In the early 1860s, a man named William Kraner arrived in Ottumwa. Ambitious and industrious, he built a home at what would later be known as 403 W. Second, at the corner of Second and Wapello. By 1882, William and his wife, Rosa, had moved there from their previous place on West Fourth Street.
Kraner was more than just a homeowner—he was the president of the William Kraner Brewing Company, founded in 1876. His brewery, later called Kraner, Hoffman & Co., turned out lager beer for the community from its location in the 300 block of West Main Street. By 1890, the company had branched out in an unexpected direction, operating an oatmeal mill at the same address.
When the business shifted again in 1897, it became Kraner & Co., a partnership between W.T. Archer and the estate of the late William Kraner. The focus by then was running a saloon at 111 E. Second Street. William had passed away around 1895, but Rosa continued to live in the family home for at least another 15 years.
Over the decades, the house saw new lives. In the 1930s, it was home to Mrs. Lettie Buncutter. By the 1950s, it had taken on a new identity as the Wapello Hotel.
Then came the 1960s, and with them, progress in the form of pavement. By 1961, the house was gone, replaced by a ramp from Highway 149 (now Business 63) leading down to Second Street. Today, drivers pass over the site without knowing they’re crossing the spot where a brewer’s dream home once stood.
