This file portion of www.watertownhistory.org website
Mulberger Family
Henry Mulberger, Sr
Arthur Mulberger
Charles Mulberger
Louis Mulberger
The large
Watertown brick Second Empire home was built by Henry Mulberger, Sr., at
Henry's
father was a burgomaster of a good sized German city. His grandfather had been a city official in
1809 and was active in arranging tax assessments as requested to help support
Napoleon's army.
Following
in his footsteps three members of this family served as mayor of
Watertown.
1855
07 12 “Brutalities” committed by
Henry Mulberger and Henry Tigler on German citizens. WD
1867 Henry
Sr., a lawyer and an insurance man, was elected mayor in 1867 and again in
1898.
1898 1898
drawing Click to enlarge
Henry
Sr., was elected mayor again in 1898.
Arthur,
his son, was mayor in 1908.
Charles
was elected mayor in 1916. Charles went on
to become a Wisconsin State senator.
Charles Mulberger
Mayor
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
Mr.
Mulberger was a “promotive” mayor of Watertown and never missed an opportunity
to advance and publicize the city. He
played an important part in promoting the old Watertown
Inter-County Fair and for years was its superintendent of speed, or the
race track.
He had
a distinction which he shared with his family.
His father, Henry Mulberger, Sr., and two of his brothers, Henry
Mulberger, Jr. and Attorney Arthur Mulberger all served the city as
mayors. Thus Watertown has had four
Mulbergers who occupied the office of mayor, a father and three sons.
1906 Arthur Mulberger, 1906, cartoonist
drawing, WDT series, Men in the Public Eye, WHS_005_437
1909
06 04 Louis Mulberger, brother of the late Henry Mulberger of
this city, died at Speier, Palatiniate, Rheinpfalz, Bavaria, a few days
ago. He was 78 years of age and leaves
his wife, two sons and one daughter surviving him. In the early 1850s he was engaged in the
mercantile business with his brother here, but in 1856 returned to
Bavaria. WG
1910
01 07 Arthur
Mulberger, mayor, organized a little party of friends to investigate Texas. WG
1923
03 08 Charles
Mulberger Injured in Milwaukee.
Ex-Mayor Charles Mulberger of this city was injured in Milwaukee last
Saturday night by being hit by an automobile on the Fond du Lac road near
Milwaukee. He and his wife were driving
to the home of a relative of his wife, Mrs. Mulberger being at the wheel, when
their automobile skidded off the concrete road and got stuck in the mud, and
while a garage man was trying to get the machine out of the mud, Mrs. Mulberger
remained there in and Mr. Mulberger was standing about 10 feet away watching
the garage man work on his machine, when a car going at a terrific speed came
along and knocked him over, injuring his spine.
He was taken to a hospital. Dr.
Habhegger of this city was sent for, who reports his injury not very serious
and he may be taken home in a few days.
WG
1958
09 13 Will of the late Henry Mulberger, Jr.,
left sum of $2,500 to the city of Watertown for additional park purposes WDT
The
imposing Mulberger home shows many architectural influences. It is built with a Mansard roof [French] with
Victorian influence throughout [American] and the original tower known as a
Bismarck helmet [German] still tops the home.
There
are many windows, even in the almost two story section of the Bismarck helmet,
and .protruding through the roof. The home was built as were many other large
homes of this era, with a large central hall, open stairway, gleaming and
excellent woodwork throughout.
The
Mulbergers occupied the home for many years.
It is currently owned by Randy and Sandy Effinger.
In
1959, the home was purchased by Bethesda Lutheran Home and converted into a
group home for residents. Randy and
Sandy bought it from Bethesda in the spring of 1990. Much of the interior and exterior remains as
it was originally built. The present
porch is a remodeled remnant of the large porch that at one time extended
across the front of the house. The house
has original woodwork, two beautiful original gas chandeliers that have been
converted to electric, four fireplaces and an open stair case.
The
house is a restoration in progress. A
newly remodeled, beautiful master bedroom suite has a fireplace, whirlpool tub,
wet bar, fourteen wall papers and borders from the Bradbury & Bradbury
Neo-Classical Collection, and tow originally oil chandeliers converted to
electric. Many Christmas decorations
including two trees, one crystal and white with a Santa flying around the top,
a Snow Village and some Christmas Anna Lee collectable dolls.
