This file part of www.watertownhistory.org website
Deutsches Dorf
Third
and Main
Garret Gahlmann
Holmes,
Fred L., Sideroads: Excursions into Wisconsin’s Past,
Madison: The State Historical Society of
Wisconsin, pg 75.
Click to enlarge
Among
the more pretentious saloons that had a free lunch counter was the Deutsches
Dorf at Watertown, which came to enjoy a statewide reputation. Architecturally it was modeled upon the
famous German drinking place at the World’s Fair held in St. Lewis in
1904. With its carved woodwork it looked
more like a music hall than a saloon, and it often served this purpose.
Groups
of patrons would join their voices in old German songs and ballads, and on
special occasions the proprietor, Garret M. Gahlman (Gallmann), would bring a
German orchestra from Milwaukee to entertain his customers. During the pre-prohibition era its massive
oak bar, laden with a variety of good food, required the services of four
attendants.
Deutsches
Dorf Saloon Token
Mayor Charles Mulberger was without question
Watertown’s most flamboyant mayor, a very popular executive. He had a law degree but never practiced
law. He would come down to the business
section every morning around 10 o’clock, go to the old Seager Barber Shop for his daily shave and a
trim, then walk over to a floral shop and buy a fresh carnation which he wore
each day in his bottonhole, then make the rounds of downtown business places,
including the old Deutsches Dorf
which was then the gathering place for many Watertown business men and
executives. It was by far the finest
saloon Watertown ever had and was located at the corner of Main and
c1905
John
C. Gruel purchased the Deutsches Dorf with the late Grover Glaser as a partner.
The
Deutsches Dorf which was situated at Main and North Third Streets where the Gas
and Electric building is now located, was perhaps the outstanding tavern in the
history of Watertown. It was an elegant
place, staffed by several bartenders, who always wore white jackets. The tavern had several palm trees and its
lunch counter was known throughout the state.
It featured three varieties of hot meats every day, in addition to the
regular lunch counter fare.
On
special occasions poultry
dishes were featured. The place regularly
employed special music, often bringing German orchestras and stringed groups
from Milwaukee to entertain customers.
The Deutsches Dorf took
its name from a bar that had been established on the grounds of the Columbian
Exposition. In Watertown the name fitted
well because Watertown was predominantly German drinking and eating customs
prevailed.
1909
01 22 Long
distance telephone pay station established in Deutsches Dorf WG
1918
Deutsches Dorf closed with the advent of prohibition
in 1918.
___________________________________
1946
Garret
Gahlmann Obituary
Derived from Watertown Daily Times, 02 02 1946
Garret
M. Gahlmann, 79,
A son
of the late Frederick and Josephine Baurichter Gahlmann, he was born in Clyman
January 5, 1867, in Clyman. His marriage
to Laura Belle Kehoe took place June 8, 1904.
Mr.
Gahlmann was a member of St. Bernard’s Church and was buried in the parish
cemetery.
In the
death of “Gary” Gahlmann Watertown lost one of its most widely known and most
popular residents. As the operator of
the old Deutsches Dorf, at Main and North Third streets (216 Main), later the
site of the Gas and Electric Company
building, Mr. Gahlmann for years played host to thousands of visitors to
Watertown. The place was perhaps the
most popular gathering and stopping off point in the city of many years, when
an earlier “Gemütlichkeit” marked
community life here and elsewhere.
Mr.
Gahlmann conducted his business along high ethical lines and many older
residents, as well as hundreds scattered far and wide, remember it as a place
where they could meet their friends among spacious and pleasant surroundings,
with white-garbed bartenders dispensing drinks and with a lunch counter that
fairly groaned with good day in and day out.
And presiding over it was Mr. Gahlmann, with a cheery word of welcome
for everyone.
In later
years Mr. Gahlmann opened a new business establishment at the corner of North
Third and Madison streets (300-302 Madison) and this, too, became known at the
Deutsches Dorf, but it was on a much smaller and far less glamorous scale. He retired from business some time ago.
It can
be said of Mr. Gahlmann that he had friends in every walk of life and in many
Wisconsin cities, as well as cities scattered around the nation, among people who
had visited his earlier place of business and who always went away with a
friendly feeling for its genial proprietor.
The Poor Man’s Club
The
old-time saloon was the Poor Man’s Club.
Men gathered in the barbershop or sat around the country-store stove to
discuss politics, but for good-fellowship, friendliness, and Gemütlichkeit they went to the
saloon. To it came men from all walks of
life. Within its portals a democratic
spirit reigned, and all present became equals.
Standing
at the bar with one foot on the rail or sitting around tables, little coteries
talked companionably of their families and home and of their work. They drank a little beer, ate of the free
lunch, and then went home or back to their work. Social life today offers few meeting places
like the old German saloon. Compared
with it, the modern tavern is an arrogant pretender.
Holmes, Fred L., Sideroads: Excursions into Wisconsin’s Past,
Madison: The State Historical Society of
Wisconsin, pg 63.
___________________________________
1956
John
Gruel Obituary
Derived from Watertown Daily Times, 02 29 1956;
article includes photo
John Gruel, 1872 – 1933
Sheriff of Jefferson
County, 1925-1933
John
C. Gruel, 83, of 209 Cady Street, former Jefferson County Sheriff and one of
the most widely know men in the community, died this morning following a
protracted illness which began with a stroke he suffered two months ago.
Mr. Gruel was born in
Watertown on March 31, 1872, a son of the late Mr. and Mrs. August Gruel. He was married to Miss Nell Mahoney in 1899
and conducted a hotel, shoe store and tavern in Clyman with the late Louis
Kronitz and after five years of operations he disposed of his interest to Mr.
Kronitz. Mr. Gruel operated a grain
elevator in Clyman for another year and then came to Watertown where he
purchased the Deutsches Dorf with the late Grover Glaser as a partner. The place closed with the advent of
prohibition in 1918. For several years
Mr. Gruel was a salesman for Wilkowski Bros. cigar
manufacturers here.
In
1925 he was elected sheriff of Jefferson County and served until 1933 after
which he again became a salesman.
Mrs.
Gruel died in 1942 and a year later he married Esther Glaser of Watertown.
He is survived
by his wife, an adopted son, Donald Gruel, Corpus Christi, Texas. He also has two brothers. William and Walter
of Watertown, and a sister, Mrs. John Rhodes, Reeseville. Two sisters preceded him in death.
Mr.
Gruel was a member of St. Mark’s English Lutheran Church at Jefferson. He was an honorary member of the Janesville
Elks Lodge and was a member of Lincoln Lodge No. 20, Knights of Pythias in
Watertown and the Plattdeutscher Verein.
Arrangements
Pending
The
funeral arrangements will be announced tomorrow, the Schmutzler Funeral Home of
Watertown in charge.
Outstanding
Sheriff
John
Gruel was an outstanding sheriff and public servant in office. It was said of him “he looks like a sheriff”
and he did, for in his day he was large and impressive, well built and set up
and by his very appearance commanded respect.
Mr.
Gruel had so many fine qualities that it is impossible to even touch on his
attributes. He was loyal and kind and
friendly and knew how to deal with people.
Of him it can be said that whatever defects there were in his nature,
they were far outweighed by his good qualities and character.
In his
later years he found much pleasure in tinkering about his home, building bird
houses and doing other small woodwork.
He liked people and he was especially fond of children. He reflected an inner goodness that attracted
people to him and his friends were many throughout this area.
Elegant
Place
The
Deutsches Dorf which was situated at Main and North Third Streets where the Gas
and Electric building is now located, was perhaps the outstanding tavern in the
history of Watertown. It was an elegant
place, staffed by several bartenders, who always wore white jackets. The tavern had several palm trees and its
lunch counter was known throughout the state.
It featured three varieties of hot meats every day, in addition to the
regular lunch counter fare.
On
special occasions poultry dishes were featured.
The place regularly employed special music, often bringing German
orchestras and stringed groups from Milwaukee to entertain customers.
The
Deutsches Dorf took its name from a bar that had been established on the
grounds of the Columbian Exposition. In
Watertown the name fitted well because Watertown was predominantly German drinking
and eating customs prevailed.
Compiled
by Ken Riedl
