News: Granton (Citizens of the Year - 1973)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Meyer, Landgraf, Treu, Beaver, Hannan

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 9/06/1973

Three Granton Sisters (Granton Citizens of the Year - 1973)

Three sisters have been selected as ‘Citizens of the Year’ in the village of Granton and will be honored at the annual Granton Fall Festival, September 14, 15, and 16.

The three sisters, Rosetta Meyer, Anita Landgraf, and Leona Treu, are daughters of the late Mr. and Mrs. George Beaver and operate a restaurant in Granton known as ‘Beaver’s Café.’

George and Kathryn Beaver purchased the business in 1904 and operated it as a saloon until 1917 when the town was voted dry by one vote, beating the 1918 prohibition law by one year. Not being able to sell liquor they turned the saloon into a restaurant which is still operating. Meals originally cost 50 cents and the family specialized in serving teachers and railroad crews.

Beaver was janitor at the high school for 17 years and Rosetta assisted her mother in the café. In 1949 Anita returned to Granton from her Neillsville home where she had clerked in stores. Upon the death of Mrs. Beaver in 1955, the girls took over the management and ran it until 1970 when the third sister, Mrs. Herbert Treu of Appleton, moved back to Granton and now assists in the operation.

Beaver’s Café is now popular for coffee breaks throughout the morning and afternoon. They serve noon dinners and it is reported that salesmen and travelers drive many miles to eat their noon hour meal at ‘Beaver’s Café.’ Construction crews from throughout the area also make arrangements for their noon hour meal.

The sisters have renovated the front of the building and a few years ago they remodeled the restaurant. They occupy living quarters in the r ear and the upstairs of the building.

For years they were the home to the Granton Rotary and today more stories are swapped at Beaver’s Café than anywhere in the area.

The ladies are members of St. Stephen’s Church, Chili, and are members of the altar society.

Rosetta has a son, Bill, who is married and lives in Marshfield. He is married to the former Rita Hannan of Loyal, and they have three children.

The Beaver’s business is one of the oldest in the village and has become a well known landmark to many. In commenting on the honor, they said ‘We like it here and are glad that Granton has been our home. None of us drive a car, but we have no trouble getting rides to church or town when we need to go. Nobody can beat our Granton people.’

The Beaver sisters will ride in the parade on Sunday, September 16.