I have been coming to Beaver Dam for as long as I can remember and have walked past The Rogers countless times without giving it thought. Recently, I brought some friends with me and we decided to investigate.
I'm still not sure what The Rogers is. Flophouse? Senior assisted living? Hotel? Whatever it is, a peek in the lobby gives a great indication of what The Rogers was...a grand hotel of Beaver Dam.
My friends and I nosed around the lobby for about 15 minutes and didn't see a soul. Granted, this was Thanksgiving Day, so they probably gave the staff the day off.
There were old "electric" signs from the 20's stating that the "Ladies Waiting Room" was upstairs, while the "Gentleman's Waiting Room" was downstairs. There was an amazing old fashioned front desk with mail cubbies on the wall behind it for each room. The parlor had the most phenomenal fireplace I have ever seen built into the wall. Also, the parlor housed one of the most fabulous pieces of furniture (probably at least 100 years old) that came very close to being strapped on our backs and carried out the door. We discovered pictures on the wall of previous hotel workers, which was slightly reminiscent of The Shining, and we marveled over the light fixtures.
My aunt lives down the street, so I'll probably never have an occasion to stay at The Rogers but a quick self-guided tour was a fascinating little peek into a well kept time capsule. read more