website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Charles
E. Parks Home
506 S. Washington Street
CHARLES E. PARKS was educated at the Glens Falls Academy and at the Fort Edward Collegiate Institute. He commenced life as a civil engineer, but, not liking the business, he taught school one year, then engaged as clerk in a dry goods house at Sandy Hill, N.Y., for a short time, when he again entered the schoolroom as assistant principal and teacher of mathematics for two years. He came West in 1872 and was elected superintendent of Garnet, Kan., public schools, where he remained two years. He then went to Golden, Colo., where he became superintendent of Golden public schools, serving one year. He next went to Denver as superintendent of the north side schools, but returned the following year to Golden, where he remained a year and resigned his position and returned East.
He finally came West again, making Watertown, Wis. his home. He married Lilla LEWIS, daughter of G. B. LEWIS. He has been engaged in the manufacturing business with G. B. LEWIS as partner for several years, and is now secretary and treasurer and half owner of the G. B. LEWIS Company at Watertown. He is the inventor of Parks' basket boxes and barrels and considerable amount of machinery.
He ran for public offices and has been twice defeated; first time, running for school commissioner, when, after an experience of ten years in the schoolroom, leaving same at a salary of $1,500 and being offered $1,800 a year to continue, he was defeated by a man who could little more than read and write. He was defeated a second time when running for alderman. He has three children: Lewis W., aged thirteen years; Olive, aged eleven years, and Clifton A., aged nine years.
From Memorial and Genealogical Record of Dodge and Jefferson
Counties, Wisconsin, publ. 1894
1950 Former Parks home damaged by wind
2000
03 04 1999 HOUSE BEAUTIFUL AWARD
The 36th annual meeting of the
Watertown Arts Council was held at the Watertown Country Club Sunday. Sue Heninger
provided classical piano music background for the showing of the 1999 art
festival purchase awards. The 1999 House
Beautiful award was presented to Brian and Julie Johnson, 506 S. Washington
St. The picture of their home was
created by Sandra Pirkel and framed courtesy of Chas.
David's Sons and Evald Moulding
Co. The Johnsons have spent seven years
renovating the Charles E. Parks home which was built in approximately 1886.
Parks was a co-founder of the G.B. Lewis Co. Watertown
Daily Times, 03 04 2000
2022
12 04 PARADE OF HOMES SELECTION
Tim and Noelle Little home / Charles
Parks home (traditional name)
Tim and Noelle Little purchased
the circa 1880 Queen Anne-style Charles Parks home in November 2019. Charles was an inventor and partner in what
would become Lewis Systems, and his wife, Lilla, was
one of the original founders of the Watertown Library. Prior to the early 1990s, the home was owned
for several decades by Bethesda Lutheran Communities.
The four- bedroom three-bathroom
home retains its original woodwork, hardwood floors, and two sets of massive
pocket doors flanking the dining room. The
house is furnished in an eclectic blend of antique, vintage, mid-century and “one-of-a-kind”
items, including a coffee table crafted from a Charles Parks-patented shipping box.
The exterior of the home features an
architectural balcony and large front porch.
Avid thrifters,
Tim and Noelle have decorated with 75% thrifted items. There are three full-size Christmas trees on
the main level. The parlor is dressed in
whimsical candy-apple red, orange, and lime green while the large, central
dining room showcases a Santa collection and the study features a tree devoted
to the family pooch, Gibson. Additionally,
the main-level guest bedroom is home to a Watertown memorabilia collection. Upstairs, the main bedroom is adorned with
music themed ornaments while the guest bedroom is a rabbit haven. “Christmas on the Cheap
History of Watertown, Wisconsin