My favorite Christmas present of 2024 arrived on December 28 when Ellie Apland, manager of Grizzly Fitness in Princeton, gave me a tour of the former Fox River Country Mercantile building at 429 West Water Street.
There was still plenty of work to be done when I visited, as the fitness center, previously housed in the former Handcraft building at the north end of Mechanic Street, prepared for its reopening in the historic Turner Hall, also known in the 20th century as the Princeton Opera House and Princeton Theatre.
I don’t know if serendipity is the right word, but it just seems poetic that the building erected by a German group that emphasized fitness in 1880, the Turn-Verein (Turner Society), would return to its roots as a fitness center in 2025.
I knew there could be “treasures” unearthed in the remodeling, but I never expected to see what Ellie showed me that Saturday: four large murals, two on the east wall and two on the west wall, each depicting one of the four seasons, painted by F. M. Caldwell during the renovation of Turner Hall in 1905 – 120 years ago!
I had included mention of Caldwell and the murals in Volume I of “Bartel’s History of Princeton,” but I never thought we would get to see them. Each mural is at least 16 feet wide and 12 feet tall. (I plan to take more accurate measurements on my next visit.)
Ellie and the Grizzly crew found all four of them after removing some pegboard and cardboard that lined the walls of the building that had also housed a dime store and hardware store after its days as a theater and before Fox River Country Mercantile. Caldwell’s signature is clearly visible on at least two of the murals. The murals would require extensive, expensive work to be fully restored, but it is wonderful to see an effort will be made to preserve them.
F.M. Caldwell
Here’s what I know about the artist, Fred Myron Caldwell, who learned the photography business from his grandparents, Myron and Sarah Holly.
Myron Holly, who grew up in New York, moved to Princeton from Illinois about 1867 and opened a photo studio in the 400 block (south side) of West Water Street.
Princeton Republic, January 9, 1868 – “Some of the finest pictures we have seen in a long time are now in the Photograph Rooms of M.S. Holly, just east of Parson’s jewelry store. Mr. Holly is a popular artist and will satisfy all who patronize him. No ‘Gem’ Humbugs but genuine first-class Sun pictures.”
Holly sold the business in Princeton to J.B. Radway in July 1868 and moved to Berlin, where he purchased Small’s Gallery and opened the Holly Portrait Company.
“We are sorry to have him leave us, as he is a first-rate artist,” the editor of the Princeton Republic noted, “but our citizens will lose nothing in the exchange, as all who are acquainted with Mr. Radway know that nature fitted him for an artist. We hazard nothing in saying he is one of the finest landscape painters in the state.”
Holly remained in business in Berlin until his death about 1896.
Fred Caldwell was born to Isadora Holly and John Caldwell, of Kentucky, in Ripon in 1866 but was living with only his mother and grandparents in Berlin by 1870, according to the census. He was still there, at age 14, in 1880, but Isadora was gone. (I have not found obituaries or gravesites for either of Fred’s parents.)
Caldwell erected a building on Short Street in Princeton for a photo gallery under the Holly Portrait Company banner beginning about December 1893 and added rooms to live in in April 1894.
He married Maude Stowe, of Oxford, Wisconsin, in February 1896. (She was referred to in the newspaper as Mrs. Caldwell, however, as early as 1894.) They had two daughters, Illa, born in January 1897, and Dola, born in July 1902.
Caldwell was drawn more to painting than photography, it seems. Maude often handled the photography chores, including in 1894 when Fred went to Kentucky to learn the tin type business.
“His gallery is still running here in Princeton, his wife being an excellent artist,” the Republic noted.
Princeton Republic, August 30, 1894 – “A fine picture of the students and teachers of the summer school recently held here was taken in group of Mrs. Fred Caldwell. The group were stationed in front of and near the stone schoolhouse.”
Caldwell got the contract to paint the drop curtain and a full set of scenery for a public hall in Brandon in July 1896 and portraits of Democrats William Jennings Bryan and Arthur Sewall for a large banner that hung across Water Street prior to the presidential election in November 1896.
When McKinley defeated Bryan, the Republic included this note amid the Republicans’ celebration: “A procession with torches was formed and marched over the river and back. They bore banners and Frank Morse drove a carriage of ladies, and the brooms attached to the vehicle suggested the willingness to sweep Bryan ranks into oblivion. In the crowd were a number who had won the bright privilege of wheeling a political opponent on a wheelbarrow to cancel a wager. Fred Caldwell, a silver man, upon the strength of a wager, cancelled it by drawing Vergne Potter several blocks in his buggy.”
Caldwell also created a new curtain and scenery for Turner Hall in 1897. He reportedly was the only member of the Turn-Verein who did not speak German.
Princeton Republic, Jan. 7, 1897 – “Through the courtesy of Messrs. Caldwell and Case, the writer was a privileged admirer Tuesday evening of the new curtain just hung at Turner Hall. As a work of art, it is a masterpiece, and does, indeed, fill the proverbial ‘long-felt want’ as the old curtain and scenery has not been in keeping with the other improvements of the hall for several years past. The representation on the curtain is a Venetian scene, painted in terra cotta and a lovely blue, around which is ground the advertisements of a number of our most prominent and enterprising businessmen. The scene painting is one that Mr. Caldwell may well feel proud of, and the work by Mr. Case is well done and artistic. Two more scenes have also been added to the old scenery, and if the members of the Turn Verein would now put in new scenery throughout, as undoubtedly they will, no place of our size in the state could boast of a finer hall for entertainment, and we would get the class of shows that have not patronized our town before as our scenery was not such as they needs must have to put on a first-class entertainment.”
Caldwell and O.J. Weiss purchased a merry-go-‘round in 1898 and made the rounds at area fairs and celebrations.
Caldwell replaced his original gallery with a new building on Short Street in 1898-1899.
Princeton Republic, May 25, 1899 – “Artist Caldwell has his building nearly completed and has removed the staging from the same. The building presents a fine appearance.”
The building housed photo studios for several years, then apartments, and – in my youth – Wayne Fink’s upholstery business before being razed in the 1970s.
“Fred Caldwell is doing some neat fresco work in Turner Hall,” the Republic reported in June 1899 as the Turners calsomined the hall’s walls and repainted the basement woodwork. “The scenic view which he painted back of the bar presents a handsome view of mountain and wooded landscape.”
When the track was laid for the long-awaited railroad extension toward Marshfield in August 1901, Caldwell took the group photo when about twenty-five community leaders took the first train to Wild Rose.
Caldwell painted the murals uncovered during the Grizzly Fitness remodeling during the major renovation of Turner Hall in 1905.
Princeton Republic, November 2, 1905 – “The Turners’ opening dance, which was held Friday evening, was a decided success. Upwards of 300 tickets were sold. As the people came into the hall, they were much surprised to note the great change in the appearance of the interior of the building. The hall proper has been lengthened about twenty-five feet and a fine new stage erected, including a beautiful arch. The walls are covered with oil paintings representing the four seasons of the year, which are the work of artist F.M. Caldwell, who deserves much credit for the excellence of the work. Our people had not heretofore appreciated the artistic talent of this gentleman.”
The murals would be Caldwell’s final hurrah in Princeton. His life had changed dramatically in the early 1900s.
Although Maude had his second daughter, Dola, in July 1902, Caldwell was spending more time on his houseboat and floating gallery, “The Ark,” in Montello than in Princeton. Sarah Holly, meanwhile, had moved in with her grandson’s family following Myron’s death.
Dola and her mother died in June 1903.
Princeton Star, June 24, 1903 – “Dola, infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F.M. Caldwell, died this morning at about 8:30 o’clock.”
Princeton Republic, July 1, 1903 – “On Friday morning, June 26, 1903, at about 4 o’clock, Mrs. F.M. Caldwell breathed her last after an illness of seven weeks. The deceased had been in ill health for some time, owing in part, it was thought, to the grippe contracted last winter, from which she never recovered. The weakened condition of the lungs caused the disease to finally develop into consumption. For some days her friends realized that the end was near. It came peacefully and quietly without a struggle Friday morning. As announced, her infant daughter Dola, a little less than a year old, passed away Wednesday morning last. The body was kept and both mother and daughter were laid to rest in the same casket, the little babe resting sweetly in its mother’s arms. The scene was a touching one and the strong man wept with the delicate maiden as they looked for the last time on the face of the dead. The funeral services were held at Turner Hall Sunday morning in charge of Pleasant Valley Rebekah Lodge of which the deceased was a member.”
Caldwell collected $1,000 in life insurance money following Maude’s death and continued in business as the Holly Portrait Company.
Princeton Star, Oct. 21, 1903 – “F.M. Caldwell and daughter, Illa, came down from Montello on his steamer Thursday, and the launch and floating gallery, ‘The Ark,’ are at our docks. Mr. Caldwell will remain here for two weeks and will then go to Berlin where he expects to remain for the winter.”
Caldwell sold his photography business to William A. Keys in November 1903, and Fred and Illa left town.
St. Louis Globe-Democrat, Dec. 3, 1904 – “From early morning until after dark last night, Illa Caldwell, the 7-year-old daughter of F.M. Caldwell, a traveling photographer from Princeton, Wis., awaited alone in a big houseboat, anchored at the foot of Ferry Street, the return of her father. Police found her at 7 o’clock huddled in one corner of a dark room on the vessel badly frightened. She was taken to the Four Courts, where she is under the care of the police matron awaiting some disposition of her father’s case. He was arrested yesterday morning on information received from Chicago, where it is alleged that he is wanted for securing a diamond ring under false pretenses. He was taken into custody when he applied at the post office for mail and failed at that time to tell the police of his little daughter on the houseboat. Last night when he was confronted with the prospect of spending the night in jail he told Assistant Chief of Detectives Keely of the child, and two officers were sent for her. The father and daughter started from home several weeks ago. They floated down the Illinois River, after stopping at Chicago. The father, it is alleged, purchased in Chicago a diamond ring on which he paid $10 and left the city without paying the balance of $70 and failed to notify the jewelers of his intentions.”
Caldwell settled with the jeweler and did not have to serve time. His arrest, however, prompted an investigation and battle over guardianship of Illa and the trust estate left by her mother. The American Bonding Company of Baltimore sued to block Caldwell from moving certain funds without the bonding company’s approval. They said Caldwell’s last known address was Muscatine, Iowa.
Illa moved to her grandmother’s home in Oxford following the incident.
Fred Caldwell remarried in March 1905.
Princeton Republic. April 6, 1905 – “At Cleveland, Ohio, March 30th, F.M. Caldwell of Princeton and Dr. Mabel E. Price Hazel of Cleveland, Ohio, were united in marriage. Mrs. Caldwell is the daughter of W.J. Morse of New York, senior member of the firm of Morse, Broughton Publishing Company. She was a widow with one child, a boy of two years. She was born in Cleveland, educated abroad and is a graduate of Cleveland Homeopathic Medical College, graduating in 1902, practicing in clinic and hospital work in that city. She left a lucrative practice to make her home in Princeton. Mr. Caldwell is well known here, having lived here a number of years and being engaged in the photograph business.”
Though Caldwell completed the Turner Hall murals in 1905, the newlyweds did not remain in Princeton and did not live happily ever after. Though it appears they never divorced, by 1910 the new Mrs. Caldwell was living in Sherman Oaks, California, with her son, and Fred was living alone in Venice, Illinois, after a brief stay in Akron, Ohio.
Illa’s grandmother went to court to remove Fred as his daughter’s guardian in 1912. Illa remained in Oxford.
Fred Caldwell remained in the Venice area until his death in July 1949 at age 83. He was a photographer in 1920, interior decorator in 1930 and print shop owner in 1940, according to the census. His last recorded visit to Princeton occurred in July 1947 when he returned to attend the Old Friends Reunion at City Park.
Illa became a teacher and married World War I veteran Anton Bakken in 1925. He was a teacher and principal, and they later farmed in Minnesota. The Bakkens had four children, including one son, Anthony Caldwell Bakken.
llla passed in April 1979 at age 82. She is buried with her husband at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.
Workers have also found the window decoration, about 4 feet in diameter, that adorned the front of Turner Hall following the 1905 renovation.
Grizzly Fitness
Grizzly Fitness, owned by Colton Burt, has gyms in Princeton, Wautoma, Berlin, Omro and Rosendale. He purchased the building at 429 West Water from Sheree Zimmerman, who opened Fox River Country Mercantile gifts and antiques shop in 2016, in October 2024.
The facility opened for the first time in the former Turner Hall, for limited hours, on Thursday, January 9. Apland said there would be a transition period of a week or two before Grizzly Fitness goes to its regular 24/7 operation.
For information, visit fitnessgrizzly.com.
Turner Hall errors
You can read a complete history of the Turner Hall building in an earlier post on this site. Use “429 West Water Street” in the search field on the home page or click the link.
LOTS O’ HISTORY – WATER LOT 32 (429 WEST WATER STREET)
The booklet published in 1973 during the city’s 125th anniversary celebration incorrectly states Turner Hall was erected in 1908 rather than 1880.
The newspaper clipping quoted in the booklet came from the March 8, 1909, edition of the Princeton Republic, under the headline “From the Reporter” (the name of the Green Lake newspaper) and applied to the Thrasher Opera House in Green Lake not the Princeton Opera House: “Contractor Shew of Princeton was in the village Friday. Mr. Shew drew the plans for the new opera house to be constructed by Chas. Thrasher the coming summer.”
The errors are repeated in the history of 429 West Water on the City of Princeton Historical Walking Tour website: “The 1908 issue of the Princeton Republic stated that ‘Contractor Shew of Princeton was in the village and drew plans for the new Opera House to be erected by Charles Thrasher this coming summer.'”
Wrong year, wrong city, wrong building. But other than that and the misquote …
Another paragraph/source on the city website incorrectly says Turner Hall was built in 1881. It was completed and dedicated in 1880.
20th century area historian Elaine Reetz reported the hall was built in 1905, probably because it’s the year on the building’s capstone, which was part of the new front erected during the renovation. The mistake has been repeated over the years by the Princeton Historical Society.
Thank you for reading and caring about local history.
Please let me know if you spot any errors.