Iola in Waupaca County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Krause Publications
The Early Days
Side A
A business that was to bring international acclaim to Iola was established at this location on August 18, 1964, with the organization of Krause Publications as a corporate business entity. Over the next 40 years it expanded into numerous other collector hobby and leisure interest communities serving 21 specialized fields, with involvements in the agricultural and building trades as well. The company was publishing 48 periodical titles along with scores of new books and reference catalogs at its peak, with over 900 deadlines annually. Its combined subscriber audiences numbered well in excess of one million annually from 1999 to 2001.
Krause Publications got its start when Chester L. Krause, a builder by training and trade following his 1946 return from Army service during World War II, published the October 13, 1952, dated issue of Numismatic News. That first issue was crafted working from a small desk in his bedroom and atop the dining room table in the home of his parents, Carl and Cora Krause, situated two blocks away
Side B
on East Iola Street (see Historic Iola No. 3). As that business steadily grew, office environments were established in North Main Street storefront offices, for clerical processing of incoming subscription and advertising mail.
Krause’s last building project was the 1957 construction of this building at 160 North Washington St. (now Chet Krause Drive) to serve as home to what was then a single publication, Numismatic News, then a monthly publication. His workday switched from that of builder to that of publisher.
With the popularity of the publications increasing, the 1,600-square-foot building was expanded in 1960 and 1964 to nearly quadruple its original size to accommodate the growing staffs. In 1975, the company having entered another hobby community with its recent launch of the Old Cars newspaper, a commitment was made to construct a new building on acreage located at 700 East State Street, to consolidate operations which had spread to other locations around town and serve its space needs in the years to come.
Erected 2016 by Iola Historical Society. (Marker Number 8.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Industry & Commerce.
Location. 44° 30.482′ N, 89° 7.766′ W. Marker is in Iola, Wisconsin, in Waupaca County. Marker is at the intersection of North Chet Krause Drive and East Water Street, on the right when traveling north on North Chet Krause Drive. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 160 N Chet Krause Drive, Iola WI 54945, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Iola’s Early History (within shouting distance of this marker); R. I. Anderson Machine Shop (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Clifford Marshall Thompson (about 400 feet away); 1999 Father's Day Fire (about 500 feet away); Iola Veterans Memorial (about 500 feet away); Iola Hospital (about 600 feet away); Iola Cancer & Tumor Sanitarium (about 600 feet away); The “Spud Alley” Era (about 600 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Iola.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 19, 2017. It was originally submitted on September 14, 2017, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 470 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on September 14, 2017, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.