Property: Dorchester, Martens Saloon
Transcriber: Janet

Surnames: CHAMNESS GIPP HELMS MARTEN PUTNAM SAUTER SWAN TABOR WEINGARTNER *There May be a brief delay before the photo displays. Dorchester, Martens' Saloon (circa 1910) Behind the bar is Fred Martens, L to R: Ernie Tabor, Unknown, Fred Gipp, George Putnam and Dick Helms standing at the bar. *Note the Civil War cap on the third man.

L to R: George Chamness, Unknown, Jake Weingartner, Otto Sauter (behind the bar), Unknown, Mr. Swan and Dick Helms. The mosquito netting was hung over the mirror to protect it from flies Saloons or taverns were numerous in Dorchester in the early years and were the meeting place for the townspeople and farmers to gather and find out the latest news. Only men were allowed in the bar-rooms which typically had wood floors, hanging lanterns and no stools to sit on. The ladies were required to sit in a separate room just off the bar-room in what was referred to as the "Wine Room." They also found time for a practical joke. The story is told about the man that fell asleep in front of a local saloon, and upon waking, found his shoes nailed to the wooden sidewalk. ----Source: Historical Sketches of Dorchester, Wisconsin (1873-1973)

Another saloon view