Downtown Manitowoc ca. 1947

Photographer

Kadow, Francis M.

Date

• ca. 1947

Summary

• This view looking southeast from an upper floor of Hotel Manitowoc shows a portion of downtown Manitowoc, Wisconsin as it appeared not long after the end of World War II. In the bottom center is the intersection of North Eighth and Commercial Streets, with the Sears Roebuck building on the southeast corner. There had been a fire in the Sears building in January, 1944, forcing the store to relocate temporarily to 825 Commercial Street. A larger Sears store re-opened at this original Eighth Street location on March 19, 1947, with reconstruction having been delayed due to wartime and post-war shortages of materials. Across the street on the northeast corner at 724 Commercial Street is “The National,” which started as a confectionery and then also sold wine and liquor. At the right center is the Eighth Street drawbridge, framed by two control houses or “tender houses.” Immediately beyond the bridge, the large brick building is the Elks Club at 809 South Eighth Street. The Elks Club hosted a number of submarine commissioning parties and other special events during the war years. In the center of the picture, behind the Elks Club, is a large coal shed with a sign for the Spindler Company painted on the side. This coal shed actually belonged to the Manitowoc Land and Fuel Company. The Spindler Company, a supplier of coal, coke, fuel oil, ice, masonry supplies, and ready mix concrete, was located two blocks west at 821 South Tenth Street. Beyond the coal shed, the building with “skylights” is Manitowoc Boiler Works, part of the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company which built submarines for the U.S. Navy during the war. Farther in the distance are buildings of Lakeside Packing Company and the Rahr Malting Company.