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American Legion Green Bowl
Lindberg's by the River
1920s
AMERICAN LEGION GREEN BOWL
1950s
DISTANT VIEW
1962
07 30 GEORGE LINDBERG, M/M
Mr. and Mrs. George Lindberg of New Berlin, Wis., have taken over the management of the American Legion Green Bowl, according to announcement made this morning by Edward Dusowsky, commander of the Pitterle-Beaudoin Post No. 189, the American Legion. Mr. and Mrs. Lindberg formerly operated the Red Mill in Brookfield. WDT
1963
09 23 EUNICE GRUNER
Among the pleasant and topical conversation pieces in Watertown these evenings are the series of panels and a mural which Mrs. Eunice Gruner of 1010 Charles Street has done for the Pitterle-Beaudoin Post No. 189, the American Legion, for the Legion Green Bowl. That the art work is attracting attention is stating it mildly. Mrs. Gruner, who founded Home Town Prints, a commercial art service here and which she still heads, has done, in these latest pieces, some of her most delightful art work to date. When she was first approached with the suggestion that she consider doing something for the walls at the remodeled Legion Green Bowl she was hesitant and reluctant, but said she would consider the request and come up with an idea in case she decided to do it. WDT
1963 WDTIMES ARTICLE ON
GRUNER PANELS
Among the pleasant and topical conversation pieces in Watertown these evenings are the series of panels and a mural which Mrs. Eunice Gruner has done for the Pitterle-Beaudoin Post No. 189, the American Legion, for the Legion Green Bowl.
That the art work is attracting attention is stating it mildly. Mrs. Gruner, who founded Home Town Prints, a commercial art service here and which she still heads, has done in these latest pieces some of her most delightful art work to date.
When she was first approached with the suggestion that she consider doing something for the walls at the remodeled Legion Green Bowl she was hesitant and reluctant.
After lengthy consideration, during which she turned over in her mind many different ideas and plans, she agreed to do
The seven panels depict highlights of Watertown's early history.
The first panel is an Indian scene, the second has Watertown's first white settler, Timothy Johnson and his small log cabin, while the third shows a stage coach arriving at the old Plank Road toll house. Panels of the railroad and America’s First Kindergarten were also created.
The panels are most interesting, beautifully executed and done with gracious good humor and fun. Mrs. Gruner found it one of the most pleasant tasks she has ever undertaken, even though it took her a long time to decide to do the panels after she had been approached by a committee from the Legion.
In addition to the panels, there is one mural, which is featured near the entrance way. In this Mrs. Gruner had the assistance of Sandra Pirkel who has been one of her workers for the past three years.
The mural is done in
heavy line form and consists of a number of figures definitely associated with
Watertown and the area. There are river
willows, geese, ducks, cows, milkmaids and some figures right out of one of the
old German (Oompa) bands. WDTimes
1967
11 05 FIRE !
An early morning
November fire which swept the Legion Green Bowl, a very popular dining and
social gathering place at 1413 Oconomowoc Avenue, resulted in damage estimated
at $100,000.
The interior of the
facility badly charred, damaged by smoke and suffered extensive fire
damage. The property was owned by the
Pitterle-Beaudoin Post 189 of the American Legion.
The fire broke out in
the bar area in the cocktail lounge, apparently having started in a waste
container under the bar.
Harold Schultz, who
managed the Green Bowl, and his wife Nancy had retired to their upstairs
apartment at 1:20 a.m. Twenty minutes
later he heard a crackling sound coming from the main floor and went down to
investigate and was met by the sight of flames leaping toward the ceiling. After he got his wife out of the building he
rushed back into the office and opened the safe to retrieve the weekend receipts. By this time the flames had spread so rapidly
he had to “roll under” the flames to get out.
The cocktail portion
of the building suffered the greatest damage, the fire starting in the
northwest corner area of the bar. The
room was gutted.
The heat was so
intense that it melted portions of a jukebox.
Also burned was the
vestibule area and the small dining room was partially gutted. The big dining room, with its beautiful view
of the Rock River to the south, suffered extensive smoke and water damage. The banquet hall to the west suffered minor
damage, mostly from smoke. The fire
burned out the ceiling area over the small bar in the northeast portion of the
room.
All available firemen
were or duty and auxiliary firemen also were summoned and reported for
duty. Firemen utilized all major pieces
of equipment and fought the fire for nearly four hours.
Temperatures during
the fire were below freezing.
Mr. and Mrs. Palmer
Wickert furnished hot chili for the firemen and William Hossman, manager of the
National Tea Store, furnished hot coffee.
What grew into the
Legion Green Bowl began here in the early 1920s as a tearoom. It was known as the Green Bowl Tea Shop and
was located in the 200 block of West Main Street. It was launched by the first Mrs. Baldwin S.
Raue and was so small it barely seated more than a dozen patrons. It was
popular from the start, however.
The second Mrs. Raue, Mrs.
Blanche Raue, continued the business and managed the Green Bowl from 1927 to
1946 when she retired and the Legion took over the place which by then was well
established at the Oconomowoc Avenue address.
In April of 1961 the
Legion post voted to expand and remodel the Green Bowl, a project which cost
$100,000 and which included a new and larger cocktail lounge, an expanded and
improved kitchen and exceptionally fine dining quarters. A new entrance also was
constructed at that time.
AMERICAN LEGION GREEN BOWL FIRE
1968
Milw Jour photo
Cross Reference note on Jesse Gruner: I grew up in the Gruner's home on Riverlawn Avenue. Mrs Gruner had painted a mural on our Dining Room wall. I wish I had pictures but don't. I was 5 when we moved into the house and the room was completely remodeled a year later. The mural was painted and wallpapered. A shame. - Linda L. Day
1973
-- -- LINDBERG’S BY THE
RIVER ESTABLISHED
c1975
c.1975
c.1975
2017
06 01 LINDBERG’S START OF 45TH
YEAR
Cross References:
1973, Estab of, former Prochazka
home and Green Bowl
Prochazka's Place, 1860s, Gardens,
eating, became Green Bowl Lindberg’s
Prochazka, Wenzel, chapter on
History of Watertown, Wisconsin