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Watertown Gun Club

Located in Washington Park

 

1895

09 18       JOHNSON CREEK CRACK SHOT

The Johnson Creek "unknown" crack shot came up last Wednesday afternoon and endeavored to show the Watertown Gun club, at the grounds in the Fifth ward, how to shoot clay pigeons.  The biggest score in the goose-egg line of the season was the result - 25 missed birds.  It is said that it took the aforesaid "unknown" so long to return home in the evening that his brother and partner John was obliged to send out a searching party for him, finding him practicing on a lot of eggs from a load he was conveying home.  After he has practiced sufficiently, H. J.'s Watertown friends hope he will again join them.   WR

 

1901

08 23       JEFFERSON COUNTY MEDAL

At Washington Park next Sunday afternoon the Watertown Gun Club will hold its first annual gold medal shoot, at which amateurs of Jefferson county only are to take part in the gold medal contest.  There will be eleven other events.  The gold medal is a beautiful piece of jewelry on which is engraved the inscription “Jefferson County Medal Presented by the Watertown Gun Club.”  It can be seen at Schempf & Schulz’s drug store.  The conditions are that the successful Jefferson county contestant will hold the medal until the nest annual medal shoot, and will then receive one-half of the medal purse.  After any one contestant earns the medal three times at the annual Medal Shoot such contestant becomes the permanent owner.   WG

 

 

Watertown Gazette, 08 21 1908

Diamond Medal Shoot

 

The thirteenth diamond medal shoot and target tournament of the Watertown Gun Club was held at Washington Park on Sunday.  R. H. Keel of this city won the diamond medal, until then held by John Reichart.  Keel broke 23 clay pigeons out of a possible 25.  The silver cup for high gun shooting was also secured by Mr. Keel, who broke 160 clay pigeons out of a possible 175.  The diamond medal must be won three consecutive times before it can become the property of the winner, but the silver cup is held permanently by the winner of each contest.

  More on Watertown Gun Club 

Watertown Gazette, 01 15 1909

Elect Officers.  At the annual meeting of the Watertown Gun Club held last Friday evening, the following officers were elected:

 

President—Ben H. Rieck

Vice President—Ben A. Krueger

Secretary—Ary G. Keel

Corresponding Secretary —Joseph Mirgler

Treasurer—Louis Mueller

Field Captain—John Richart

Executive Board—Joseph Mirgler, R. S. Keel, Joseph Glaus

  More on Watertown Gun Club 

Gun Club Elects Officers

Watertown Gazette, 01 13 1911

At the annual meeting of the Watertown Gun Club held Friday evening the following officers were elected:

President—A. G. Keel

Vice President—Ben A. Krueger

Secretary—Ben H. Rieck

Treasurer—Louis Mueller

Field Captain—John Richart

Executive Board—Joe Glaus, chairman, R. S. Keel, William Wolff

 

 

  More on Watertown Gun Club 

Watertown Wins Shoot

The Watertown Gun Club won from the Spring City Club Sunday afternoon at the local club’s grounds, east of the city, in a 250 bird shoot by thirty-tree birds.  S. R. Keel of Watertown was high man with 40 out of 50 . . .

 

  More on Watertown Gun Club 

Dreyfus High Gun in Amateur Class

Breaks 144 out of a possible 150 targets

Watertown Gazette, 06 03 1915

 

In the inter-state shoot of the Watertown Gun Club on Memorial Day, Fred Dreyfus of Milwaukee was high amateur with a total of 144 out of a possible 150 targets.  F. A. Siefkin was high professional with a total of 146.  Mr. Siefkin lost but one bird out of his first 135 and dropped [lost] three more in the last event of 15 targets.  Dreyfus is the present amateur champion of Wisconsin, and besides first money he is entitled to the first medal, three of which were offered by the interstate association, besides $25 in cash.  F. M. Graper of Austin Park, Ill. was the winner of the second medal and was tied with O. Eisner of Hales Corners, and W. E. Meusel of Green Bay for second high average, 113 out of 150.  John Strook of Mayville won the third medal and had third high average with 142 out of 150.

 

1928

02 22       THE WATERTOWN GUN CLUB / Octagon House

 

Here is where clay pigeons get “busted” most every Sunday afternoon in the summer time. 

 

Note the concrete trap house. 

 

The trap is operated entirely by a large lever from where the crowd stands, by means of a rod through a hollow pipe. 

 

There is a young lad inside the trap house and all he does, or has to do, is to place the clay pigeons on the trap. 

 

The man at the lever does the rest. 

 

Picture and caption by Wm. Streblow

____________________

Distant view of the Octagon House.

 

<> Had not been able to determine location of Gun Club precisely but the window/door placements of the Octagon suggest the view is to the east (to the front of the Octagon, with hint of possible view of south side entrance).

 

Power poles suggest near Richards and Sunset avenues.

 

CONCLUSION <> Gun Club was in Washington Park   / Ken

 

 

 

 

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