636 W. Washington Ave. Built 1905 Burned February 18, 1996
Madison Landmark Jennings & Kronenberg
Hotel Washington – Owner
Rodney Scheel
Businesses within: New Bar (1984-96), Rod's Club (1979-96), Club de Wash, Cafe Palms, Barber's
Closet, The New Bar
Hotel Washington Had Rich History - Site Traces From 1885 Business,
“By 1885 a frame hotel stood on this site...” Double Take
1885 The site of a hotel called the Madison House.
1904 E.G. Trumpf assumed ownership
1906 After a fire Trumpf converted the wooden building to brick. He installed a bar and
restaurant, calling it the Hotel Trumpf.
1916 Trumpf sold to August Harbort, who renamed it the Hotel Washington. The hotel changed
hands several times before Louis Wagner bought it in 1961. Wagner, a Russian immigrant and colorful
owner of a State Street restaurant as well, ran the building for 14 years. It changed from a
railway hotel when the depot closed in 1969 to a home for transients and people on welfare.
1975 Rodney Scheel, then 25, purchased the building, pledging to embark upon an ambitious
project to remodel the basement, a former barbershop, shower room, speakeasy, and bar. Scheel,
who called the hotel's decor “1890s to 1920s” turned out to become one of Madison's most prominent
businessmen, as well as a popular gay activist. After Scheel's death, his brother, Greg Scheel
took over the business.
Attempts to rebuild failed
The city of Madison, a local bank and the Scheel family gave it their best shot. But plans to
rebuild the Hotel Washington succumbed to a series of setbacks and increasing costs. Greg Scheel
withdrew applications with Capitol Bank and the city for loans to rebuild the downtown
entertainment mecca.
In the old days politicians stashed mistresses at the Washington and
“Dogskin” Johnson was staying there in 1911 when the
police arrested him on suspicion of murdering young Annie Lemberger.
