Beloit’s outlaw building has interesting history

BELOIT — The history of the East Grand Avenue building that curiously extends over the Rock River dates back to 1892. And for more than 100 years Wisconsin state officials have wanted the

building gone, according to the Beloit Historical Society records.

Tom Larsen, treasurer of the Beloit Historical Society, published a history of the building in the summer of 2021. Here is an abbreviation of the history, along with the new developments.

The original building, which did not extend over the river, was built in 1892 for the Brown Brothers Shoe Store.

In 1921, the S.S. Kresge Co. bought the building and began building an addition over the Rock River. In July of that year, three company officials were charged with violating the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 because they were obstructing the navigable capacity of the Rock River. The company agreed in court to stop construction, but instead finished the work.