and bid upon, and most exciting of all, accepted. The Robert Wedde property will be purchased by the library with funds from the Library Building Fund. The property, which is located next to the King’s Pub on Water Street, will be purchased on the closing date of August 8, 1983. The property will be purchased in the amount of $13,500. … The home, which is now located on the property, will be razed and the garage will be sold or moved to make room for the new building.“
It took nearly two years before the new building made its official debut.
Princeton Times-Republic, May 23, 1985 – “Memorial Day this year will not (only) remind Princetonites of the dedication veterans have given to this country, but also of the dedication and support many Princeton residents gave to make the dream of a community-serving public library a reality. Princeton’s newly built public library will be celebrated with a dedication ceremony, ribbon cutting, and open house on Sunday, May 26, 1985. … The new Princeton Public Library, at 424 Water Street, offers many features missing from the old library at 432 Water Street. There are separate adult and children’s rooms in the new library, and a conference room is available for meetings, and has been used by numerous Princeton organizations already.”
That’s as far as I’ve gotten in my research. However, we know the Princeton Public Library, after a long fundraising campaign and a couple of plan changes, broke ground in 2019 and rebuilt in 2020 at 424-428 West Water after the former restaurant property was razed.
As always, please let me know if you have any corrections or can fill in any of the gaps in our time line. Thanks, again, for reading and caring about local history.
The only information about 424-428 West Water provided on the City of Princeton Historical Walking Tour plaque, relates to the library, which opened there in 1985 and was rebuilt two years ago. The plaque, like most others in the Water Street business district, includes inaccurate historical information.
Congrats on completing the first 100 years!