The Historic Stevens Point Project: Historic Recap of 2022

Our followers have certainly noticed the lack of new content on our website over the past year, as well as have seen our social media quiet down. But that doesn’t mean things weren’t happening in the background.

In fact, 2022 was a big year for our little project. Here’s an update of what was going on off line…

Last February, Historic Stevens Point held a public funeral and procession in honor of 1700 Strongs Avenue, which was demolished shortly after. Founder, Chelsey Pfiffner, arranged for a service to be held at the location, coordinated a “funeral” procession march to the Rose House, and followed it by a reception with short talks from Portage County Historical Society, Executive Director, John Harry and others. You can read about it in our February 2022 blog post. And here in this WPR article, Chanel 9 News clip, and Stevens Point Journal article. A Live Facebook talk was also produced earlier in that month that showcased the 3d Matterport scan made the previous December.

Shortly after the building memorial, Pfiffner took time away from the Historic Stevens Point project publicly, and continued to research Stevens Point history in the background. During that time, she spent many hours at the archives going through numerous documents including the Ameila Berg trial papers from her infamous final jaunt in Stevens Point as well as the Hotel Whiting/ Kingston Hotels files.

UWSP Archives

Solidifying her place as a Stevens Point historian, Pfiffner was awarded with the Winn Rothman Award from the Portage County Historical Society at their annual meeting in April of 2022 for her research on the city’s history.

In June, in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Portage County Library System, Pfiffner presented on the history of past Stevens Point Library buildings to a crowd of about 70 people at the downtown Portage County Library. This was the first talk sponsored by the historical society for their Talking Points, Historical Education Programming series made possible through a grant from the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin.

Pfiffner was invited to tour the St Joseph’s Convent construction project in October where she took numerous exclusive photos that will be posted here in an upcoming blog post.

Then in December, Pfiffner spoke to a full house at the Sunset Point Winery for the well publicized presentation, Stevens Point Holiday Traditions, again sponsored by PCHS and CFCW. Wine was drank, memories flowed, laughs were had, and history was told!

PCHS Photo

And just this past month Pfiffner was noted in the popular OnMilwaukee.com column, Urban Spelunking, regarding her research on the Hotel Whiting and her family’s connections.

Our website has been quiet, but Pfiffner certainly has not! We hope you had a chance to attend one of our events over last year, and if not we hope to see you at a future event!

As 2023 moves forward, please continue to follow our blog and Facebook page for more events like future presentations sponsored by the Portage County Historical Society, Facebook updates on current research, collaborations with other local historians, as well as fresh blog posts, and possibly a few live Facebook talks!

As always, a special thank you to those who have continued to follow our work and have supported the project along the way. You are most appreciated!

An Abridged Timeline Part 3: Madame Extraordinaire, Amelia Berg

This timeline is a work in progress. It is the initial first step in the process to create an article on what is known on the notorious Amelia Berg over the course of her time in Stevens Point, expounding on Wendell Nelson's previous work. We found Amelia's story so sensational that we could not help but share our progress with you. Mrs. Berg has already proven to be an interesting character of Stevens Point's past, but honestly, the story is just getting started. Please enjoy this next selection of our timeline on the life and literal trials of Madame Extraordinaire, Amelia Berg.

The Grand Central Hotel, Ole Berg’s Saloon can be seen on the left. Amelia’s brothel was just behind it, hidden by the hotel in this photo.

1901 Arrested AGAIN!

1901-02 Directory, Ole Berg, Saloon 126 Clark, Res 115 S First, also listed under saloons

May 17, 1901 Amelia Berg arrested again for keeping a disorderly house on First Street, complaint made by M Cassidy, owner of the hotel across the street, specific dates April 23 and 25. Berg said she’d needed to call to Chicago for a lawyer, bond set at $200. Case will be “prosecuted under the city ordinances and the penalty for the offense is a fine not less than $50 nor more than $100, or imprisonment not less than thirty nor more than ninety days.”

May 1901 Guilty! CD McFarland for the defense.  Fined, but she appealed and was bonded in the sum of $250 to appear at her next court date, Andrew Geodal and Ole Berg were her sureties

June 7 1901, Arson at Mrs Hannah Booth’s property, saloon, house, barn, bowling alley, multiple out buildings, “both sides of Church street burn at McDill. Miss Daisy Clark mentioned as occupant of house.

June 18 1901 M Cassidy, owner of hotel across the street, protests Ole Berg’s license

June 19, 1901, write up mentions concealed passage to brothel from saloon and previous conviction, “The place kept by Mrs. Berg has long been a stench…ought not to be permitted longer to brazenly defy the moral sentiment of the community.”

July 1901 official protest published in Stevens Point Daily Journal by Cassidy

July 2 1901 License denied!  Map used in court to show connection of establishments, in a twist JH Brennan represented M Cassidy. Brennan identifies Mrs Berg as sole owner and proprietor and that she and Ole Berg occupy the property. McFarland argued that no one could prove that any other females were in the Berg house and that Cassidy wanted the Berg property so he could build a new stable for his hotel.

Nov 13 1901 SPJ City of Stevens Point vs Amelia Berg, appeal from May

Nov 21 1901 Asphyxiation reported at notorious resort of Berg, apparently one of the girls tried to kill herself and her lover with gas poisoning. On Nov 27 when she was brought to court, she denied the attempted murder instead saying that it was an accident that the gas jet was left open. She was allowed to go home to return the next day, but instead skipped town.

Nov 22 1901 previous Amelia Berg case continued, bond of $500 set, this was the appeal from May, “she was not able to secure the attendance of important witnesses”

Dec 9, 1901 Police raid on South First Street again, Ameila Berg, Cora Edwards, Gladys Russell and Daisy Clark arrested. $100 each bail

Bliss Avenue circa 1904

1902 On the Move!

Jan 20 1902 reported that Amelia Berg raided on Bliss avenue, “last Saturday night,” two other inmates, pleaded not guilty

Jan 21 1902 Berg found guilty, 237 Bliss ave, Anne Christianson and Gladys (Lillian?) Russell, $50 bond

Fall 1902 Amelia moved to Church Street on the south side

Shekell’s Addition where Amelia moved in1902,
Sanborn Map circa 1904

1903 State Charges! The gig is up!

1903-1904 Directory Lists “Ole Berg, saloon 126 Clark, res same; Mrs Ole Berg, res w.s. Church in. limits.” This is the only time she was mentioned in the directories.

July 9 1903 Amelia Berg arrested, disorderly house, Daisy Clark, Lillian Russell and Dolly Miller, Church Street, house of ill fame, $100 bond, Charges dropped for Berg then she was arrested again before leaving the room, charged with State offense, neighbors annoyed with her since she “became a resident of that part of the city sometime last fall (fall 1902)” A patron of Berg’s knocked on Alderman Dwinell’s door, he kicked the stranger off his porch, four other men were with him, got physical with them and they ran away.

July 29/30 1903 Change of venue for hearings, Wood County, bail set at $1000 initially, sixth time A Berg has been prosecuted for the same charge, first time for a state violation, objections to the form of the bond and the sureties, defendant in custody of the sheriff.

Oct 1903 A Berg accused of drugging and kidnapping 16 year St Pt girl, Bessie Eggleston, Dolly Miller mentioned, house in woods mentioned, back roads chase. This is mentioned in the Grand Rapids, Appleton, and Oshkosh newspapers, but NOT the Stevens Point papers. Have found no other documentation on this yet. Portage County legal records mention an underage girl who worked for Amelia and was sent to an institution for girls in Milwaukee. It is unknown if this was the same girl or another at this time.

Watch for the final part of our abridged timeline on the ever sensational life of the industrious notorious Mrs. Amelia Berg

An Abridged Timeline Part 2: Madame Extraordinaire, Amelia Berg

This timeline is a work in progress. It is the initial first step in the process to create an article on what is known on the notorious Amelia Berg over the course of her time in Stevens Point, expounding on Wendell Nelson's previous work. We found Amelia's story so sensational that we could not help but share our progress with you. Mrs. Berg has already proven to be an interesting character of Stevens Point's past, but honestly, the story is just getting started. Please enjoy this next selection of our timeline on the life and literal trials of Madame Extraordinaire, Amelia Berg.

Mathias Mitchell Public Square circa 1895. Amelia Berg’s “boarding house” was just a block down to the left from the Curran House which is pictured in the back to the right. Amelia’s place would be behind the brick building at the left.
PCHS/UWSP archives circa 1895

After an eventful 1895, the year of 1896 was quiet in the newspapers for Amelia Berg and her “boarding house.” the next few years, however would not be quite as quiet.

1897 Slipping Through the Cracks

March 13, 1897. Amelia Berg sought out the protection of the “district attorney, city attorney and the sheriff.” She reported that two young men broke one of her windows at midnight on Friday. She chased them through the street barefoot, but police would not make arrests because they did not witness the crime.

June 1897 Ole Berg was granted a new liquor license “providing that all connection between his saloon and a questionable resort next door be dispensed with.”  

Aug 23 1897 Amelia arrested again! Police again raided her brothel on First Street. When Amelia “opened the door and found that her caller was the chief of police, she tried to shut it in his face.” Jessie Ross was arrested and fined $24.50 for fines and costs. This was Amelia’s second arrest for “keeping a house of ill fame.” Two young men were also found in the house and arrested as well. Court costs and fines came to $13.50 each. Amelia paid a bond of $150.

Sept 2 1897 Amelia Berg’s case adjourned until Sept 4.  “Mrs. Berg was arrested on the night of Aug 23, charged with keeping a disorderly house.” JH Brennan for the Defendant and FB Lamoreux for the city.

Sept 4 1897 Amelia Berg trial, charged with keeping a bawdy house, Six witnesses for the city, four for the defense. Adjourned until the following Monday.

Sept 6 1897 SET FREE! Amelia Berg freed due to technicality of the rescheduled date being set on a legal holiday, all charges dropped!  And the Madame Amelia Berg “slipped out of the meshes of the law.”

SPDJ September 6, 1897

1898 Her Own Niece Takes Her to Court

Jan 1898 Sanborn Map shows a saloon at 126 Clark Street and a boarding house at 114 S First, later listed as 115 S. First. The connecting building between the two is gone. The Commercial Hotel is now Hotel McGregor.

July 1898 Signe Anderson, niece of Amelia Berg, who came from Norway at Amelia’s request, took Amelia to court accusing her of refusing to return her clothes when she had moved out. Signe said Amelia owed her $5 for a watch, too. Settlement for the plaintiff.

1898 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map

1899 The Woitals

Aug 24, 1899 Matilda “Tillie” Michalksi Woital was arrested at the complaint of her husband for “being an inmate of a house of ill fame.” Tillie had been staying at Mrs Berg’s “boarding house.” He wanted “her to stay at home and do the housework, cook his meals and the like, but she says the living is too poor up there and that she prefers city life.” The Woitals were living in the Town of Hull (some reports of Town of Dewey) near Casimir. Apparently, Tillie left and took a job working as a cook at the Hotel McGregor across the street from Mrs. Berg’s, maybe finding it convenient to rent a room from her. But according to her husband, his runaway wife was also working for Berg in her house of disrepute. Tillie pleaded guilty and told to pay $15 in fines and costs or sit 30 days in jail. Amelia Berg paid her fine. Tillie was arrested again in October, but this time her husband paid her fine. She was sent back home to live with him but slipped out when she was given money for groceries and ended up back in the city and then in Waupaca. Soon after she filed for divorce.

Dec 1899 MURDER! Shooting in front of Citizen’s Bank! Woital shot his wife in broad daylight! She had come to Stevens Point from Waupaca to see her lawyer regarding divorcing her husband. She was staying again at Amelia Berg’s place. Tillie and Daisy Clark had just walked out of Brill’s store on Main Street when Constantine came up behind them and shot Tillie in the back of the neck. The bullet came to a rest just under the left of her jaw, taking a tooth with it. The paper provided a quite the gruesome description of the wound and event. Woital was apprehended almost immediately. It is reported that he said, “he was sorry he had not killed his wife and did not see how he missed hitting her directly in the back of her head or neck, as he intended,” but later denied saying it. Matilda Michalksi Woital was taken to the Bergs’ where she died 4 days later. She was about 23 years old. Woital was her second husband. He was charged with murder.

Dec 8, 1899 Stevens Point Daily Journal, Tillie was called Helen in the initial newspaper reports. This use of the name was never explained.

Much sensationalism followed with the trial throwing Ameila Berg even more in the spotlight. She testified along with Daisy Clark, one of Berg’s regular girls. Daisy was living in the brothel during the time that Tillie had been staying there and she, of course, was there when Tillie was shot. Constantine Woital was found guilty and convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He was shipped off to Waupun where he died in 1906 of gangrene.

In 1899 Ole and Amelia stopped living together according to an article regarding their divorce. Maybe the ordeal with the Woitals proved to be too much for the Bergs.

Downtown Main Street Stevens Point featuring Citizen’s Bank on the right. Portage County Historical Society/ UWSP Archives

Watch for Part 3 of our abridged timeline on the ever sensational life of the industrious notorious Mrs. Amelia Berg.

An Abridged Timeline Part 1: Madame Extraordinaire, Amelia Berg

With lumbermen and river pilots filling the saloons on the Public Square during the latter part of the 19th Century, ladies of the lamplight were sure to follow. Amelia Berg, later known as Stevens Point’s “Madame Extraordinaire,” ran the town’s most famous brothels and has quite the story to follow. She kept her house of ill fame on S First Street, just off the square where Water Street runs today. Her husband, Ole Berg, conveniently ran a saloon next door on the corner of Clark and S First Street.

In the early 1990s late local historian Wendell Nelson wrote about his initial research on Mrs. Amelia Berg in the book, Portage County Shadows, edited by Janet Menzel Jurgella. He mentions in his musings that his work is incomplete and there is more research to be done. In honor of Women’s History Month we have had our heads buried in research putting together an in depth full length post on Mrs. Berg based on Nelson’s original research. Please enjoy Part 1 of our initial abridged timeline describing the life and literal trials of the notorious Amelia Berg. This is a work in progress.

What Amelia Berg may have looked like

Early years before 1895

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map 1884

1857 Ole C Berg born in Norway according to Census reports

1881 Ole Berg immigrated to the US per 1910 census records, it is not known where he originally settled.

It is unknown when Amelia was born or if or when she immigrated.

1884 Ole and Amelia married in Scandinavia according to an article regarding her divorce in 1905. It is not clear if that was Scandinavia in Wisconsin or Europe, but it is assumed that it is Wisconsin. No other documentation has been found yet.

1884 Sanborn Map shows a Flour and Feed Warehouse at 122 S First street, connected to a grocery and provisions store at 114 S First Street

1885  A gas street lamp was put up at the Corner of Clark and First

1891 Sanborn Map shows same Flour and Feed Warehouse at 122 and Grocery and Provisions at 114

By 1891 the Commercial Hotel is built across the way on the south east corner of Clark and S First Streets

1892-93 first mention in City Directory, Ole Berg, laborer, res Superior nr Central Ave, no mention of Amelia or spouse, Ole would have been about 35 years old.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Map 1891

1895: The First Year

1895 Wisconsin State Census

1895 Much of 100 block on Clark Street was sold to the railroad for expansion, but the building at the south west corner, 126 Clark, remained.

Until 1895, 126 Clark Street is listed on maps as a Feed Warehouse which was connected by way of S First Street to a Grocery and Provisions store at 114 S First Street. Have not been able to identify original owner.

1895 Wisconsin State Census, Ole Berg is listed as living in Stevens Point, accounts for 1 other in household. Photo clip above.

1895 City Directory lists a saloon under the name of Ole Berg, corner Clark and S First

May 29, 1895 Bergs mentioned as owning the property on S First Street in article regarding paving the Public Square

June 18 1895, first mention of Ole Berg being granted a saloon license, Stevens Point Daily Journal

Aug 7, 1895 ARSON! At Ole Berg’s residence. A passerby noticed smoke and alerted Mr. Berg. Ole Berg’s house is described as “located on First Street, about midway between Main and Clark streets.” A hole was found in the siding about four feet from the ground, and another smaller one made to give air to the fire. The fire was started inside the walls. The smell of kerosene was “plainly noticeable.” Mrs. Berg was out of town at the time, “visiting relatives in the country.”

Oct 24 1895 Another arson was reported at a the home of James Murphy at 351 Fourth Ave. Three auger holes filled with kerosene and saturated rags lit with matches. Family woken by smell of smoke. Children mentioned running to the fire station.

Oct 30 1895 First Ameila Berg raid, midnight raid at “maison de joie” “Anna Thompson and Ida Davis are given the option of leaving the city in twenty four hours or taking sixty days in jail. “They took the latter” Contradicted by the Gazette who say they left town, which they may have as their names are never mentioned in conjunction with Mrs. Berg again.

Jan 1896 Chief of Police and Mayor declared war on disorderly houses which were apparently becoming a major issue in Stevens Point

Watch for Part 2 of our timeline on Madame Extraordinaire, Amelia Berg!