Tigerton Village Hall Restoration Shines

Tigerton Village Hall Before

Tigerton Village Hall During


Tigerton Village Hall After

It literally took a village to restore the 1905 Old Tigerton Village Hall, which was dedicated on July 4th. Thousands of volunteer hours and dollars were donated in restoring this once grand building. Tigerton Main Street is the smallest Main Street program, with 750 people.

"Tigerton continues to be a model Main Street program for small communities in Wisconsin," said Wisconsin Main Street Coordinator Jim Engle. "The Village Hall restoration is another example of the outstanding work that they do."

The Old Village Hall was in really bad shape when Tigerton Main Street stepped up in 2003 to save the building from the wrecking ball and start the restoration process. They raised enough money to replace the leaking roof and to restore the foundation. After a couple of years, thousands of volunteer hours and several grants, the money was raised for the restoration of the brick exterior of the building.

The total project cost was more than $500,000. Through the persistent efforts of many, more than $337,000 was raised from grants and the rest from community fundraising and donations. The largest sums came from a $167,000 grant from the Jeffris Foundation and a $100,000 USDA rural development grant. The community also received a $62,610 loan from USDA. Tigerton Main Street created a Fourth of July Block Party to raise funds for the building. It was so successful it has become an annual event.

Old Village Hall was built in 1905 by H.R. Swanke, the owner and founder of the Tigerton Lumber Company. At that time, the village paid $4,000 for the land and the building. When it was completed, it was the crown jewel of the Village of Tigerton. Its architecture featured beautiful brick archways over the doors and windows and an ornate bell tower. It housed the Tigerton Public Library, the Village Clerk's office and the Tigerton Fire Department which kept the horses to pull the fire wagons in the basement. In the 1940's the bell tower was removed. By the 1980's all of the offices had been moved out and the building was used for storage.

Tigerton Main Street has developed a Perpetual Fund with the hopes that interest from this fund will pay for the yearly maintenance of the building. The Old Village Hall houses the Tigerton Main Street office and has been equipped with a kitchenette and large meeting room. It will also be available to be rented out for meetings, banquets and small parties.

-- Catherine Dunlap