Historical Walking Tour of Downtown Eau Claire - Clio

Entries on This Tour

1. Chippewa and Eau Claire Rivers

Eau Claire has been a community gathering site for generations. The geography itself - the confluence of the Chippewa and Eau Claire Rivers - highlight the historic and natural design of the Eau Claire community. The area has been inhabited and explored by passing and settling groups of people, all of whom meet at the joining of the rivers.

2. Phoenix Park

At the division of the Chippewa and Eau Claire Rivers sits a developed strip of land central to the modern downtown area of Eau Claire. Once home to the Phoenix Manufacturing Company, this area became an industrial center of the city that defined its early use. Today this land retains little of its industrial past but has been revitalized into a curated natural and public space.

3. State Theater

Music and theater share a long history in the Eau Claire community. Formal and informal, historic and contemporary, many performance venues have existed in the downtown area. One of the city’s most historic and popular venues was the Eau Claire State Theater, one of a chain of "amusement houses" owned by Finkelstein and Ruben Theatrical Enterprises, with locations in Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Throughout the theater's long history, it also hosted a bowling alley, a dance hall, and eventually a modernized movie theater. The adjoining bus station provided excellent access for local and faraway audiences to experience the performances and activities at the theater.

4. L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library

For over a century the City of Eau Claire has acknowledged the importance of community and public spaces to serve multiple accessible functions. One such place remains the public library, which has served the city from various locations for over 160 years.

5. Carnegie Library - Eau Claire, Wisconsin

The Carnegie Library of Eau Claire, Wisconsin was built at 217 South Farwell Street in 1903 after a generous gift of $40,000 from Andrew Carnegie. The library remained at that location until 1976 in which it moved to Eau Claire Street. The old Carnegie Library was then combined with the adjacent City Hall and renovations were done over the next couple of years. In 1981, the Carnegie Library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Forever a landmark of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the building went under more renovations in 2019 with keeping the preservation of history intact.

6. Banbury Place

The confluence of the Chippewa and Eau Claire Rivers boasts music festivals, recreational trails, and farmer’s markets, but the downtown area was once a place of bustling industry and a significant source of employment. One of the largest employers throughout Eau Claire's history was the Gillette Tire Company, though it's been known by other names over the years. Though the tire factory is no longer operational, developers have repurposed the buildings and renamed the property Banbury Place.

7. Barstow Street

Some of the most prominent historic remnants of Eau Claire’s downtown are its streets. Barstow Street has provided a place for homes and businesses for generations and was once home to the city’s historic Masonic temple, hotels, music venues, and department stores. Today it serves as the heart of Eau Claire’s business district, where occupants repurpose the nationally and stately recognized historical buildings for modern use.

8. Grand Avenue Bridge

The Chippewa and Eau Claire Rivers have long dictated access and flow of the city’s historic and contemporary development. Many of the area’s most prominent landmarks reside on the banks of one of these two rivers. In order to travel around the city, and especially around downtown Eau Claire, residents must navigate over the rivers on bridges and one of the first of these was located off of what is now Grand Avenue.

9. Schlegelmilch House

Local businesses and organizations have undoubtedly left a lasting influence on the Eau Claire community, but Eau Claire’s families and individuals have also made their mark. Historically, the social and familial networks of the area became increasingly influenced by European immigration throughout the nineteenth century. The Schlegelmilch House on Farwell Street in Downtown Eau Claire highlights the historic impact of a German immigrant family during this period.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Historical Walking Tour of Downtown Eau Claire

Created by Chippewa Valley Museum on August 7th 2020, 5:58:13 pm.

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Description

Downtown Eau Claire is situated at the confluence of the Eau Claire and Chippewa Rivers. The area was originally frequented by Ojibwe and Dakota tribes and was later explored by French and English fur traders during the mid-eighteenth century. The downtown area evolved since the first permanent settlers of the mid-nineteenth century and developed into a central location for the community to work, settle, and gather. Eau Claire, being located on two rivers, has a long history of providing natural and curated public spaces for a growing community. Some of the most notable additions to the downtown and riverfront areas include the Uniroyal Tire Factory, Phoenix Park, and the State Theater. (This project is made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities: Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.)

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