Early Hotels and Banks

Proceed east and cross Columbus Street.

This corner was a key junction of 19th century roads leading to Madison, Columbus and Watertown. Starting in 1850, Colonel W. H. Angell managed a hotel and tavern on this site for several years. What became known as The Sun Prairie House had various proprietors following Angell and by 1864, Hezekiah Austin owned the hotel and enlarged it to accommodate 25 guests.^[1]

At this time, across Main Street from the Sun Prairie House was the Bird Dance hall owned by the town’s first settler Charles Bird. With an idea prescient to Minneapolis’ Skywalks, Austin and Bird had an elevated covered walkway built at a cost of $400 over Main Street to connect the two venues so that patrons would not have to walk in the snow and mud. However, upon completion a legendary disagreement between Austin and Bird emerged as Bird wanted to charge fifty cents for use of the bridge to enter his hall. In typical dispute fashion, no one was allowed to use the bridge in either direction. Resolution of the dispute is lost to history, but at some point, the bridge was removed.^[2]

In 1909 Erhard Batz purchased the property and established the corner location as a bank, with a well-appointed interior including an angled entry, tiled floors, richly papered walls along with marble and mahogany fixtures. ^[3] The Farmers and Merchants Bank, managed by Batz, first occupied this prime space and continued operating there until its bankruptcy in 1929. The Bank of Sun Prairie then occupied this location from 1929 until 1955.

Standing on this corner in October 1935, you would’ve been witness to a daring, depression era bank robbery. Two armed robbers dressed in overalls as farmers lined up the bank employees telling them “keep your mug to the wall.” After entered the vault, they loaded a sack with the cash and escaped with $2500 and were last seen heading north toward Bristol in a green-colored Ford V-8.^[4]

Scroll down for more detail on this building.

200-208 E. Main​

Historic Name: Erhardt Batz Block​

Constructed: 1911​

2023 Businesses: The Studio Collective, Public Enemy, storefront of 202 E. Main vacant.

Colonel William H. Angell, an early settler of the area, managed a hotel and tavern on this site starting in 1850. The Sun Prairie House had various proprietors until Erhardt Batz bought the property in 1909. By 1864, Hezekiah Austin owned the hotel and enlarged it to accommodate 25 guests.

In 1909 Erhard Batz purchased the property along with the adjacent Palace Meat Market building that was built by George Maloney in 1902. After demolishing the remains of the hotel, Batz constructed a continuous block of buildings that incorporated Maloney's building.^[5] The center section of the building housed Meyer’s City Meat Market and the new corner location was established for banking.^[6] The Farmers’ and Merchants’ Bank, managed by Batz, occupied this space until its bankruptcy in 1929, followed by the Bank of Sun Prairie from 1929 until 1955. In the 1960s, the corner entry was remodeled and Cain’s Shops for Women opened for business. At the other end of the building block, 208 E. Main originally housed Rueth’s Grocery and Dry Goods. In 1931, Hillenbrand Clothing moved into this space and operated for many years.​

^[1] Klein, Peter Michael. Sun Prairie's People - Shadows and Dreams Sun Prairie, WI. Sun Prairie Historical Museum, 1993. Page 43

^[2] Ibid; Page 56

^[3] Countryman (Sun Prairie) December 19th, 1910.

^[4] Wisconsin State Journal (Madison) October 18th, 1935.

^[5] Countryman (Sun Prairie) May 5th, 1910.

^[6] Countryman (Sun Prairie) December 29th, 1910.