By Historian Bob Brunkow

The Reverend William Homeier reported in 1854 that the majority of Belleville’s residents were “friends of beer and whiskey.” One needed only to walk the city’s streets to find confirmation of the pastor’s observation. In 1909, when the city had a population of about 20,000, there were 117 licensed saloons in Belleville. The neighborhood saloon was a cornerstone institution in Belleville. A homegrown brewing industry developed to supply these saloons. Western Brewery (manufacturer of Stag Beer) and the brewery best known as Star Brewery were the leading breweries.

The Historic Garfield Street Saloon Museum honors the heritage of the saloon and brewing industry of Belleville, preserving the artifacts and stories of these institutions. For a hundred years the saloons and taverns in this building served alcoholic beverages to their patrons. Adam Gintz, the retiring president of Western Brewery, had this saloon constructed about 1895. Gintz hired master brick masons whose talent is displayed in the masonry above the windows of this saloon. Normally saloons were in larger buildings, including residences and hotels. This building however, is probably the first freestanding saloon in Belleville. It included the residence of the saloonkeeper. The saloon opened for business in 1896 under saloonkeepers Gerhard and Wilhelm Hoelscher. They were so successful that a frame storage wing was added to the building before 1900. About 1918 Gintz had a brick addition constructed. The style was simpler than the original brick building but did include ornamental bricks with an egg-and-dart pattern. For a few years, barbers intermittently rented space in this addition. Later it became the women’s room, where women could imbibe in peace.

Gintz ownership of the building continued until 1922 when George “Long Bob” Wiesner, who had become the saloonkeeper here in 1916, and his wife acquired the building. Unfortunately for Wiesner, Prohibition went into effect by statute in 1919 and by constitutional amendment in 1920. Wiesner had to change occupations so opened “soft drink emporium” in this building but sold beer under the table until 1927, when he was apprehended andimprisoned. Upon release, he opened a grocery store and sold canaries here.

Prohibition was repealed in 1933, and alcoholic beverages again were legally sold in this building. By the 1940s television and movies enticed patrons into the tavern. Family dining was featured in the 1950s and 60s. For a brief period in the early 2000s, Garfield Street Bar and Grill was a popular place to dine, but subsequent taverns in this building suffered the fate of many neighborhood taverns in Belleville. Their clientele no long consisted of neighbors but of people from outside the immediate area who lacked the neighbors’ decorum, and the taverns developed rowdy reputations. The last tavern here was foreclosed in 2010. The mayor would not issue a liquor license for a new business in the building to respond to neighbors’ concerns. The building consequently lost value, and the Belleville Historical Society acquired it for its saloon and brewery museum.

The museum is available to tour by appointment.