If you happened to pass by the Green County House (Bullet’s, Bonnie’s, and Doyle’s Irish Pub) earlier this year, you may have noticed that there were some upstairs windows boarded up so they would not break while the supports on the porch below were replaced. When a building is almost 160 years old, maintenance continuously needs to be done. In this column (and the next three), I’ll be sharing the first 55 years of history of this building.
Rudolf Greenwald, a 30-year-old Swiss immigrant, purchased the property where the Green County House now sits (lot 7 in section 32 of Rattan’s addition to New Mexico in Village of Monroe) from John M. and Louisa Knipshield on February 16, 1865 for $800. The Monroe Sentinel stated on August 16 that Greenwald expected to have his new hotel furnished by October 1. The hotel “is a neat, substantial, and commodious building, and improves amazingly the appearance of what we consider one of the prettiest streets in this village.” The hotel was opened on Thursday, October 12. “It is a new building, well finished and furnished. . . . Mr. G. has experience in that business, and is well known in this county as a good landlord. Success to the new hotel.” This was a great location for the hotel since it was midway between the square and the railroad, which had arrived seven years earlier.
The Sentinel shared during the following July that this hotel, as well as the Spring Hotel, were being enlarged with important additions being constructed, “which will greatly improve the appearance of the houses and increase their facilities for the accommodation of guests.” An advertisement on May 15 of that year stated the “house is entirely new, and furnished with new beds and bedding, and everything is in first-rate order to accommodate the traveling public. The table is at all times supplied with the best the market affords. Terms more reasonable than any other hotel in the place. Boarders accommodated by the day or week.”
It is unknown why young Rudolph and Catherine decided to sell their business, but John Isely purchased it on January 29, 1868 for $8,000. By July, Greenwald was working with Mr. Ruegger to build a new brick brewery, so that might have been his reason for selling. Surprisingly, the hotel would be sold two more times that year. Iselys sold to Emanuel Weissmiller, Sr., a Swiss immigrant, on May 7 for $7,000. Emanuel and Margaret Weissmiller turned around and sold half to their son on July 16 for $3,500. None of these three sales were mentioned in the newspapers but are recorded at the courthouse.
The 1870 census showed that the Weissmiller family was living in the hotel, including their son John, who was a plasterer, and their 14-year-old daughter. Also listed were the ostler, two domestic servants, and four other men. Two of those men were German immigrants; another was born in New York and the last in Pennsylvania. The senior Weissmiller owned real estate worth $7,000 and personal property valued at $3,000.
Weissmiller advertised the hotel for sale again “at a bargain” in October 1871. The house “is well located, with plenty of room and stabling for hotel purposes, and is a desirable property for a person who knows how to keep [a] hotel. My reason for selling is that I wish to retire from the business entirely.” He was 53 years old at the time.
John Isely purchased the property back from Emanuel and Margaret Weissmiller and Emanuel and Pauline Weissmiller on November 17 for $2,500 in addition to taking over the $5,250 mortgage that the Weismillers had taken out.
Isely must have operated the hotel for only a few months since the Sentinel shared on February 28, 1872 that he had moved to Oneco and had rented the hotel to P. Fredoline, “who will keep it up in its usual good style.” It appears that the information shared on February 28 might have been incorrect; Philip W. Friedly had purchased the property from John and Louisa Isely on January 30 for $6,000. The Sentinel shared on March 6 that Friedley had purchased the hotel and “intends to keep a first-class hotel. He wishes all the old customers to call and see him.”
According to the 1884 Green County History, the property was encumbered shortly after Friedley became owner. Nothing was mentioned in the newspaper nor was anything found in the Court House.
Property records show that Arabut Ludlow purchased the property from Friedley on January 2, 1875 for $3,000. An advertisement in the Sentinel on February 2, 1875 showed that J. S. Osborn was the proprietor. It was shared on May 12 that Mr. Ozburn had left the hotel and “taken up his residence in the south part of the village.” An article in the Sentinel the following week stated, “A. Ludlow is putting the Green County House through a severe and thorough course of repairs. He intends to make it complete in its appointments for a good hotel. A good chance will be offered soon for a first rate reliable, and competent, hotel-keeper. We understand the property will be sold or rented.”
An advertisement on September 29 shared that the hotel was now known as the Tremont House and was located on “the main street to the depot.” It was being run by W. T. Osborn, was newly furnished, and had sample rooms and good stabling. In March 1876, “Mr. Osborn informed us that he has retired from the Tremont House. We are not informed whether the house will be kept open or not.” According to the 1884 history, “Jacob and William Osborne” had leased it and managed it together for a season until Jacob took entire charge.
There will be more shared about the early history of the Green History House in the next three columns.
— Matt Figi is a Monroe resident and a local historian. His column will appear periodically on Saturdays in the Times. He can be reached at mfigi48@tds.net or at 608-325-6503.
