Breitbach's Country Dining
Encyclopedia
Breitbach's Country Dining is a casual dining restaurant and bar located in the town of Balltown
in Dubuque County
, Iowa
, United States
. Breitbach's is the oldest continuously operating restaurant and bar in the state of Iowa, having been open since August 23, 1852. The establishment has been owned and operated by the Breitbach family since 1862. The current owner is Mike Breitbach.
Breitbach's is located at 563 Balltown Road in Balltown. The place offers classic Midwestern dishes
, including German
ethnic foods such as sauerkraut
, sausage
, and coleslaw
. It has been featured in an episode of Food Network
's Feasting on Asphalt 2: The River Run, which showcased the restaurant's quality pies.
, it's been owned by the Breitbachs since 1891 and is in its sixth generation of family ownership." They also indicate there was an antiques store on the premises. The opening date of 1852 and family acquisition in 1862 is supported by the history related on the restaurant's own website.
In the 1920s, a traveling group of gypsies came by. In exchange for food and lodging, one of them painted a mural
on the barroom wall of the view of the Mississippi
valley as seen from the property. The mural was later walled over and forgotten. Later still a remodeling effort uncovered the mural, which was restored, covered with glass and illuminated. It was a long-time feature of the restaurant.
sheriff
's office, the insurance company, and the state fire marshal
's office investigated the remains of the restaurant. Following this investigation, authorities stated that the exact cause of the fire was undetermined, but it was nothing other than an accident. Authorities stated that a gas leak
could not be ruled out. Breitbach announced his intention to rebuild the establishment as soon as possible.
Prior to the fire, the Democratic Party
intended to hold the district 41 Democratic caucus
at Breitbach's. The fire forced the caucus
for that district to be moved to Sageville School
.
By March 2008 construction work began on the new structure. The new building, designed by Flor2 Inc. of Des Moines
, would feature larger restrooms, a modern kitchen, and other modern amenities but would maintain much of the look and feel of the original structure.
Construction of the new restaurant took 69 days. Breitbach's reopened on June 14, 2008.
On January 28, 2009 it was announced that Breitbach's would rebuild. Breitbach's Country Dining re-opened in its third building on August 1, 2009.
Balltown, Iowa
Balltown is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the 'Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 73 at the 2000 census...
in Dubuque County
Dubuque County, Iowa
Dubuque County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 93,653 in the 2010 census, an increase from 89,143 in the 2000 census. The county seat is the city of Dubuque. Dubuque County is coterminous with the Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the seventh...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Breitbach's is the oldest continuously operating restaurant and bar in the state of Iowa, having been open since August 23, 1852. The establishment has been owned and operated by the Breitbach family since 1862. The current owner is Mike Breitbach.
Breitbach's is located at 563 Balltown Road in Balltown. The place offers classic Midwestern dishes
Cuisine of the Midwestern United States
Midwestern cuisine is a regional cuisine of the American Midwest. It draws its culinary roots most significantly from the cuisines of Central, Northern and Eastern Europe, and is influenced by regionally and locally grown foodstuffs and cultural diversity....
, including German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
ethnic foods such as sauerkraut
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut , directly translated from German: "sour cabbage", is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid...
, sausage
Sausage
A sausage is a food usually made from ground meat , mixed with salt, herbs, and other spices, although vegetarian sausages are available. The word sausage is derived from Old French saussiche, from the Latin word salsus, meaning salted.Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made...
, and coleslaw
Coleslaw
Coleslaw, sometimes simply called slaw in some American dialects, is a salad consisting primarily of shredded raw cabbage. It may also include shredded carrots and other ingredients such as fruits and vegetables, apples, onions, green onions, peppers and various spices.-History:The term "coleslaw"...
. It has been featured in an episode of Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
's Feasting on Asphalt 2: The River Run, which showcased the restaurant's quality pies.
History
Several sources disagree with the 1852 opening date and the date of acquisition by the Breitbach family. According to Midwest Living, Breitbach's opened in 1853 as a stagecoach stop. On the other hand, KOA says: "Founded in 1852 under a permit issued from President Millard FillmoreMillard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
, it's been owned by the Breitbachs since 1891 and is in its sixth generation of family ownership." They also indicate there was an antiques store on the premises. The opening date of 1852 and family acquisition in 1862 is supported by the history related on the restaurant's own website.
Mural
A mural is any piece of artwork painted or applied directly on a wall, ceiling or other large permanent surface. A particularly distinguishing characteristic of mural painting is that the architectural elements of the given space are harmoniously incorporated into the picture.-History:Murals of...
on the barroom wall of the view of the Mississippi
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
valley as seen from the property. The mural was later walled over and forgotten. Later still a remodeling effort uncovered the mural, which was restored, covered with glass and illuminated. It was a long-time feature of the restaurant.
Christmas Eve 2007 fire
Somewhat before 7:30am CST on December 24, 2007, an explosion occurred in the basement, and the building was completely destroyed despite the efforts of firefighters from four different departments. While almost everything within the building was lost, none of the employees in the building were injured. On Wednesday, December 26, investigators from the Dubuque CountyDubuque County, Iowa
Dubuque County is a county located in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 93,653 in the 2010 census, an increase from 89,143 in the 2000 census. The county seat is the city of Dubuque. Dubuque County is coterminous with the Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the seventh...
sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
's office, the insurance company, and the state fire marshal
Fire Marshal
A fire marshal, in the United States and Canada, is often a member of a fire department but may be part of a building department or a separate department altogether. Fire marshals' duties vary but usually include fire code enforcement and/or investigating fires for origin and cause...
's office investigated the remains of the restaurant. Following this investigation, authorities stated that the exact cause of the fire was undetermined, but it was nothing other than an accident. Authorities stated that a gas leak
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
could not be ruled out. Breitbach announced his intention to rebuild the establishment as soon as possible.
Prior to the fire, the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
intended to hold the district 41 Democratic caucus
Iowa Democratic caucuses, 2008
The Iowa Democratic Presidential Caucus occurred on January 3, 2008, and was the state caucuses of the Iowa Democratic Party. It was the first election for the Democrats of the 2008 presidential election. Also referred to as "the First in the Nation Caucus," it was the first election of the primary...
at Breitbach's. The fire forced the caucus
Iowa caucus
The Iowa caucuses are an electoral event in which residents of the U.S. state of Iowa meet in precinct caucuses in all of Iowa's 1784 precincts and elect delegates to the corresponding county conventions. There are 99 counties in Iowa and thus 99 conventions...
for that district to be moved to Sageville School
Sageville, Iowa
Sageville is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States. The population was 203 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Sageville is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
.
By March 2008 construction work began on the new structure. The new building, designed by Flor2 Inc. of Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, would feature larger restrooms, a modern kitchen, and other modern amenities but would maintain much of the look and feel of the original structure.
Construction of the new restaurant took 69 days. Breitbach's reopened on June 14, 2008.
October 2008 fire
By mid-October 2008, during the peak of autumn tourism in Iowa, Breitbach's reported greater business than ever before. Owner Mike Breitbach claimed that business had quadrupled since the Christmas Eve fire, noting, "For lunch yesterday we had 857 people." However, one week later, around 3:30am CDT on October 24, 2008, Breitbach's was once again completely destroyed by fire. Again, no injuries occurred.On January 28, 2009 it was announced that Breitbach's would rebuild. Breitbach's Country Dining re-opened in its third building on August 1, 2009.