An exterior view of the old Bristol Town Hall along Highway C in Bristol Woods County Park.
The Bristol Wisconsin Historical Society has found an anonymous donor willing to give its drive to relocate the 1870 Bristol Town Hall a substantial financial boost.
The anonymous donor will match the first $5,000 raised to assist in moving and restoring the hall to its new location, the society announced in a news release last week.
The Bristol Wisconsin Historical Society is working to move the 1870 Bristol Town Hall during the summer of 2018 to a new location at Fireman’s Park, at 83rd Street and 198th Avenue. The building is currently located in Bristol Woods County Park along Highway C, its original location. It has been used by the county government for storage. It lacks utilities and adjacent parking in its current location.
Once the building is moved and restored, it will be opened as a local museum, society officials say.
The old town hall contains a cement formed chimney, unlike other wood structures of the time, and is the oldest un-remodeled structure in Bristol. It is the first town hall in Bristol and was used as a gathering place for Bristol farm families.
The society’s intent is to use the building in its new more central location as an educational opportunity for children and families. Artifacts from the Bristol area will be displayed so people can lean what is was like living in the past.
The Society is a 501(c) (3) tax deducible organization. To donate, email BristolWiHist@gmail.com or call John McCabe 262-857- 9115 or Greta Menke 262-857- 7469. A receipt will be provided if requested.
Dumb question, and I’m not from Bristol, I just enjoy history. Work it be more feasible to keep it where it is located and try to replicate the land around it to make it look like it’s still from that time period? Maybe put some utilities to it to make it useable, and maybe a parking lot? I understand the cost may be more, but that is a pretty significant landmark!
This is a link to a story Westofthei did years back that can answer some of your questions.
“Bristol ponders renovations for old town hall building”
http://westofthei.com.customers.tigertech.net/2013/04/23/bristol-ponders-renovations-for-old-town-hall-building/41516
Westofthei archives are great for gathering information on local issues like this.
Just type in “old Bristol town hall” and you will see a list of stories going back years.
The building is in the county park. There is no parking or street access allowed by the county. The county is using it as a storage shed and has not been maintaining it as a historic site. To make it a historical restored usable building, the building needs to be relocated. The Historical Society is working with the county on this project.
Thanks for your interest.