Architecture of the Alexander Hotel (built as "The Lewis Hotel")

The Architecture of the Lewis Hotel of McGregor

Architect Hugo Schick of Schick & Roth, LaCrosse. Hugo Schick was one of the best known architects of the northwest

Foundation of the Lewis Hotel in McGregor laid August 1899. Built by John Moss. Landlord Charles I. Lewis. Built for $21,000. Furnishings $4,000-$5,000

Schick was born in Badjow, Northern Austria January 30, 1855. He graduated Polytechnical school and Academy of Arts of Vienna with degree in architecture. In 1880 Hugo Schick came to America, located at first in New York City. He came to LaCrosse in 1886, and became associated with Gustav Stoltze under the firm name of Stoltze & Schick (until Stoltze’s death, when he became associated with Andrew Roth)

Among the buildings designed by Hugo Schick:

• The Chicago, Burlington & Northern Railway Depot, Tillman Brothers’ Block, public schools, Doerflinger’s, LaCrosse’s third Courthouse, City Hall, and LaCrosse churches. Stoltze, Schick and Roth designed many substantial commercial buildings in downtown LaCrosse. Their extant works exhibit influences ranging from historic Romanesque and New-classic styles to early Modern.
• Schick and Andrew Roth designed the Losey Memorial Arch in the popular turn of the century Classical Revival/Beaux Arts style at the Oak Grove Cemetery in LaCrosse
• The LaCrosse landmark – Bentley/Wheeler House (1891) – one of finest examples of Queen Anne architecture in LaCrosse
• The Holway house at 1419 Cass St. -- Queen Anne built in 1892 and was designed by Gustav Stoltze and Hugo Schick.Its 20 rooms feature woodwork in ash, birch, oak and sycamore.
  This may be the most toured house in La Crosse because Carlisle was always gracious in opening it for home tours.

((Information from Hugo Schick’s obituary, LaCrosse Tribune August 8, 1910 and from the Historical LaCrosse Architectural and Historical Record by Joan M. Rausch, August, 1984.)