Beer, Oysters, Masonic Halls & Miss Spreen
Beer, Oysters, Masonic Halls & Miss Laura Spreen: The Storied Legacy of Fort Madison’s Board of Trade Building
In the area of 724 Avenue G, once stood an iconic Fort Madison building — the Board of Trade Building. While many locals remember it as Glasgow Tailors, Hoyer’s Men’s Wear, or now as Wondra Family Chiropractic, this structure carries a deeper, richer story that begins in the 19th century with a Civil War veteran and ends — fittingly — with the steady hand of a devoted niece named Laura Spreen.
A Bold Vision and Grand Opening
The Board of Trade officially opened its doors on December 27, 1881, with glowing praise from the Weekly Democrat:
“The building is one of the finest both in appearance and structure ever erected in this city... From the first to third floors the work is most excellent in design, finish and arrangement and reflects credit to the skill of workmen and architect.”
Built by Henry C. Spreen, a permitted liquor dealer and entrepreneur, the building featured high ceilings — up to 12 feet — and elegant finishes throughout. The first floor housed Spreen’s saloon and restaurant, offering all kinds of beer for just 5 cents a glass and liquor for 10.
The second floor was a stylish dining parlor where patrons could enjoy Baltimore oysters served raw, stewed, or fried. It was also the only restaurant in town that openly welcomed both men and women — a progressive move for the time.
The third floor was designated for fraternal meetings of Claypoole Lodge #13 AF & AM and Potowonok Chapter #28 Royal Arch Masons, reinforcing the building’s role as both a commercial and community cornerstone.
From Prussia to Fort Madison
Henry Spreen’s story began in Westphalen, Prussia, in 1843. He emigrated to the U.S. at age 15 and settled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. When the Civil War broke out, he joined the 77th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, fighting in key battles like Shiloh, Corinth, and Stones River, before joining General Sherman in his famous march to Atlanta.
After the war, Henry married Sophia Voight in 1867, and the couple moved to Fort Madison in 1876, where he built his business and reputation.
Prohibition, Decline & Loss
The good times didn’t last. Iowa passed its first prohibition law in 1884, allowing alcohol sales only for medical use. Stricter laws followed in 1888, forcing the closure of local breweries like Schlapp & Burster, and with them, the original saloon and oyster business at the Board of Trade.
By 1890, the pressures had taken their toll. Henry C. Spreen died at the age of 46 from what records then described as "madness." He left behind his wife Sophia, then 45, and a building with an uncertain future.
The Legacy of Miss Laura Spreen
In 1937, Sophia’s health began to fail, and her niece Miss Laura Spreen moved from Pittsburgh to care for her and the family’s real estate interests. Sophia passed away in 1939 at age 91, and Laura remained in Fort Madison until her own death in 1968.
Laura brought with her a stately, 6 foot-tall oil painting, which she hung in the Board of Trade Building. Today, this same portrait resides at the Historic Santa Fe Depot’s Baggage Room, where it now watches over the office of Fort Madison Tourism Director, Chi Eastin — a fitting tribute to a woman who kept the Spreen legacy alive.
Miss Laura Spreen’s 6 foot-tall oil painting
A Changing Face
The building was reborn many times over:
George Haessig reopened it as a saloon following the loosening of local laws.
In 1941, it became Irmel Youel’s Clothing Store.
By 1953, it housed Glasgow Tailors.
In the 1990s, it was known as Hoyer’s Men’s Wear.
And since 2008, it’s been home to Wondra Family Chiropractic.
Wondra Family Chiropractic
724 Avenue G
Where oyster parlors once served bustling tables, the second floor now hosts a private apartment. The third floor Masonic hall is a distant memory — but the bones of the building still echo its past.
More Than Brick and Mortar
The Board of Trade Building is more than a beautiful old structure. It is a symbol of Fort Madison’s entrepreneurial past, wartime sacrifice, and familial love. From Civil War battlefields to downtown storefronts, from oyster plates to chiropractic care, this building has seen — and survived — it all.
