The Schlegel Building

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

This brick building began as Emil Kleist's bakery. Emil was a trained baker who immigrated to West Bend from Germany. In 1899, Gotlieb Schlegel purchased the business and not only sold from his shop but added a delivery service. The first products were simple bread and rolls, but over the years products were expanded.

Images

Schlegel Bakery around 1900. Owner Gotliebb is standing in front of the horses and his wife, Gertrude is in the Black dress and white apron. No one else is identified. WCHS 019,300

WCHS 015,260

Crock given away to customers by Schlegel's Bakery dating to around 1910. WCHS 1962.112

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

Originally a wood frame structure, Gottlieb Schlegel added the Cream City brick façade to the building in 1907 and it soon became known as the Schlegel building. Gottlieb was known for his family recipes for pies and pastries. He kept barrels of apples on hand for baking as they could be kept fresh out of season. Incidentally, that is where the name of the current antique business in the building, The Apple Barrel, comes from..

After Gottlieb’s retirement in 1924, the bakery was leased to Hugo Krueger. In 1931 the business was returned to Gottlieb Schlegel at which time his daughter, Mrs. Clarence Kircher ran the business with Ernst Stellbrink as baker. By 1938, after Schlegel’s death, Ernst Stellbrink leased the business from Mrs. Kircher and became manager. The bakery closed in the 1950’s but the building has been home to many businesses: office supply store, pet store, ceramics outlet, pizzerias, and an antique stores.

Sources

Leadership West Bend Class of 2018. Historic Downtown West Bend Walking Tour. West Bend, Wisconsin. 2018.

Ostermann, Steve. "Spirited past haunts Main Street Antiques." West Bend News (West Bend) July 22nd 1998.

Wendelborn, Richard. Schlegel's Bakery. Written for a West Bend High School American History Class, accessed at the Washington County Research Center. Published May 5th 1941.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Unknown photographer. Original photograph owned by the Washington County Historical Society.

Photographer Ethel Gill on behalf of the Washington County Historical Society. Original photograph owned by the Washington County Historical Society.

From the object collection of the Washington County Historical Society. Property of the Washington County Historical Society.