Meissner Store Listed in the National Register of Historic Places

ASHIPPUN, Wis. - The Wisconsin Historical Society announces the listing of the Meissner Store in the National Register of Historic Places on November 1, 2024. The building was originally constructed in 1873 as a post office and general store before a large addition a few years later created a tavern and hotel, and in the 1900s a long-standing supper club, in the town of Ashippun, Dodge County.

The Meissner Store is locally significant in the area of commerce for serving the town of Ashippun and larger German immigrant agricultural community. The building was erected as a general store—the first commercial building in town—and post office in 1873, connecting farmers with their distant families. The building soon expanded at the end of the 1870s to provide a hotel and tavern that long served as the only hotel between Oconomowoc and Mayville. By 1925, the large addition solely functioned as a tavern, restaurant and dance hall. The Maple Inn has largely remained in business since it opened in 1930 at the subject property for 94 years.

The building has served as an important commercial hub and social center in the community for over 150 years. The Meissner Store represents the type of commercial businesses that were common in rural communities in the late 1800s and early 1900s in Wisconsin and retains integrity from this period.

Additional information for the Meissner Store is available at:

https://wisconsinhistory.org/Records/NationalRegister/NR2814

To learn more about the State and National Register programs in Wisconsin, visit: https://wisconsinhistory.org/hp/register/

About the Wisconsin Historical Society

The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. The Wisconsin Historical Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, receives grants and private contributions benefitting the Wisconsin Historical Society and administers the membership program. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.