Own a Piece of History - Boscobel's Central House Hotel
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This three-story stone building has a storied history dating back to 1865 when the original part of the building was constructed by Adam Bobel following his return from the Civil War. The main floor includes a fully operating bar and up-to-date stainless steel kitchen facilities along with two dining rooms and a large lobby area. The second floor houses a spacious apartment for the owner or a tenant, the nicely preserved Gideon Room, and a host of possibilities for renovation of the remainder of this floor along with the third floor. While the main floor of this property has had much restoration work and recent updating, the upper floors of the building are in need of fairly extensive work and the seller has reflected that in the asking price. This building is on the National Register of Historic Places and as such, may be eligible for tax credits associated with historic preservation/restoration.
A Brief History Of the Boscobel Hotel
The man who would build the landmark that was to become Boscobel's leading hotel was Adam Bobel (1834-1885). He was born in the Village of Maden, Prussia. A weaver by trade, Bobel emigrated to the United States in 1853, married in 1855, and moved to Boscobel in 1861. After the outbreak of the Civil War, Bobel spent 18 months with the Union Army as a sutler. Sutlers were government-approved vendors who were licensed to a post or regiment. Sutlers reputations were legend, a soldier often having to pay five times the true value of an item.
In 1865, Bobel and a Mr. Schaffer constructed a two story stone building that is the south portion of the present hotel at a cost of $5000 for use as a saloon. In about six month¿s time after the building was completed, Bobel purchased his partner's interest and ran the business alone. In 1873, Bobel added an additional three-story structure and extended the third story over the saloon building.
On January 7, 1881 a fire completely gutted the building, leaving only the stone walls standing. Within six months, the Central House as it was called was completely rebuilt refurbished and open for business. Remarkably, much of the work from this period, including the three story walnut balustrade and alternate maple and walnut strip flooring, remain in place today. Bobel continued to operate the hotel until his death in 1885 by which time the Central House was one of the most noted hotels in Southwestern Wisconsin.
The hotel is best known today for being the site of the meeting that resulted in the founding of the Gideons International Society.
In September of 1898, John J. Nicholson, a traveling salesman from Janesville, WI, attempted to check into the Central House, but as no single rooms were available due to a rowdy lumberman's convention, the hotel manager asked him to share a room with another salesman, Samuel E. Hill of Beloit, WI. During their brief stay at the hotel, the two men discussed the need for an organization of commercial travelers that would provide mutual help and recognition for Christian travelers. In 1899, the two men met again and were joined by another salesman, W.J. Knights of Janesville and in July of that year the organization was formed and known as the Christian Commercial Travelers Association of America, with its object being the fellowship of Christian traveling men of the world. From its modest beginnings in Boscobel and Janesville, the Gideons have grown into an international organization whose name is familiar to every traveler through the distribution of the Gideon Bible to hotels and motels throughout the world.
Many other owners were to operate the hotel over the next ninety years, however, competition from newer, more up-to-date lodging facilities and changing economic times finally brought the hotel operation to an end and the building¿s future to questionable use. At a public meeting on February 18, 1992, over 250 townspeople attended to discuss the future of the hotel. The Boscobel Hotel Preservation Committee was formed under the umbrella of the Boscobel Historical Society, a not for profit State affiliate of the Wisconsin Historical Society. Its mission statement was "To acquire, secure and preserve the Boscobel Hotel for future use." Through the committee's volunteer work and funds donated and raised by friends of the hotel as well as preservation-minded supporters, the charges of the committee's mission were accomplished.
An architectural study has been completed. This study was funded, in part, by a grant from the John M. Kohler Family Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Boscobel Hotel (Central House) is now listed on the State and National Historic Registers as a historic landmark.
This property is offered subject to some existing deed restrictions regarding preservation of the building and historic stairway. While the main floor of the building has been well maintained and updated for use as a bar and restaurant, the asking price of this property reflects the fact that the upper floors of the building are in need of fairly extensive renovations.
A Brief History Of the Boscobel Hotel
The man who would build the landmark that was to become Boscobel's leading hotel was Adam Bobel (1834-1885). He was born in the Village of Maden, Prussia. A weaver by trade, Bobel emigrated to the United States in 1853, married in 1855, and moved to Boscobel in 1861. After the outbreak of the Civil War, Bobel spent 18 months with the Union Army as a sutler. Sutlers were government-approved vendors who were licensed to a post or regiment. Sutlers reputations were legend, a soldier often having to pay five times the true value of an item.
In 1865, Bobel and a Mr. Schaffer constructed a two story stone building that is the south portion of the present hotel at a cost of $5000 for use as a saloon. In about six month¿s time after the building was completed, Bobel purchased his partner's interest and ran the business alone. In 1873, Bobel added an additional three-story structure and extended the third story over the saloon building.
On January 7, 1881 a fire completely gutted the building, leaving only the stone walls standing. Within six months, the Central House as it was called was completely rebuilt refurbished and open for business. Remarkably, much of the work from this period, including the three story walnut balustrade and alternate maple and walnut strip flooring, remain in place today. Bobel continued to operate the hotel until his death in 1885 by which time the Central House was one of the most noted hotels in Southwestern Wisconsin.
The hotel is best known today for being the site of the meeting that resulted in the founding of the Gideons International Society.
In September of 1898, John J. Nicholson, a traveling salesman from Janesville, WI, attempted to check into the Central House, but as no single rooms were available due to a rowdy lumberman's convention, the hotel manager asked him to share a room with another salesman, Samuel E. Hill of Beloit, WI. During their brief stay at the hotel, the two men discussed the need for an organization of commercial travelers that would provide mutual help and recognition for Christian travelers. In 1899, the two men met again and were joined by another salesman, W.J. Knights of Janesville and in July of that year the organization was formed and known as the Christian Commercial Travelers Association of America, with its object being the fellowship of Christian traveling men of the world. From its modest beginnings in Boscobel and Janesville, the Gideons have grown into an international organization whose name is familiar to every traveler through the distribution of the Gideon Bible to hotels and motels throughout the world.
Many other owners were to operate the hotel over the next ninety years, however, competition from newer, more up-to-date lodging facilities and changing economic times finally brought the hotel operation to an end and the building¿s future to questionable use. At a public meeting on February 18, 1992, over 250 townspeople attended to discuss the future of the hotel. The Boscobel Hotel Preservation Committee was formed under the umbrella of the Boscobel Historical Society, a not for profit State affiliate of the Wisconsin Historical Society. Its mission statement was "To acquire, secure and preserve the Boscobel Hotel for future use." Through the committee's volunteer work and funds donated and raised by friends of the hotel as well as preservation-minded supporters, the charges of the committee's mission were accomplished.
An architectural study has been completed. This study was funded, in part, by a grant from the John M. Kohler Family Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Boscobel Hotel (Central House) is now listed on the State and National Historic Registers as a historic landmark.
This property is offered subject to some existing deed restrictions regarding preservation of the building and historic stairway. While the main floor of the building has been well maintained and updated for use as a bar and restaurant, the asking price of this property reflects the fact that the upper floors of the building are in need of fairly extensive renovations.
- Type: Commercial for Sale
- Floors: Two or More Stories
- Year Built: 1865
- Kitchen Equipment: Extensive Updates in 2006-2007
- Heat/AC: Two Gas FA Furnaces, Two Central Air Units
- Electric Service: Multiple Panels
- 2007 Net Taxes: $1379
- Basement
- Central Air
- Forced Air
- Hardwood Floors
- Two Dining Rooms
- Balcony
- Rear Parking Lot
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