1617 West Street

Brian Scheller: Who’s got a timeframe for Jaeger’s Ice Service?

Jaeger’s Ice Service, 1617 West St. Phone Prospect 826.

Andrew Hay: The house is still there, we used to manage it as a rental!
Gil Knapp: Andrew Hay, looks like there was another building off the alley that they might have used to make ice. The cement floor is still there.
William Wishau: Gil Knapp, if you look at the old aerials there was definitely a building on that open slab.
Gil Knapp: William Wishau, wasn’t that interested, but I’m always amazed at how many businesses were operating in residential neighborhoods back in the day.
William Wishau: While the Obit implies a 12 year run from 1945-1957, City Directories have Matt Jaeger being an ice and coal dealer from 1943 to 1950 at 1617 West St. Seems he lived there since 1930, so perhaps he freelanced prior to 1943. 1952 puts him back as a delivery man for Fox Products, as well as 1954 and 1955. 1957 puts him as a janitor at Sacred Heart Church, which aligns with the obit. I’d date that card in the ’40s.

JAGER, MATT
1617 West St.
Age 63. Passed away April 11, 1959, in a local hospital. Mr. Jager was born in Jugoslavia on Aug. 16, 1895, and had lived in Racine since 1913. He had been employed with the Fox Ice Co. for 23 years, operated Jager Ice Service for 12 years, and for the past two years had been custodian of Sacred Heart Church. He was a member of Sacred Heart Church, Croatian Fraternal Union, Slovene National Benefit Society, Fraternal Order of Eagles and Apostolate of Suffering. Surviving are his wife, Millie; one daughter, Miss Janice Jager, of Chicago; two sons, Joseph and Thomas, of Racine; two grandchildren; two sisters and one brother in Jugoslavia; several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, April 14, 9:30 a.m. in the Strout Funeral Home and 10 a.m. in Sacred Heart Church, Rev. A. J. Klas officiating. Internment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery. Highway 32 Friends may call at the STROUT FUNERAL HOME, 1001 High St., this afternoon after 4 o'clock, during the evening, and until service time Tuesday. The Rosary will be recited this evening, 7:30, in the funeral home.
Rick Podoba: Matt Jager obituary, April 13, 1959.
Looks like it was operated 1945-1957, if my math is right?
Racine Journal Times, February 23, 1936. Mr. and Mrs. Matt Jaeger, 1617 West street, a son, February 5, 1936.
1617 West Street, 2023