click zoom to display a high-res image
Summary
Fountain Inn
203 Front Street, Beaver Dam, Dodge County
Date of construction: 1911
Architects: Leiser & Holst
The Fountain Inn is a remarkably intact early twentieth century brewery-built tavern, located in downtown Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. It was built in 1911 for the J. Philip Binzel Brewing Co. of Beaver Dam. The building has been in continuous use as a tavern since 1911, except during Prohibition, when it remained open as a soft drink parlor. The Fountain Inn appears to have been designed and built together with the adjacent Masonic Temple, which was designed by the Milwaukee architectural firm of Leiser & Holst and constructed by D.B. Danielson, also of Milwaukee.
Although it is a modest two-story structure, the Fountain Inn is nicely detailed and possesses many elements that are typical of early twentieth century "Main Street" commercial architecture. The original storefront has a recessed entry and plate glass display windows. Extending over the door and windows is a transom of Luxfer prism glass tiles, which were popular in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century as a means of refracting light so it would reach farther into the interior of a building. The interior is also largely original, with an ornate oak bar made by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Co., brick walls, and a ceramic tile floor. Like many other early twentieth century commercial buildings, the Fountain Inn has an apartment on the second floor. The building's flat roof is hidden behind a decorative roof of green ceramic tiles, with ornamental rafters and a copper gutter.
Property Details
Resources Within The Property
Designations
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
Questions?
Wondering about if your property is eligible or have other questions about the registers, reach out today!
Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
222 Madison Street
10001229
Located in Beaver Dam, Dodge County
