Good Tuesday afternoon! It’s time for WHAT! (Wausau Historic Architecture Tuesday). Today let’s visit a favorite local watering hole at 601 West Thomas Street- The DenMar. Pull up a stool and let’s talk about history and architecture.
The building was raised in about 1936 in a tavern/commercial style with a nod to cape cod design, so it matches well with the neighborhood’s architectural feel. It has room for the tavern and the living quarters. Over the years it as had a couple of additions.
It was opened as a tavern and provided living quarters for Emil Klemp, and his wife Laura in 1938- about 1944. It was just called Emil Klemp Tavern at the time.
From 1945 – about 1951 the tavern was listed as The Cape Cod Tavern with owners Emil and Esther Klemp.
Then the tavern sees a variety of owners and names…
1952 – Charles Andler Tavern (wife Lorraine)
1954 – Red’s Tavern- owners Frank and Helen Lilequest
1956- name returns to The Cape Cod Inn- Boyd F. and Irene Meyer owners
1958 – The Cape Cod Inn – William H. and Gertrude Smith owners
1961- The Cape Cod Inn – Edwin R. and Jeanette Schmidt
1963-1966 – Treu’s Cape Cod Inn- Harold E. and Gladys Treu
1967- 71 – The Cape Cod Inn – Esther Klemp (Yup, the same one!)
1972- about 1982 – name changed to The DenMar – owners Dennis and Mary Herzog
1983- about 1994 – The DenMar – Wes Manser
1995 -John and Joanne Wiedekind
