APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Formerly Known As The
APPLETON HISTORY ASSOCIATION
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
CALL TO ORDER BY ACTING CHAIRPERSON TOM SUTTER
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 27
PLANNING COMMITTEE IN ATTENDANCE:
Mark & Karen Moderson, Tom Sutter, James Richter, Jack Voight, Christine Williams, Linda Muldoon, Laura Leimer, John Marx
REPORT ON WEB PAGE DEVELOPMENT:
Christine Williams reports that per information she has received from Brian Schneider, our Web Page Designer, the Web Page is up and running:
We have joined FOCOL and are under the Web Site.
Brian will be in contact with Barbara Kelly of FOCOL on implementation and if they would be willing to make a Historical organizations icon on their main web page under which we and all other area groups would be found.
OUR WEB SITE ADDRESS IS: www.focol.org/appletonhistory/
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
9/29/10 Tom Baron, Planner, East Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, 7:00 - 9:00 P.M., “Legislation seeking an NPS Heritage designation for the Wisconsin-Fox River Corridor
10/20/10 Terry Bergen, Executive Director of the Outagamie Historical Society, 7:00 - 9:00 P.M., “Appleton Collections of the Outagamie Museum”
11/17/10 Open, 7:00 - 9:00 P.M.
# Nancy Barker, who was present, for this meeting, volunteered to do a
program on “What’s Haunted in the Valley”.
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY 8/25/10 PAGE 2
PROGRAM SPEAKER Nancy Barker, Area Historian and Radio Personality, on “Appleton Taverns”.
Excerpts from her presentation:
It is significant to note that Appleton was a “dry” city for 75 years. Not until April 6, 1909, was liquor approved in the city.
Surprisingly by 1935 there were 76 taverns in Appleton, 35 were on the Avenue alone.
Saloons proved to be places that you stopped at after work. They were a part of the community and supported by wives and families alike. Family places they were, often children were sent to bars to get a “syrup” pail full of beer to bring home for mom and dad.
Prohibition slowed things down. During this time the bars did “sample rooms”, which involved bars sneaking in liquor.
There were many noteworthy bars in the area, the following are just a few:
Appleton:
1. Schreiter’s on Walnut Street (recognized as oldest bar in Appleton)
2. Trading Post of Hippelwhite Grignon (below Memorial Dr Bridge)
3. Bleier’s Bar on Walnut Street
4. The K-C Bar on Appleton Street (George Karambach, Owner)
5. Slim Otto’s, Mason Street at W. Wisconsin Avenue (peanuts on floor)
6. Spat’s on West College Avenue (formerly known as Haupt’s Bar)
7. Jim’s Place at 223 E. College Avenue
8. Slim’s Meadows on South Oneida Street (Illegal Slot Machines)
9. J’s Restaurant (now Fratello’s)
10. Victoria’s Restaurant (used to be a Deep Rock Gas Station)
11. Kobal’s Tavern at 500 W. College Avenue
12. The Hub
13. Wettengel’s Bar on the corner of West College and State Street
14. The Tip Top Bar
15. The West End Tavern
16. The Green Door at 600 W. College Avenue
17. DeBruin’s Bar on East College Avenue
18. The Wooden Nickel (a “new” old place created by Tony Mueller)
19. The Old Son Saloon at 600 W. College Avenue
20. Jacqueline’s Bar on South Oneida Street in the “industrial flats”
21. Pirate’s Cove on 100 S. State Street (later known as the Nickelodeon)
22. Pruetz’s Tavern on the 500 Block of North Appleton Street
23. Mr. Robert’s on N. Richmond Street (one of Appleton’s greatest beer
bars and known for rock bands in the 70’s)
24. Calmes Corner
25. Johnson Tavern (now the site of Rascal’s on East Wisconsin Avenue)
26. Remter’s Bar on West Wisconsin Avenue
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY 8/25/10 PAGE 3
Menasha:
1. Club Tavern
2. Jitter’s (was built in the 1880’s and was a brothel for some time)
3. R&R Tavern by the Tayco Street Bridge
4. The White Swan (owned by Herbert Trader)
5. Germania Hall downtown
6. The Brat and Brau on Appleton Road (Now Michel’s)
7. Naut’s Landing downtown
8. The Cinderella Ballroom on South Oneida Street (across from Appleton)(hosted the big bands and name rock groups)
Neenah:
9. Valley Inn Hotel (Designed by Shattuck)
Darboy:
1. The Blazing Stump (run by Ma Gooley of Menasha was a wild place
and a brothel too!)
2. Wet Your Whistle
There are some “Haunted Bars” in Appleton, two have many confirmed reports: Good Company, College Avenue at Richmond Street, and the Stone Cellar Brew Pub at 1004 S. Olde Oneida Street.
Nancy acknowledged herself as the current President of the Menasha Historical Society. She has a lot of ideas they have gained from the Menasha group that she believes can be of help to this group. One is the brochure that the Menasha Society has printed- a similar brochure could help us.
As a Historian Nancy is researching many topics. She currently is seeking information on a William Roemer who owned a lumber yard in Appleton. He resided on Opechee along the Fox River.
ORGANIZATION’S ACTING LEADERSHIP:
Tom Sutter, Acting Chairperson
James Richter, Acting Recording Secretary
Mark & Karen Moderson, Organizers
Christine Williams, Communications Director
Respectfully, James L. Richter 9-7-10