A Walk Down Main Street of Historic Schleisingerville

More than a century ago, the village of Schleisingerville was a quaint and charming community of artisans, craftsmen, farmers, and merchants. The Main Street of Schleisingerville was the central point of business. General stores, tanneries, taverns, a barbers shop, and hotels lined the road. Settlers across Washington County would travel to Schleisingerville for these acclaimed businesses.

To walk down that road, one would observe the various shopfronts and bustling townsfolk. You would hear the cadence of passing buggies and automobiles.

What must it have been like, walking down the Main Street of Schleisingerville? Through an arrangement of photographs from the 1910s, this post will depict how Schlesingerville’s Main Street once was.

This photograph portrays a wide view of Schleisingerville’s Main Street. Notice the transition from horses to engines. At this time, both automobiles and horse-and-buggies passed down the dirt road. Look ahead to the left. Utility poles run up and down the street. This is another contemporary
innovation becoming incorporated into the community.

In this photograph, Nick and Julia Margo pass by in their horse and buggy. Directly to their left is Schafer’s Barber Shop. The next building down is the State Bank of Schleisingerville.

All of the buildings in this photograph still stand today. They can be recognized while passing down Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive.

From this angle, you can see the main intersection of the road. Over on the left, is the barn behind the Charles Fries Tavern. Customers were welcome to store their horses there while inside. Across the street is the Kratz home and storefront. Straight ahead, on the corner, is John Rosienhiemer’s building.

Here’s a northern view of Schleisingerville’s Main Street, viewed from the La Crosse railroad tracks. The railroad was instrumental in promoting Schleisingerville’s economy. Baruch Schleisingerville Wiel, the founder and namesake of Schleisingerville, worked tirelessly to arrange its construction. When the railroad was completed on September 23rd, 1855, a grand celebration followed. The
railroad provided more effective modes of transporting goods and better opportunities for people to travel to Schleisingerville.

This segment is a northern view of Kettle Moraine Drive. From 1907 to 1909, the dilapidated wood plank sidewalks were replaced with modern concrete ones. From the left, the buildings in order are Roth’s hotel, Roth’s stone barn, Thiel’s Blacksmith Shop, and Kratz’s warehouse. Kratz’s home is not visible. On the right, is Charles Fries Hotel and Saloon.

Here’s a view of the south end of Main Street. To the left is St. Paul’s church.

This photograph shares another southern view of Main Street.

PARTING WORDS

Today, the Main Street of historic Schleisingerville is a charming segment of the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive. The road traverses through six Wisconsin counties, from the north at Elkhart Lake and the south at Whitewater lake. The path brings travelers winding through the Kettle Moraine Forest, past and various geological and historical landmarks.

Remnants of Schlesingerville’s Main Street remain intact. Many of the buildings still stand today, with new businesses subsiding within them. The village of Slinger continues to be a distinctive and active community in Washington County.

References

Kettle Moraine Drive North. Photograph. University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1910.

“Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive.” Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Accessed December 19, 2022.

Kettle Moraine Drive South. Photograph. University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1910.

Kettle Moraine Drive South. Photograph. University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1914.

Main Street Schleisingerville. Photograph. University of Wisconsin – Madison, 1910.

Quickert, Carl. “Founder of Burgs.” In Washington County, Wisconsin: Past and Present, 45-46. Madison: Wisconsin Historical Society, 2008. Previously published as “Founder of burgs,” in Washington County, Wisconsin: Past and Present (1912): 45-46.

Schleisingerville’s Main Street. Photograph. University of Wisconsin – Madison, August 24, 1910.

“Schleisingerville to Slinger 125 years (Slinger Library Collection).” Libraries Search, University of Wisconsin – Madison. Accessed November 27, 2022.

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