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Pheasant Inn History
By Susan Hilliard

The Pheasant Inn has been in our
family since 1955. The Inn dates back
to the late 1840’s, when it was a log
trading post for the Menomonee and
Winnebago Indians. The Indians
traveled up and down the Neenah
Creek which flowed past the Inn.
In 1850, settlers from Vermont
came to the area. They dammed the
creek and made Lake Mason, in
doing so, flooding the Indian burial
grounds. They changed the trading
post to accommodate travelers that
came by stage coach and called it
“The Lake House.” It was also used as the first Town Hall.

In 1912 the stable behind the hotel caught on fire from a lantern. The fire burned the entire stable and Hotel to the ground. Ellen Connors, proprietor of The Hotel cooked in a tent all summer until the new block building, “The Lake House” was built.

Ellen owned The Lake House during prohibition. The liquor and beer was brought in through a secret tunnel in the basement, from an adjoining house. A few of the Chicago gangsters stayed at The Lake House, when traveling north to Hayward. Names that were passed down were Roger Tooey and Pretty Boy Floyd.

Ellen Connors sold the Lake House to the Kell’s in the early 1930’s. They in turn sold it to Otto and Marie Beyer in the late 1930’s. Otto was a concert pianist from Chicago. He changed the name to The Pheasant Inn. Otto wanted to make the Inn into an exclusive get away for the wealthy from Chicago. Otto raised his own birds for the menu and had a great deal to do in starting a conservation program in Wisconsin. He added on a fireplace and another dining room, which was the porch of the original block building. Otto removed three cottages from the property and built a four unit motel. Otto died in a car accident in 1952.

Marie sold the business to my parents, Laverne and Helen Schaitel in 1955. At that time a fish fry could be had for seventy five cents. In 1969 they built a motel across the street from the Inn. My parents ran the business until Craig and I (Susan) took over in 1970. We have added six cottages and have recently renovated the old Inn to include handicapped facilities. We also have an Ice Cream Shoppe in an old building just up the street.