click zoom to display a high-res image
Property Location
Property Features
ORIGINALLY HAD A BALL ROOM ON THE THIRD FLOOR, RESTAURANT FACILITIES, AND OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS. IN 1992 HEARTLAND PROPERTIES, INC., THE COLUMBUS DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT CORP., AND OTHERS REHABBED THE BUILDING.
"Henry Alonzo Whitney was a restless Yankee trader who wandered to Columbus from Vermont in 1844, the same year Lewis Ludington platted the downtown. He was one of the first merchants in town, and his early frame building which served as store/rooming house/tavern was also the first post office.
The shell of this large cream brick building was erected in just four weeks to replace the 1848 wooden structure that was destroyed by a fire in 1857. Though the building is plain, it has a long history as the most prominent hotel and social center in Columbus. It has a ballroom on the third floor, restaurant facilities and overnight accommodations.
The building changed hands many times over the years and was often remodeled. In recent years it was allowed to deteriorate and was a candidate for demolition in 1991." Columbus Historic Architecture Tours, undated.
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
Architecture & History Inventory
The Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) is a digital source of information on historic buildings, structures, and objects that have been surveyed by the State Historic Preservation Office in Wisconsin. Each property has a digital record providing basic information about the property and images.
Questions?
Wondering about if your property is eligible or notice some information on this property needs to be updated, 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.
Access Property Records
Some properties have more materials (correspondence, clippings, historical information, etc.) not in the digital record. If a 'Site File' exists, it's noted in the 'Additional Comments' field. Contact us for an appointment to view these materials.




