Plover

Brad Casselberry, Diane Lang

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781467125451
• eBook ISBN: 9781439661222
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

Nestled on the Yellow Banks of the Wisconsin River, Plover was originally used by Native Americans for portaging between the Wisconsin and Wolf Rivers. After being established as the Portage County seat in 1844, the area grew rapidly. Soon, mills sprang up, farmers worked the land, businesses flourished, and lodging could not be built fast enough to keep up with the demand. By 1857, Plover boasted 500 residents and 112 buildings, with 40 more under construction. In 1868, the county seat was moved out of Plover, and by the mid-1880s, Plover had begun to decline. Despite this, and the fact that the village has been dissolved twice, incorporated three separate times, and gone by four different names, Plover has proved resilient. Since being reincorporated in 1971, Plover has thrived and grown at an impressive rate. Today, the main businesses are part of the industrial, agricultural, and retail sectors.

One

STREET SCENES

This Plover village plat of 1895 shows the concentration of businesses on First Street. In the 1960s, First Street was changed to Post Road; captions to earlier photographs in this book use the former name. (UWSP Archives.)

A plat of the village of Plover in 1915 is shown here. Most roads in the downtown area have been changed from street to drive since that time. Some captions in this book use the older name to reflect the time period in which the photograph was taken. (UWSP Archives.)

Looking north on First Street in this c. 1900 photograph taken just south of the Plover Post Office, Sherman’s Dry Goods (later Pierce’s grocery store) can be seen on the left at the northwest corner of Green and First Streets. The liberty pole can be seen near the center, which indicates where the Warner House was located.

This photograph from 1925 looks north from the intersection of Green and First Streets. Pierce’s grocery store is on the left, and the former post office, having since been converted into a restaurant, is on the right. Farther down the street, also on the right, is Lila’s grocery store, which has a “soda” sign out front.

This street scene of Plover looks northeast toward the east side of First Street. The buildings are, from left to right, Plover Produce Company, the Odd Fellows Hall, a tavern owned by Adams & Rosenthal (formerly J. Waters’ Saloon), Frank Lila’s Dry Goods and Notions, and Frank Lila’s Saloon. Although this photograph is commonly identified as being from the late 1800s, it was most likely taken after 1909 because Adams & Rosenthal completed significant remodeling after purchasing J. Waters’ Saloon.

The Cate/Potts house can be seen on the left just north of the railroad tracks and Walnut Street. The building on the right side of First Street was purchased by the Plover Produce Company in 1906 from Walter Barnsdale. The group used the building as a potato warehouse and meeting place until 1911, when it was purchased by Alois Firkus, a buyer, seller, and grower of potatoes.

The area north of the railroad tracks on First Street was primarily residential in the early 1900s. Schoolchildren living near downtown Plover would walk this stretch of road to the schoolhouse, which is just around the bend down the road.

The conspicuous building on the right is the Tremont House, a hotel located on the southwest corner of Willow and First Streets. In previous years it was known as the Empire House and Warner House until it was renamed the Tremont House by C.J. Chapel after he bought it 1903. Chapel sold the hotel to George Yorton in 1911. The building next to the Tremont House was owned by William Carley and has since been moved to the Portage County Historical Society’s Heritage Park.

The Ogden traveling show parades south on First Street crossing the intersection with Green Street. The troupe traveled throughout central Wisconsin between 1902 and 1903, billed as “Ogden’s World’s Greatest Uncle Tom’s Cabin Company” and “Ogden’s Ten Nights in a Bar Room,” putting on plays for local residents.

Three Plover residents walk south on the west side of First Street past Taylor’s Tailors around 1910. In the background on the right is the Odd Fellows Hall. The man turning his attention to the photographer is likely sitting in front of Pierce’s grocery store.

In this view looking north on First Street, two grocery stores are visible; the one on the left is Byron Rogers’ Meat Market and Dry Goods, and the other is James W. Pierce’s grocery store. There is an automobile in the background, while others are using horses and sleighs, which indicates early spring or winter.

This scene looks south as a group of children walk down the middle of First Street toward Willow Street. On the left is Frank Lila’s grocery store, and on the right is William Carley’s building.

A crowd gathers in front of the Warner House at the southwest corner of Willow and First Streets. The Warner House was previously owned by T.F. Cooley and was known ...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Half-Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1. Street Scenes
• 2. People and Residences
• 3. Daily Life
• 4. Where a Community Comes Together
• 5. Businesses
• 6. The River and Mills
• 7. Aerial Views