Hartford in Washington County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Schwartz Ballroom
Side A
The Schwartz Ballroom opened to the music of Harold Austin and his New Yorkers on October 20, 1928. As part of the big band craze of the Roaring 20s, dance hall construction boomed while recording and radio broadcasting spread new urban sounds across the nation. The Schwartz attracted major performers of the time, including Perry Como, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Louis Armstrong. Starting in 1931 local radio station WTMJ broadcast live via CBS, giving the Schwartz coast–to-coast recognition. Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians drew a record crowd when 6000 people jammed the ballroom while several hundred more listened from outside.
Side B
The ballroom was pressed into wartime service from 1944 to 1946, serving as a Prisoner of War camp for 300 or more German POWs. Prisoners provided labor at local factories, making up for labor shortages created by the war. Following the close of the war, the Schwartz became Zivko’s Ballroom. It was saved from demolition by the Hartford Rotary and the Hartford Historic Preservation Foundation and listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.
Erected 2005 by Wisconsin State Historical Society. (Marker Number 500.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. In addition, it is included in the Art Deco, and the Wisconsin Historical Society series lists. A significant historical month for this entry is October 1855.
Location. 43° 18.589′ N, 88° 22.632′ W. Marker is in Hartford, Wisconsin, in Washington County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of East Jefferson Avenue and Morgan Drive. Mounted to the building near entrance doors. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 150 E Jefferson Ave, Hartford WI 53027, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Lohr’s Gas Station (approx. 0.4 miles away); Willard R. Amidon Home (approx. 0.4 miles away); Westphal Mansion Inn (approx. 0.4 miles away); “Kissel” (approx. 0.6 miles away); Schwartz Family House (approx. 0.8 miles away); Arrival of European Descendants (approx. 3.3 miles away); Unwritten History of Wisconsin (approx. 3.4 miles away); St. Lawrence Church (approx. 4.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hartford.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 26, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 14, 2010, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,250 times since then and 43 times this year. Last updated on May 17, 2020, by Devon Polzar of Port Washington, Wisconsin. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 14, 2010, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.