The Dr. Joseph and Olivia Soper House at 23 North 5th Avenue in Sturgeon Bay is now listed on the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places. (Photo courtesy of The Wisconsin Historical Society)
STURGEON BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A nearly 150-year-old Sturgeon Bay home is now listed on the state’s register of historic places.
The Dr. Joseph and Olivia Soper House at 23 North 5th Avenue became of interest to the Wisconsin Historical Society for its early “Frear stone” concrete block of local manufacture.
According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, Dr. Soper, a Civil War veteran, had the house constructed in 1881 at a cost of $1,800. Builders were Amos Machen and T.S. Johnson with Thomas Brown of Ahnapee serving as concrete mason. The artificial stone was supplied by Giles Kirtland, formerly of the Frear Stone Manufacturing Company of Chicago.
In 1886 Soper sold the home to George Spear, an important local figure who was a partner in the Merchants Exchange Bank.
In the twentieth century, the house was divided into apartment units before serving as office space for a local nonprofit organization. As of 2023, it is being restored to use as a single-family residence.
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