Badger State House
"Here it comes ... it's coming," shouts a young barefoot lad running down the dusty road towards the Badger State House. The morning stage from Two Rivers was coming over the hill for its morning stop in Mishicot on its daily trip to Green Bay. Twice a day the stagecoach line stopped at the Badger on its way to and from Green Bay.
In 1864, two Mishicot brothers, August and John Terens were mustered out of the Civil War after serving three years in the War of Lincoln, and went to work on the erection of the hotel later that same year. It was considered one of the most handsome in the vicinity and the first brick building in Mishicot.
August and John were born in Kempen, Prussia, of French and German parents and came to Wisconsin in 1846, settling first in Port Washington and then Sheboygan before coming to Mishicot. Their parents, Nicholas and Adele Terens, died in 1876 and 1860 respectively, and are buried in the village cemetery. Soon after Nicholas and his sons arrived here, the news of the war broke. John and August enlisted and had very colorful experiences in the war.
August was 19 when he enlisted and served as an orderly to Major General Washburn and had acquaintances with both General Custer and General U.S. Grant.
After the construction of the Badger was complete, August managed it as a hotel and bar room. His brother, John Terens, built a tin and hardware store where the Pictorium now exists and played an active role in the business life of the village until his death in 1904.
The upstairs of the Badger had 8 to 10 rooms. The bar was located where the restaurant now exists. In April of 1885 Mr. Terens sold the Badger to John Roemer. At that time August traded Roemer's farm as part of the deal. The farm was on the Kingsbridge road a little ways southwest from town, known as the French settlement. August lived there until his death. The farm house still stands at 1033 Ridge Road. His son, Oscar, ran the farm for many years.
Over the years the Badger changed hands many times. John Roemer sold it in 1901. Fabian Cretton ran it from1910 to 1922. Alvin Dvorak, from 1942 until his brother Harvey took it over in 1947 and ran it for 38 years. In 1940, Alvin purchased bowling alley equipment and in 1941 constructed the four alleys. At that time, the bar moved into the alley addition and the restaurant began. Over the years the restaurant was operated by Boots Dvorak, Gladys Kornely, Mae Eisenmann, and Donnie Dvorak. In 1976, Dave DePas purchased the building and has operated it as the Cozy Corner Restaurant and the Badger Bowl to the present time.
After moving to the farm, August was very active in veterans' groups and loved to tell of his Civil War adventures. He never missed being in the Memorial Day parade in Mishicot and was the last survivor of the Civil War in the county when he died on June 19, 1934. More information on August and his brother John is available at the Mishicot Historical Museum. As we take part in this years' Memorial Day parade and program, let us remember people like August, John and all Mishicot area men and woman who have served our country over the years.
Special thanks goes to the following people for information towards this article: August Terens' granddaughter, Mita Shedlosky, Norbert Cretton, Boots Dvorak, and David DePas, present owner of the building.