Spirits of Christmas Past

Thanks to everyone who visited the blog this year to tramp around with me on the underside of Oshkosh history. I’ve had a great time researching and writing these stories. And I’m looking forward to a pack of new stories lined up for next year. But I thought now would be a good time to take a look back. Here’s a spirited trek through Christmas past in Oshkosh…

Bring us some figgy pudding…
I was researching a speakeasy operator named Peter Bruette this past summer when I came across a nugget that still makes me queasy.

Back in 1910, Peter Bruette launched a saloon on Main Street with a guy named Fred Doemel. It was common for saloon keepers in those days to offer a Christmas meal to their customers as a token of appreciation. For their first Christmas in business, Bruette and Doemel showed their appreciation in a rather nauseating way: roast possum.

December 24, 1910.

I had to know if they ever repeated this feast. I was hoping it might have become a sickening, annual event. Well, that didn’t happen. This was the lone serving of their marsupial meal.

The Bruette and Doemel saloon is long gone, but the building it inhabited still stands. Here it is at 452 North Main Street.

Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow…
Younger readers may not be aware of this, but the oldsters will know… There used to be places in Oshkosh called beer depots. A folksy name for a liquor store.

These weren't just alcohol dispensaries reserved for adults. Beer depots were part of the neighborhood. Kids were welcomed. It was usually the best spot around for candy and soda. Like their parents, those kids were often on a first-name basis with the proprietor. One of them was named Jordy.

In 1962, Jordan Jungwirth left his sales job at the Cook Coffee Company and opened a beer depot on the northwest corner of 9th and Rugby. He was 49. This was a risky move, but it paid off. Six weeks after opening his shop, Jordy took out an ad in the Daily Northwestern thanking his new friends and wishing them a Merry Christmas…

December 21, 1962.

Jordy’s had been at that corner for 50 years when it closed in 2012. It was the last of the true beer depots in Oshkosh.

9th and Rugby, circa 2010.

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch…
Getting into the Christmas spirit can be a struggle for some of us. This little tale is about a pack of humbuggers who said to hell with it.

Just a few days before the Christmas of 1904, Oshkosh’s two breweries teamed up with a couple of Milwaukee breweries and a few of the local beer bottlers to make a grouchy announcement: you’re going to have to pony up an extra 50 cents for a pony barrel full of beer. And no more Christmas Presents!

December 19, 1904.

The Scrooge behind this poorly-timed announcement was William Glatz. He started out as the bookkeeper for the Oshkosh Brewing Company. He became the company president just before this ad was published. As president, Glatz would play the Grinch role to the hilt. His stinginess made local saloon keepers so angry that they launched Peoples Brewing in 1913, just to spite him. At least we got another brewery out of it!

William Glatz

O Tannebaum…
Oshkosh taverns tend to develop peculiar holiday traditions. The old nevergreen at Witzke’s for example...

Witzke’s at 17th and Oregon.

After a Thanksgiving in the late 1970s, someone brought a ragged Christmas tree into the bar. The balsam was propped up in the corner to inject some of the old holiday spirit into the place. An ornament with a snowman painted on it was placed at the top. Other embellishments were less conventional. Some smartasses began hanging dollar bills on it. The holiday sarcasm seemed about right.

When the season was over, the tree was taken to the basement, oddball trimmings and all. It was carted back up when Christmas came again the following year. The tree was brown now, but still intact. This annual ritual was repeated for almost 20 years. Cliff Sweet was a longtime bartender at Witzke’s. He became the tannenbaum’s caretaker.

Clifford Sweet, 1925-2003.

"We bring it up after Thanksgiving and leave it up a day or two after New Year's,” Sweet said in 1995. “It's been a conversation piece for many years. I don't even know who first brought it in. Nobody has ever taken any of the money off it. People will add something each year. They'll put a bulb on it, but the trimmings are never taken off. It's been brown for quite a few years. The needles are petrified. They don't even fall off anymore. I give it a shot of vodka every morning.”

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas…
A couple of blocks up from Witzke’s is the Acee Deucee tavern. This place was launched by the Koplitz family in 1876.

The Koplitz Saloon at 14th and Oregon, now Acee Deucee.

The Koplitz clan were migrants from the Rhineland of western Germany. The region had been famous for its wines since Roman times. The Koplitz family brought that tradition with them to Oshkosh. For decades, they produced wine that they sold from their saloon. Brothers Ted and Frank Koplitz also released a holiday wine each year. They called it Glee Wine. Its arrival in early December was a reminder that Christmastime had arrived.

December 16, 1911.

The Koplitz’s Glee Wine was an Oshkosh version of German Glühwein (Glow Wine). This was a spiced and strong red intended to be heated before serving. A cup of it was supposed to give you a healthy glow. If you want to give it a go, here’s a Glühwein recipe you can easily make at home. This is an old Oshkosh tradition that’s well overdue for revival.

“The Best Home Made Wine.” The Koplitz wine wagon, 1908.

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree…
Over at 16th and Nebraska, the Schobloski family celebrated Christmas in a most strenuous manner. I think it’s best to let the reporter from the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern tell the story. This appeared on December 27, 1880.

“There was a general row in the family of John Schobloski, south of sixteenth street, Saturday night. It seems that all the Schobloki relatives had gathered at the house of a son-in-law and tapped a keg of Christmas beer, which flowed freely until a row ensued and the party wound up by the participants mopping the floor with each other and performing other gymnastic feats of strength and skill. The police were engaged today in making arrests.”

I suspect the inspirational keg of beer came from Horn & Schwalm’s Brooklyn Brewery. The brewery was not even a block away from where the Schobloski’s festival of fists occurred.

A portion of the old Horn & Schwalm Brewery still standing near 16th and Doty.

Don we now our gay apparel…
Beer drinking and Christmas have always gone hand in hand in Oshkosh. The city’s brewers loved the season. They relied on the hefty beer drinking of the holidays to get them through the winter months when sales slumped.

Oshkosh brewers helped rouse the local thirst by offering a strong, holiday beer. It was usually released during the week of Thanksgiving. They’d dress their holiday-brew bottles with decorative caps and labels to commemorate the season. This stuff still looks good...

If the fates allow…
Here’s a photo that may seem a little out of place here. It shows the Wisconsin Public Service building decked out for the Christmas of 1935. This beauty stood at the southwest corner of Washington and State streets.

I wanted to include that photo for a couple of reasons. First, this building began life as a saloon. Oshkosh architect William Waters designed the structure for August Uihlein, the head of Schlitz Brewing. It was built in 1891 and was known as the Uihlein Block. The corner unit was occupied by a tied-house selling Schlitz Beer. Here’s the Uihlein Block during its saloon days (this photo has been colorized to give a truer sense of the building’s appearance).

And here’s a look at the lovely bar inside…

The other reason I wanted to share these last three photos is because they were given to me by Dan Radig. I’ve been thinking about him a lot lately. Dan loved Oshkosh history. Over the years, he built an incredible collection of historic photographs and never hesitated to share them. Dan passed away on June 7th. I knew him for about 15 years and admired him deeply. I miss him.

Daniel Radig, 1956-2025. This photo of Dan is from 1996.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
     See you in 2026.
          Prost!

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Peoples and the Chief

The Oshkosh Brewing Company closed in 1971. The brewery quickly sold its brands – including Chief Oshkosh – to its neighbor across the street, Peoples Brewing Company. These two display ads were issued by Peoples shortly after the sale.

If you’d like to read more about Chief Oshkosh Beer going to Peoples follow this link.

Mr. Sweet's Impossible Dream

At the turn of the century, Oshkosh was known everywhere as a city full of saloons and soaking in beer. Into the swamp stepped an itinerant preacher named Sylvester Sweet. 

A drawing of Sweet from 1904.

Sweet moved to Oshkosh in 1901 to become pastor of the Second Baptist Church on Ninth Avenue (it no longer stands).

Second Baptist Church. Looking southwest from 9th & Nebraska streets. Courtesy of Bob Bergman.

Sweet quit the church three years later over a money dispute and then ran for mayor as a Prohibitionist. He promised that, if elected, he would purify the city. Oshkoshers showed little interest in being purified. More than 6,000 votes were cast. Sweet received just 121 of them. He moved away a short time later. 

The SOB Governor

On this day in 1992, Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson was made an honorary member of the Society of Oshkosh Brewers. Thompson was touring the area when SOB Jim Lundstrom presented him with a club t-shirt and a hastily written proclamation making him an honorary SOB. The confused Governor frowned. Then he read the proclamation, smiled and replied, “I’ve been called an SOB before.” The picture below was taken moments before Thompson’s SOB induction experience.

Beer Talk at OPL

I’ll be under the dome at the Oshkosh Public Library this Tuesday (June 4) talking about 175 years of brewing in Oshkosh and Winnebago County. The yapping begins at 6pm. Hope you can make it, and if you do step up and say hi. Prost! 

The Best to You!

Hey Gang, first off, thanks so much for checking out the blog in 2023. I truly appreciate it!

Second, there won’t be much new content here for the next couple months. I'm working on a short book (about historic Oshkosh beer recipes) that I need to complete by the end of February. And in March, I'm giving a presentation about the Omro Saloon Wars at the Omro Public Library. Combined, these two projects will absorb most of my free time until March. But after that, things will get rolling again. There's so much more to tell!

Until next time, Happy New Year!
Prost,

Lee

There's a Kellerbier Coming

Last summer, I was lucky to win the Society of Oshkosh Brewers club competition with a Kellerbier I brewed. Jody at Bare Bones is brewing that recipe today. I’ll send a shout out when the beer gets released…

Kellerbier recipe prep at Bare Bones.

 

The 1943 Beer Roll

In 1943, the Oshkosh Brewing Company’s “beer roll” returned to deliver kegged beer to taverns in the city. The move was made out of necessity. Almost two years earlier, America had entered World War II. The extensive rationing that followed made it difficult for OBC to source gasoline and tires for the brewery’s fleet of delivery vehicles. The old-fangled beer roll was reintroduced to help stretch those limited resources. 

1944

The wagon wasn’t the only part of this picture brought out of retirement. John Pahlow is the man holding the reins. He had been a teamster for OBC during the early 1900s. That occupation was lost to a truck. Pahlow was 61 when he got his old job back. For the next couple of years, it wasn’t unusual to see him driving his team through the city streets with a wagon full of kegged beer.

The Legend of Tin Horn Bill

William Carlson made a lot of noise. He would sing at people through a tin megaphone. He seemed not to care whether or not his audience wanted to hear him. And he liked to drink too much. He was enamored with Oshkosh, but came to be known across the state. William Carlson. People knew him as Tin Horn Bill.

Tin Horn Bill emerged in the summer of 1905 when a new, semi-pro baseball association called the Wisconsin State League latched onto him. The WSL hired Bill to be something like a carnival barker. He was to travel around the state as a lead man promoting the league’s games. Bill would take to the street with his megaphone and begin inflicting his music. Between numbers, he’d publicize the upcoming game. Like an ear infection, Bill was impossible to ignore.

Bill grew infatuated with the Oshkosh Indians of the WSL. There was something about the city and its baseball team that he found irresistible.

The 1905 Oshkosh Indians

Tin Horn Bill became a familiar site on Main Street. Before home games, he’d head downtown and break into song. What was initially amusing had turned absolutely annoying by the close of the 1905 season.

Perhaps as a twisted joke, Bill was invited to the Oshkosh Yacht Club’s year-end “stag” party in September 1905. Bill brought his tin horn. He bellered one of his numbers and then began telling a story too repulsive for even a stag party. The yachtsmen didn’t allow their guest to finish his anecdote. Bill was led away.

Built in 1903, the clubhouse of the Oshkosh Yacht Club. William Waters, architect.

Bill needed a new gig now that the baseball season had ended. His insatiable need for attention led him to the circus. Bill joined Carl Hagenbeck’s Wild Animal Circus. He co-starred in a feeding stunt with a massive lion named Nero.

Bill was part of the Hagenbeck Circus when it came to Oshkosh on June 22, 1906.

It did not go well. Shortly after the Oshkosh show, Bill was mauled by Nero. He lost part of a thumb and was left with webs of ragged scars across his arms, shoulders, and back.

Bill returned to Oshkosh. He found work trying to drum up crowds for the White City Amusement Park at the south end of town. His beloved Indians were also playing there now. Bill was back on his horn singing and barking.

A postcard showing the White City midway.

The Oshkosh Indians on the White City Diamond.

Bill’s routine had not improved during his time away. He added a couple of new tunes, but the gimmick was played out. Even the newspapers were taking shots at him. The journos mocked Bill’s “fog-horn voice” and joked about his misadventure with Nero.

Bill’s undoing began in the fall of 1906. He was arrested on Main Street on the Monday morning of October 1. He was very drunk. Bill tended to get increasingly “strenuous” at such times. Oshkosh Patrolman Henry Frohib, pinned to his Main Street beat, couldn’t take it anymore. Frohib dragged Bill to the station and locked him up.

By noon, Bill had sobered to a state of semi-coherency. Chief of Police Henry Dowling came to visit Bill in his cell. Dowling told him that he’d let him go if Bill would leave town immediately. Bill agreed. He was escorted to the station and put on a train to Fond du Lac.

Chief of Police Henry Dowling (left) and Patrolman Henry Frohib.

Bill couldn’t find another town he liked as much as Oshkosh. He tried Fond du Lac, Green Bay, Menasha, La Crosse. The reaction was always the same. In 1907, the La Crosse police ordered Bill to leave town. He went back to Oshkosh.

Bill had been in Oshkosh just a few hours before he was arrested again. He was very drunk. He'd been kicked out of several Main Street saloons prior to stepping into Frank Thielen’s place. Bill got loud and got ejected. As he left, Bill kicked a panel out of Thielen’s front door. He was arrested minutes later. The following morning, Tin Horn Bill was sentenced to twenty days in the county workhouse.

Formerly Frank Thielen's saloon, 420 N. Main is now home to Frugal Fashion.

Bill was arrested again about a month after the incident at Thielen’s place. This time he was charged with vagrancy. Bill finally gave up. When he went before the judge, he promised that he’d leave town forever if they’d just let him go. The judge released him. Tin Horn Bill Carlson was never seen here again.

Bill went south. The last known sighting of Tin Horn Bill occurred near the end of the baseball season in 1908. He was heading to Freeport, Illinois.

Wm. Carlson, better known as “Tin Horn Bill” will be here next week to sing for the baseball teams, which will play in this city.
      – Freeport Daily Bulletin; September 8, 1908.

Bill was never heard from again.

A Lager Beer Picnic at the Shooting Park

Here’s a taste of Sunday recreation, 1878 style…

The Sons of Hermann held a big picnic at the Shooting Park on Sunday. Excursions came from Fond du Lac, Appleton, Neenah and Menasha to attend it, and there was an immense crowd present. Gymnastic performances, rope walking and lager beer were among the chief attractions.
   – Oshkosh Daily Northwestern, July 28, 1878

Gymnastics and lager beer. I like that. I wish they would have mentioned who made the beer. There were five Oshkosh breweries producing lager beer in 1878.

The picnic was organized by the Oshkosh Lodge of the Sons of Hermann, a fraternal organization and mutual-aid society formed by German immigrants. Events like these were held at the Shooting Park throughout the summer. On Sunday's, the park turned into an immense beer garden where families gathered, brass bands played, and lager beer flowed. The Shooting Park was on the north side of the intersection of what is now Witzel Avenue and Idaho Street.

An 1895 map with the Shooting Park in the old Sixth Ward.

There were, of course, the usual cranks who wanted to put a stop to those fun Sundays in the park. A couple days after this event, the Daily Northwestern published a grouchy letter from a “Manufacturer” insisting that “The Germans shall abate their shooting park, our brass bands refrain from their sweet “refrains” -- in short, let the people rest on the Sabbath.”

Maybe that dullard would be happier with what’s there today. A credit union and an auto repair shop now reside at the site of the old Shooting Park. I’ll bet they were having a lot more fun there back in 1878.

Looking towards the former site of the Shooting Park.

Jordy's

Peoples Brewing Closed in 1972, but the sign below held its place at Jordy’s Beverage Mart for another 40 years. 

When Jordy’s opened at 9th & Rugby in 1962, there were just seven Class “A” (retail) liquor licenses held in the City of Oshkosh. When Jordy’s closed in 2012, there were more than 120 of them, and almost every gas station and grocery store in town was selling beer. Jordy’s was the last of the true beer depots in Oshkosh.

Jordy's Beverage Mart

The Zillges Shanty

With the sturgeon season upon us, I thought it would be a good time to share a couple of related pictures. First, we have this...

I'd love to know how many cans of Chief Oshkosh Beer were handed out and downed in and around that shack. Roger Zillges was the owner and operator of this ice shanty. Zillges worked for the Oshkosh Brewing Company. He began his career there in 1954 as a truck driver. He ended as the brewery's vice president. 

Roger Zillges in the 1980s. Photo courtesy of Gary Drebus.

Back to the fishing… I don’t think this next picture requires any explanation at all. Prost!