Carl H. Rediske (1856-1948), trained in Germany as a master shoemaker, came to La Crosse in 1883 at age 27 and purchased a lot at 507 North 12th Street. There he built the cobbler shop in 1889, along with a wood-frame residence and small barn. Rediske specialized in hand-made shoes and served several prominent La Crosse families, practicing his trade for 65 years. This vernacular wood-frame building is typical of late 19th century small-scale commercial architecture and is one of the few remaining intact examples in La Crosse. Its rectangular facade with projecting cornice is a "boom-town" false front, and its cedar shake roof was once common in the city. The Rediske barn and many tools are now on display at Old World Wisconsin. In 2002 the Cobbler Shop was relocated to this site with restoration assistance from the City of La Crosse, Western Wisconsin Technical College, and numerous volunteers and organizations. The building was listed as a La Crosse Historic Landmark in 1991.