Building History and Restoration

Building History

Pre-1914

The Connor Lumber and Land Company Store, prior to the 1914 fire that destroyed it, was of wooden construction, set on the same corner upon which the current building stands. The above photo is from circa 1908. The original store contained a general merchandise section, a meat market, a shoe department, a hardware department, and a dry goods section.

March 13, 1914

On February 13, 1914, a fire engulfed the original Connor Lumber and Land Company Store, completely destroying the building. The photos above show the fire in full blaze...and the aftermath once the fire was extinguished.

Summer 1914 - Completion in 1916

Shortly after the old wooden store was destroyed by fire, construction began in the summer of 1914 on a new building to house the store; this new construction, rather than made of wood, was constructed of brick and mortar. By 1916, the new Connor Store was completed and open. The images above show (left to right) the new construction project in summer of 1914, an interior view of the shoe and women's apparel departments, and a street view of the store front (south side of the building, bordering Mill Street/State Highway 8).

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s - 1960s

1970s - 2016

2017 - Present Day

August 16, 2019

As of August 16, the Connor Lumber and Land Company Store received its official recognition as a historic landmark with the State of Wisconsin. The building is now listed in the Wisconsin State Registry of Historic Places.