Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co.
Schlitz Waukesha Hotel History
by Mike Reilly Copyright October, 1995
Revised 08/15/2015
A Schlitz Hotel in Waukesha ?
Yes, for 22 years a little sister to the grand Schlitz Hotel in downtown Milwaukee graced the Five Points intersection of Waukesha.
The Schlitz Hotel was built on the site of the oldAmerican Hotel that had burned down on December 10, 1891. Immediately after theblaze, Joseph J. Hadfield, its last owner, had the property surveyed andsubdivided into lots. The property became known as “J.J. Hadfield’sSubdivision of the American Hotel Property” as shown on a plat map datedDecember 24, 1891.
Matthew L. Kelly and his wife Bridget purchased from Mr.Hadfield and his wife Mary, lots 3 and 4 for $6,000 (ref. Deeds Vol. 77 page558) on the very day of the property’s subdivision. No reason can be given forthe purchase other than for speculation or possible development at a later time.Mr. Kelly was, at the time, the owner-proprietor of the Fox River House, a hotellocated at 217 Madison Street. On the same day, John Brehm Jr. bought lot 2 fromMr. and Mrs. Hadfield for $4,000.
As the years went by, there appears to be no attempt atdeveloping the property bought by Mr. Kelly, and then on November 13, 1897 heand Bridget sell it to the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company for $16,000 (Ref.Deeds Vol. 92 page 433). It seems that the Schlitz Company also assumed twooutstanding mortgages of $2,400 and $3,600. A Waukesha Freeman news articledated December 30, 1897 says that Mr. M.L. Kelly transferred the Fox River Houseand the American House Site to Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company for $17,000. It’sunderstood that a fine new building will be raised for a saloon and restaurant.
The article went on to say that JSBCo.’s purchase wasprompted because of the Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Co. decision tobuild the Waukesha line which will enter Main Street in front of the Americanhouse property. As time passes, it’s expected that it will also pass by the FoxRiver House.
Mr. Kelly did work for a period of time prior to the saleas a saloon keeper at 217 W. Main Street which is believed to be a Schlitz ownedor leased saloon. Later on, one Mathias J. Wolf is listed as proprietor at thisaddress and he is also the Schlitz agent in Waukesha. This may be how Mr. Kellymade contact with the JSBCo. [Editor-As a side note, in the January 13, 1898 edition ofthe Freeman, Mr. Kelly was brought up before the municipal court on a charge ofviolating the 12 o’clock ordinance regarding the closing of saloons.]
The Waukesha Freeman ran an article on January 20, 1898describing the new hotel. The lumber comes from lumber yards of Palmetier &Abeil. An effort was made by the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Co. to secure theadjoining Brehm property (lot 2, sale never occurred). The building, 22 x 120 ftlong will contain office, bar, dining room, kitchen, parlor, and 22 guest roomsof good size. The building will be three stories high and made of the very bestmaterials. The building contract is held by Henry Minderman of Milwaukee andAugust Dieman of Waukesha. It should be ready in early summer (of 1898) and andbe run as an European hotel.
It was also noted that many people are attracted to theexcavation site, such activity as not seen since the American Hotel burned down.
The hotel construction was not without it problems. OnFebruary 17, 1898, Oscar Fischer, a Milwaukee trade union representativecomplained about Mr. Dieman’s men not being union and wanted them replaced. Mr.Dieman wouldn’t comply, though Mr. Minderman said he would have to comply. Theparties met at THE SCHLITZ saloon, corner of Broadway and Clinton streets. Thissaloon is sometimes confused with the hotel since it did offer a large buffetfor its customers. William Grotjan, a Schlitz agent, and the Goerke brotherswere at different times proprietors of the business.
Apparently any arrangement that may have been worked outdidn’t satisfy everyone because on March 17, 1898 Mr. Fischer is convicted inmunicipal court of intimidating the Waukesha carpenters. He induced them to quitso that union men from Milwaukee might be imported. The trial lasted three dayswith Mr. Fischer seeking an appeal. It’s not known whether he faced any jailsentence or was let go but on April 20, 1898 union carpenters walked off the jobbecause a non-union carpenter was working on the building. The non-unioncarpenter was discharged and the union men resumed their work.
On March 3, 1898, the Freeman notes that the hotel wallshave reached their full height and later on March the 10th, the new Schlitz hasbeen fully enclosed (the roof is on). The finished structure promises to addmaterially to the attraction of the locality. It was also reported that theBrehm brothers are preparing to erect a building adjacent to the Schlitz.
Though no news of the Schlitz’s opening could be found inthe Freeman, it is believed they did open in the summer of 1898 with GeorgeForan and his wife as proprietors. The address was 340 Main Street orsimply described as being at the corner of Broadway and Main Street with atelephone number of #109. The Hotel provided a Sampling room, musicalsin the Drawing rooms, and carriage excursions to the Waukesha Beach resort onPewaukee Lake with Mrs. Foran as hostess. Mr. Foran was known to host fishingtrips to the lake with many patrons. The hotel also boasted a new livery stableoutback that provided the best in care for a lodger’s horse and carriage.William “Billy” Brown, the genial clerk, was considered a favorite byguests. Because of his good looks, the guests compared him to the god Apollo. Euchre card partieswere nightly occurrences at the hotel and prizes were awarded in some novel way.The hotel room rates were $2.00 per day. The Hotel also boasted a newlivery stable outback that provided the best in care for a lodger’s horse andcarriage. The popularity and use of the stables didn’t last very long with the startup ofthe trolley system that linked Waukesha with the Waukesha Beach resort.
On January 12, 1899, the Waukesha Freeman published asummary of the previous year’s building activity. TheJoseph Schlitz Brewing Co. was listed with the followingbuilding expenditures;
Saloon, West Waukesha, $2,000
Bottling House, $1,500
Schlitz Hotel, $5,000
Saloon, South St., $800
The article didn’t elaborate on what the $5,000 was spentfor, if it was for the building itself or it included thedecorations and furnishings inside.
A slightly different picture of the hotel in 1914
In 1903, Charles W. Brown became the new hotel manager.Mr. Brown having much hotel experience in Ohio and Iowa extensively refitted theSchlitz throughout. The room rates continued to remain the same at $2.00 per daybut the telephone number changed to 137. In Resorts Chats magazine, Mr. Brownadvertised baths and steam heat with a table (menu) unsurpassed. He furtheradvertised that Schlitz Atlas Brew was exclusively on tap at the hotel.
After Mr. Brown left the Schlitz in 1911 to manage theWaukesha Moor Bath Hotel, a succession of managers operated it. From 1911-12,Walter F. Riebe,1913-18 George F. Butterfield held the position, 1919 GeorgePolfuss managed it at which time the address changed to 292 W. Main Street, andfinally in 1921, J.A. McNamara is listed in the City Directory as proprietor.
On April 15, 1920, probably due to the pressures ofProhibition and taxation, the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company quit-claim deededthe Schlitz Hotel property over to Robert A. Uihlein Sr. for the sum of $1.00(Ref. Deeds Vol. 176 page 271). In July of 1921, it was announced that theSchlitz Hotel would be no more and the Waukesha Freeman noted a real need for acommercial hotel establishment. The following year, in November 1922, theSchlitz was renamed the Commercial Hotel and Cafeteria. The cafeteria, the lastword in modern meal service, was installed about December 15th after extensiveimprovements. City heat keeps the place toasting warm and several suites withbaths are included among the twenty-two guest rooms.
The Commercial existed until 1927 when it was renamed theFive-Points Hotel. In 1928, January 3rd, Robert A. and Mary I. Uihleinquit-claim deeded the former Schlitz Hotel property to the Schlitz RealtyCorporation for $1.00 (Ref. Deeds Vol. 211 page 183). Later that year on August24th, the Schlitz Realty Corp sold the property to Sam Friedman (Ref. Deeds Vol.215 page 417).
Mr. Friedman owned a number of properties in downtownWaukesha and continued to operate the hotel as the Five-Points until 1931 whenit became the Butterfield Hotel. In 1934, Mr. Friedman renamed it the FrederickHotel and moved his men’s clothing business from across the street into thefirst floor of the building. The clothing business’s address was 294 W. MainStreet and the hotel above was 292. Approximately 1951-52, the hotel becameknown (and still is) as the Friedman Apartments.
The first floor of the building was run as Friedman’sClothes Shop up to about 1967 when in 1968 through 1969 it became Stern’s CampusCorner, offering women’s clothing. After Stern’s a variety of shops andrestaurants have operated there;
1970-74 Fab-N-Trim, a yards goods store
1975 Vacant
1976-77 Family Arcade Pool Hall
1978 Vacant
1979 Oak Hill Originals, hand crafted gifts, cards, and jewelry
1980 Vacant
1981 Kringle Nosh Deli & Restaurant
1982-86 Di Stefano’s Pizza
1987 Arturo’s Italian-American Restaurant
1988-91 Pavilion Bistro & Restaurant
1992 Country Stenzel & Gift Shoppe
1993 Above added Country Cafe and Catering By Chef James
July ’94-present Bits of Britain and a Wee Bit More
In 1977 Sam Friedman died and the following year, on April18th, the
building was sold to Richard A. and Fern F.Berentsen (Ref. Deeds Vol. 319, page 313) who remain the current owners.
The story of the Schlitz Hotel won’t end with thisarticle, the building
will continue to serve the Waukeshadowntown area for many more years to come. Though it willcontinue to stand, few people will actually know of its beginningsand how several of the great Milwaukee breweries helped shaped thesurrounding communities by building hotels and saloons. For Waukesha countyresidents there are at least two other brewery hotels that were built in thearea about the same time, the Oconomowoc Schlitz Hotel at Collins St. ,N.E.corner of South Main. and the hotel that Capt. Pabst built inNashotah across from the Nashotah Tavern, that one IraBigelow operated. Many more interesting stories canprobably be found about the events that occurred at theSchlitz Hotel over its lifetime and the author would be happyto receive any further information readers may find on the subject.
The author is both a historian of the Joseph SchlitzBrewing Company and a collector of its beer tap markers, mugs & steins, toybox cars, and pins & buttons. The author wishes to dedicate this firstarticle of his to the memory of Ruth Schmidt, a grandmother to him throughmarriage, who’s many stories of her growing up in rural Wisconsin and later oflife in the town of Merton have provided endless hours of reading pleasure.
(Note: We are not affiliatedwith the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co. or endorsed by them. Any Schlitz trademarks displayed,or brands mentioned are the sole ownership of the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co.)