Beastro & Barley facts for kids

City Hotel
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Wisconsin Show map of Wisconsin Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	125 Main St., Reedsburg, Wisconsin
Area	less than one acre
Built	1886
Built by	Reedsburg Building & Lumber Co.
Architect	Edward M. Hackett
Architectural style	Second Empire
MPS	Reedsburg MRA
NRHP reference No.	84000642
Added to NRHP	December 26, 1984

The Beastro & Barley is a popular restaurant and bar located in a historic building in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. This building, once known as Roper's City Hotel, was built way back in 1886. It's famous for its unique Second Empire architecture style. The building is so special that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

The building is made of red brick with stone details. It has a special type of roof called a mansard roof. The original design was created by Edward M. Hackett. It cost about $10,000 to build, which was a lot of money back then! You can see its arched windows and fancy brickwork on the outside. There's even a small porch with a decorative metal railing on the second floor.

Today, the Beastro & Barley restaurant and bar are on the ground floor. A large apartment is located upstairs. The restaurant is well-known for its special "Reedsburger." This hamburger is made with Bison meat sourced from local farms. The restaurant also has a unique area called the "Agnes Moorehead Lounge." This lounge displays cool items from the career of actress Agnes Moorehead. She was famous for her roles in radio, theater, TV, and movies. One of her most famous roles was as the witch mother-in-law on the TV show Bewitched. Beastro & Barley is also a place where the town's Fermentation Fest takes place.

History of the Building

The building that is now Beastro & Barley has a long and interesting history. It started as a hotel and has changed names and uses many times.

Roper's City Hotel

The building was first constructed in 1886. It opened as Roper's City Hotel on Main Street. This hotel was quite large for its time. It had 17 guest rooms for travelers. There was also a main dining room where guests could enjoy meals.

In 1909, the original owner, William Roper, retired. He sold the hotel building to a new family. The new owners decided to update the inside of the hotel. For the next 40 years, the building continued to operate as a hotel. It was sold to different owners, but they all kept it running as a place for people to stay.

The Reedsburg Hotel and Beyond

In 1945, the building got another big update. It was remodeled again and given a new name: the Reedsburg Hotel. The outside of the building stayed the same. However, the inside was changed. It now had 13 guest rooms instead of 17. A tavern called Zobel's Tavern also opened inside the hotel. The Reedsburg Hotel continued to operate until the 1960s.

In the 1960s, the building changed its name again to Town Club & Bar. At this point, it mostly became a bar. It no longer offered hotel rooms for guests. The Town Club & Bar continued through the 1970s. In 1984, the building was officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places for Wisconsin. This recognized its importance as a historic site.

From Touchdown Tavern to Beastro & Barley

In the early 2000s, the building was purchased once more. It then became known as the Touchdown Tavern. This restaurant and bar was a popular spot for about 15 years.

Finally, in 2020, the name was changed to Beastro & Barley. The new restaurant builds on the history of the Touchdown Tavern. It focuses on providing a high-quality dining experience for its customers.