The Danes Hall in Waupaca, Wisconsin

Waupaca, Wisconsin

Waupaca is a city in Waupaca County in the state of Wisconsin. The population was 5,676 at the 2000 census. The city is believed to be named after Sam Waupaca of the Potowatomi tribe....

 was built in 1894 as a gathering place for the Danish Brotherhood in America

Danish Brotherhood in America

Danish Brotherhood in America is a fraternal organization that was founded in 1882 in Omaha, Nebraska. It has about 8,000 members in 2010. A period report said of the Danish Brotherhood, "This is by far the strongest and most influential secular organization about the Danes in America."- History...

. It served historically as a clubhouse, as a meeting hall, and as an auditorium. The upper floor consists of a dance hall with a balcony. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

 in 1980.

History

The Danes Hall was organized by eleven members of the Danish club on January 6, 1877. The group grew to a maximum membership of 300 members before dwindling to 32 by 1940.

The building was designed by William Waters

William Waters (architect)

William Waters was an American architect who designed numerous buildings in Wisconsin that eventually were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. He was responsible for designing much of historic Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He was also responsible for designing the Wisconsin building for the...

. The building contained a library with over 1000 books. After being a gathering place until 1945, it sat idle for about a decade until becoming a factory. Later in the century it started being used to sell antiques which is its current use as of the end of 2010.