1887: The Cream City House Fire

 

Wolf River was growing. David Youngs and George Steele were two of the four men who platted what is now most of downtown Algoma, and named Youngs and Steele Plat. In the spring of 1857, when Steele was on one of his semi-annual trips from Chicago, he and Youngs offered Captain Charlie Fellows his choice of lots if he would build a hotel costing at least $1,000. The men were speculators with land for sale. They needed to attract those with capital, and that meant a good hotel was a necessity.

Captain Fellows did indeed build a hotel. The “skyscraper” that was called the Tremont House is Kewaunee County’s longest operating business and is called Stebbins Hotel today. Named for DeWayne Stebbins, the hotel had nothing to do with any input - financial or otherwise - from Big Steb though. When Frank Slaby bought the place in 1905 and significantly remodeled it, adding the portion that today fronts on Steele, Stebbins had died and Slaby honored the illustrious gentleman.

The Tremont was not Wolf River’s first hotel. That was Jane Loval’s Union House, just south of the southwest corner of 1^st and Steele today. Her hotel had the distinction of being one of the first frame buildings in town. Abraham Hall boarded travelers along the river on what is now 4^th, and Andreas Eveland took in the public just to the south, approximately the southwest corner of 4^th and Navarino today. Matt Simon was doing the same thing in his Metropolitan House on the north side of the river. A large portion of Simon’s place remains and is a private home today. William Bastar’s hotel was built just after the Civil War and remains as the Steelehead Saloon. Boedecker’s hotel on the southeast corner of 4^th and Steele was built in 1871, burning not long after and then rebuilt in 1875. The building also remains. Meverden’s Sherman House was the scene of early notable events, but it was destroyed by fire in 1866. St. Charles House on the southeast corner of 1^st and Steele was another pre-1900 hotel that also served as apartments during World War ll and after. It was torn down to enhance the marina area.

Cream City House was another built in 1866. As the others, its history is most interesting. Built on the southwest corner of 3^rd and Steele by Charles Hennemann in 1887, it too was destroyed by fire, one  originating in his basement oven.

Written  descriptions provide images of the Hennemanns that are somewhat comical. Mr. Hennemann was described as a small, low-voiced, well-groomed man who found fame in his mouth-watering pies that sold for one of Edward Decker’s shinplasters rather than the nickel they cost before the Civil War. Over the years the Record noted his marvelous accommodations when it emphasized that he knew how to keep a hotel. It was also said Hennemann increased his stature by marrying a large wife!

Mrs. Hennemann ran the hotel's dining room and was known for the table she set. Great-grandpa’s butcher shop was just across the street, so while there were a number of other butcher shops in town, it would seem as if Mrs. Hennemann might have easily done business with Great-grandpa who was only a few steps away. An article making the Record one week told about the day a butcher came running out of his shop with the imposing Mrs. Hennemann chasing him down the street while brandishing HIS cleaver. At issue was a pork chop that did not meet her  particular standards. The paper didn’t describe what followed, however I always hoped the butcher in question was not Great-grandpa!

The April 1887 fire at Hennemann’s was tragic, just as all others. While the hotel was burning, Frank McDonald, Ahnapee’s premier photographer, set up his equipment on Steele Street to chronicle the event. The photo did not survive, however that same week he photographed the harbor with its 14 fishing vessels, a photo that has been printed and reprinted in various places over the years.

Bridge tender-night watchman Bohman was the first to spot smoke coming from the roof and sounded the alarm at 4 AM. Hotel guests were able to get out and the fire company was there spraying water as fast as possible. Others carried out as much furniture as they could, and after it was all over, it was said that the guests were able to save their belongings and that all Henemann’s portable furniture was saved as well.

It appeared that the fire was in the northeast corner of the roof and after awhile it looked as if the fire was out. But suddenly fire was leaping out of other places in the roof and all over the sides. Later it was learned that the fire began in the basement and traveled through the walls. Firemen used hooks and axes to tear down the walls in an effort to extinguish the fire before it spread to neighboring buildings, or perhaps the entire city. It could have happened. Fortunately there was no wind, however fires had to be put out on Thiard’s roof twice. The hotel’s barn was close but the fire department kept it so wet that there was no damage.

When the fire was over, the paper lauded the fire company and the citizens who worked together so efficiently. Ladies were also on hand supplying coffee and what was needed while the building burned to the ground. Various companies insured the building, its contents and the barn for a total of $4,225, but the hotel was not rebuilt. The Melchiors bought the property and built the structure that remains, now as Steele Street Florists.

While the paper applauded the cooperation and efficiency of those fighting the fire, it also pointed out the need for equipment and of a water supply for the fire engine. Water ran out during the fire fighting. Implications were frightening. There are always those who chase ambulances and fire trucks and 1887 Ahnapee was no exception. One of the town’s drunks made the paper too. In his state of intoxication that Tuesday morning, he tried convincing the firemen that unless they were paid, they shouldn’t fight the fire. When nobody heeded his advice, he began physically dragging them away from the fire engine. Finally two of the firemen managed to get the fellow away from the fire and into the custody of the city marshall.

The loss of Hennemann’s Cream City House affected the city. It wasn’t only the proprietors of Ahnapee’s hotels who felt they were doing a good job, even the Enterprise opined that “without a doubt” Ahnapee had as good of hotel accommodations as could be found in any city of the state.

Charles Hennemann seemed to have faded from the community when he retired from the hotel business. Whether he continued baking those sumptuous pies is unknown. He died in Milwaukee a little over 10 years later. What happened to Mrs. Hennemann is unclear, but no doubt she continued to set a fine table where ever she was. And, there is no doubt that where ever she was, the butchers and grocers were well aware of her standards.

Notes: Ahnapee's downtown hotels are noted in the birdseye map at the top. The right side of the Stebbins' photo was still apparent when this photo was taken during celebrations  the end of World War l. The frame section was part of refurbishing sometime prior to 1905 when Frank Slaby remodeled and added the front. Further down is a section of Frank McDonald's photo of the 1886 4th of July Industrial Parade.

Sources include Ahnapee and Algoma newspapers; An-An-api-sebe: Where is the River, c. 2001; Commercial History of Algoma, Wisconsin, Vols. 1 & 2, c. 2006 & 2012.