In the heart of downtown Madison, Silver Dollar Tavern is set to have its final last call on Feb. 3. The iconic bar, located on 117 W. Mifflin St., stands as the oldest family-owned bar in the city and was one of the first to receive a liquor license post-Prohibition in Madison.
All good things seem to come to an end, though, as the property was bought by Hovde Properties of Madison. The Wisconsin Historical Society will build the Wisconsin History Center on that same block next door. How ironic.
The bar was originally founded in 1933 by Clyde Teasdale and has stayed in the family since. Current owner Chuck Teasdale is the fourth generation to have run the establishment.
For the past 90 years, the bar has been a social hub for students and the greater Madison community. The wooden walls tell a tale of the bar’s past staff and avid customers, frozen in numerous picture frames, exhibiting the strong sense of community the spot has cultivated over almost a century. All will soon be gone with the inevitable closure.
“It’s upsetting that this hidden gem is shutting down. I really wish I would’ve discovered it sooner in my college career,” said Abbie Heidtke, a University of Wisconsin-Madison student. “It has so much history, and it is always a good place to hang out with friends and meet new people. Now, that won’t be here anymore.”
Construction of the Wisconsin History Center is set to begin following demolition of the current five buildings on the block, and the center will open to the public in 2027. The project will cost a total of $160.5 million. Randy Guenther, Hovde Properties president, says the demolition is imperative for a safe construction of the new center across the block. There are no future plans currently for what will be developed at the West Mifflin property.
While this may be the end of Silver Dollar as its own standing business, the bar is going to be honored on the fifth floor of the Wisconsin History Center. It will be replicated as a fully operational bar with donations by the Teasdale family, including the Silver Dollar’s 43-foot-long wooden bar.
“It feels good to know that when we close the doors next month, the 90-year legacy of our family business will live on in Wisconsin history,” Teasdale told the Wisconsin State Journal.
Sure, it's exciting the bar will be included as an essential part of Madison’s history. However, replicating the Silver Dollar kills its charm in a way that cannot be replicated in the history center. While vintage furnishings will be used upstairs to help design the attraction, you cannot replicate an atmosphere treasured by generations of patrons.
The replication in the center is more an acknowledgment of the loss, yet trying to make up for it somehow in a way that will never refill the missing piece of Madison.
Dive bars are an essential pillar of Madison’s character. With recent losses like the relocation of Red Shed and a proposal to demolish Vintage Spirits & Grill to build new housing, the city is at risk of losing vital businesses that anchor its culture.
“At a time when family-owned taverns are falling by the wayside, it’s fitting that the Wisconsin Historical Society would preserve one of the rare survivors from our state, giving it new life for future generations,” Jim Draeger, an architectural historian and historic preservation expert, told the Wisconsin State Journal.
While it is important to recognize the identity and history of Madison with this new informational and creative hub, the decision comes at a sour cost. Construction of the Wisconsin History Center in its future location on Capitol Square may seem ideal to the city and visitors, but the question lingers: could this center of Madison history have not been built without requiring tearing down Madison history? It is quite ironic that, in order to preserve this aspect of history, one of the oldest dive bars in Madison must be torn down.
As Feb. 3 slowly approaches, the loss of Silver Dollar causes the city to lose an indispensable part of its history. How long will it be until the next legendary and beloved business is next to go on the list? The list of places that add to Madison’s iconic charm and history are diminishing quickly.
“Tears will be shed on February 3, that’s for sure,” UW-Madison student Claire Zimmerman said.
Silver Dollar stands today as a testament to Madison and its history, and it should be desperately cherished in its current state for what it is — not demolished and rebuilt. The Silver Dollar Tavern is history.
Franchesca Reuter is an Opinion Editor. She is a junior studying Journalism and Communication Arts. Do you agree demolition of Silver Dollar to aid construction of the new history center is ironic? Send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com
