Breitbach's Country Dining

Breitbach's Country Dining is a casual dining restaurant and bar located in the city of Balltown in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States. Breitbach's was the oldest continually operating restaurant and bar in the state of Iowa, having been open since August 23, 1852. The establishment has been owned and operated by the Breitbach family since 1855. The current owner is Mike Breitbach. [cite web | url = http://www.kwwl.com/News/index.php?ID=19653 | title = BREAKING NEWS: Fire Destroys Iowa's Oldest Restaurant | accessdate = 2007-12-24 | date = 2007-12-24 | publisher = KWWL TV | language = English ]

Breitbach's is located at 563 Balltown Road in Balltown. The place offers classic Midwestern dishes, including German ethnic foods such as sauerkraut, sausage, and coleslaw. They were recently shown on an episode of Food Network's "", which showcased the restaurant's quality pies.

History

Various sources disagree with the above. According to "Midwest Living", Breitbach's opened in 1853 as a stage coach stop. [cite web|url=http://www.midwestliving.com/mwl/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/mwl/story/data/IARestaurants_080101.xml|title=Iowa Restaurants|publisher=Midwest Living magazine|accessdate=2007-11-23] On the other hand, KOA says: "Founded in 1852 under a permit issued from President Millard Fillmore, it's been owned by the Breitbachs since 1891 and is in its sixth generation of family ownership." [cite web|url=http://www.koa.com/vacationideas/articles/ia/breitbachs.htm|title=Iowa's Oldest Restaurant Still Going Strong|publisher=KOA|accessdate=2007-11-23] They also indicate there was an antiques store on the premises.

In the 1920s, a traveling group of gypsies came by. In exchange for food and lodging, one of them painted a mural on the barroom wall of the view of the Mississippi valley as seen from the property. The mural was later walled over and forgotten. Later still a remodeling effort uncovered the mural, which was restored, covered with glass and illuminated. It is now a feature of the restaurant.

Christmas Eve 2007 Fire

Somewhat before 7:30am CST on December 24, 2007, an explosion occurred in the basement, and the building was completely destroyed despite the efforts of firefighters from four different departments. While almost everything within the building was lost, none of the employees in the building were injured. [Gravelle, Steve. [http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071224/NEWS/566649661/0/news Fire destroys landmark restaurant in Balltown] , "The Gazette", 2007-12-24. Accessed 2007-12-25.] On Wednesday, December 26, investigators from the Dubuque County sheriff's office, the insurance company, and the state fire marshal's office investigated the remains of the restaurant. Following this investigation, authorities stated that the exact cause of the fire was undetermined, but it was nothing other than an accident. Authorities stated that a gas leak could not be ruled out. Breitbach announced his intention to rebuild the establishment as soon as possible. [cite web | last = Becker | first = Stacey | title = Cause of fire 'undetermined': Gas leak at Breitbach's can't be ruled out | work = Dubuque Telegraph Herald | publisher = Woodward Communications, Inc. | date = 2007-12-27 | url = http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=185147 | accessdate = 2007-12-27 ]

Prior to the fire, the Democratic Party intended to hold the district 41 Democratic caucus at Breitbach's. The fire forced the caucus for that district to be moved to Sageville School. [cite web | last = | first = | title = Caucus moved to Sageville School | work = Dubuque Telegraph Herald | publisher = Woodward Communications, Inc. | date = 2007-12-30 | url = http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=185460 | accessdate = 2007-12-30 ]

By March 2008 construction work began on the new structure. The new structure will feature larger restrooms, a modern kitchen, and other modern amenities but will maintain much of the look and feel of the original structure. The new structure is being designed by Flor2 Inc. of Des Moines, Iowa. [cite web | last = Powers | first = C.A. | title = Breitbach's rebirth begins: Family scurries to build another Balltown restaurant | work = Dubuque Telegraph Herald | publisher = Woodward Communications, Inc. | date = 2008-03-14 | url = http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=194318 | accessdate = 2008-03-16 ]

Breitbach's reopened on June 14, 2008. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/14/us/14reopen.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin An Iowa Town’s Landmark, Leveled by Explosion, Is Rebuilt by Friendships - NYTimes.com ] ]

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/artandgiftcenter/breitbach.html|A Painting of Breitbach's]

References