American Hotel Site/Gonring's Tavern

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

As West Bend grew, so did visitors to the city. In 1850, the first hotel was built on this location, called the Farmer's Hotel. It had several owners over the years, all of them hoteliers, before being torn down to make way for the current building on the site.

Images

American House Hotel in 1931. WCHS 015,337

Canvas label from teh American House Hotel. WCHS 2005.11

Michael J. Gonring, Senior in front of his new building in 1937. WCHS 019,400

Building, Window, Property, Architecture

Pastel drawing of Mike Gonring's Tavern around 1937. WCHS 2005.14 a

Pen and ink drawing of Mike Gonring's Tavern sign around 1937. WCHS 2005.14 b

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

The American House Hotel was razed and by 1937 Michael Gonring built the Michael J. Gonring Tavern, a German style tavern and lunch room. Michael and Matthias Gonring had a friendly sibling rivalry so they built competing taverns across the street from one another! (Matthias’ tavern was in the 302 N Main Street building).

Since the Gonring Tavern closed, it has been home to: Roger O’Meara’s Sports Shop, Held’s Meat Market, Cathy Wendelborn’s Colony Floral, and Ruth Anne’s Gourmet Market. From 2003 to 2009 St. Somewhere Café was located here. In 2009 The Grasshopper Café moved in. The Grasshopper expanded the café to include the address next door and remodeled the interior of the building before closing in 2018.

Although the building has been remodeled and no longer retains it decorative gable, the inset tiles and bay windows remain.

Sources

Rathburn Associates. Final Report: Intensive Architectural/Historical Survey, West Bend, WI. West Bend, WI:1988.

Western Historical Company. The History of Washington and Ozaukee County. Chicago, IL. Western Historical Company, 1881.

Leadership West Bend Class of 2018. Historic Downtown West Bend Walking Tour. West Bend, Wisconsin. 2018.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Unknown photographer. Original photograph owned by the Washington County Historical Society.

From the object collection of the Washington County Historical Society. Property of the Washington County Historical Society.