What makes it fun
Rathskeller's Basement Bistro opened in 1990. In 1852, the Old School House Lot of the German Emigration Company was the first name for Townlot 180. The land changed hands several times before Charles F. Priess bought it in 1878. He built a two-story limestone building with a basement, which was finished in 1883 and turned into a general goods and hardware store. In 1919, Dr. Victor Keidel bought the land and added a two-story wing to start a new hospital, the Keidel Memorial Hospital. In 1960, Dr. Perry bought the land, and it has stayed in the Perry family ever since. Today, Der Kuchen Laden & Rathskeller Basement Bistro are located in the building. In Old Germany, a rathskeller was the basement of the Town Hall (Rathaus), which was usually used as a restaurant or bar that sold beer.
