Meredith's on the Bay at Timmer's Resort History

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Timmer's on Big Cedar Lake

In 1863 Mathias and Margaret Timmer settled in the Town of West Bend after emigrating from the family home in Germany. Title to the initial property was dated January 4, 1864.

The original homestead was located on the banks of Cedar Creek some three hundred yards from its point of origin at Big Cedar Lake.

By 1880 work was begun on a new location, this, the present main building. Work was completed in 1882 and the building opened as a hotel, with Mary Timmer, daughter of Mathias and Margaret acting, as hostess to the guests. Lodgers were met at the Slinger (then Schlesingerville) depot by buggies and horse-drawn bus. They experienced a serene, but rugged ride over the trails winding to their destination. Incidentally, the rectangular stone in front of the building was used to eliminate the long step down from the buggies and carriages.

During this period all food was grown and raised on the surrounding farmland. It is interesting to speculate on just how many people this land has fed over the years.

1n 1907 Leonard and Rose Timmer became owners. They built additional accommodation facilities as cottage units. Electricity and running water were installed by 1926.

During prohibition beer was obtained by concealing it in a neighbor's pie truck, as runs were periodically made to a hotel guest's brewery in Chicago.

Ironically, the depression saw Timmer's prosper and grow and, by 1940 John and Beryl Timmer assumed the responsibility of its operation. Much of the time during the initial five years was spent bartering ration stamps and otherwise improvising, so that their many guests could be housed and fed through the war years.

In the 1940's the Milwaukee Ski Club cleared what is now Fox Hill (directly across Hwy. NN from Timmer's), thus becoming one of the first ski hills in operation in the midwest.

Throughout this period slot machines provided a major source of income. Though illegal, most establishments in Washington County had them and officials merely accepted their existence and did little to
stop their use.