01/17/2024
Did you hear the good news?
When Madison’s oldest post-prohibition tavern closes its doors next month, it won’t be a final goodbye. Nostalgic patrons will again have a chance to pull up a stool to the 1930s mahogany bar top when the new Wisconsin History Center opens on Capitol Square in early 2027.
The Teasdale family, fourth-generation owners of the Silver Dollar Tavern, have gifted the 43-foot-long wooden bar—along with its vintage backbar cabinetry and lighting, iconic neon signs and other memorabilia—to the Wisconsin Historical Society for use in the future history center.
The Silver Dollar Tavern was opened in 1933 by Clyde Teasdale after the end of prohibition and became a beloved Madison institution for nearly a century. The Teasdale family recently sold the property at 117 West Mifflin Street to Hovde Properties.
“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,” said Chuck Teasdale, fourth-generation co-owner of the Silver Dollar Tavern. “Just down the street, stories of our city and state will continue to be told around the Silver Dollar bar top.”
The bar will be a full-service, active destination within the Wisconsin History Center, welcoming guests to pull up a stool, order a beverage and continue the longstanding Wisconsin tradition of social gathering.
“We are incredibly grateful to the Teasdale family for this generous gift to the Wisconsin History Center,” said Christian Overland, Ruth and Hartley Barker Director & CEO of the Wisconsin Historical Society. “Welcoming one of the state’s oldest post-prohibition bars—and the stories and meaningful memories that come with it—into the design of a dynamic new space is an exciting opportunity.”
For more on the new history center project, visit: https://wihist.org/3vLvDps
📸: Silver Dollar Tavern
