Underneath a layer of old green carpet and an explosion of floral wallpaper in pinks and mints, the original soul of the Wausau Club was waiting to be rediscovered. After a renovation process that stripped the historic building down to its studs and revealed original hardwood and brick, the space is singing once again. Formerly a private, men’s-only social club that operated for over a century, the building has been reimagined as an inclusive, contemporary event venue.
But in the newly renovated Wausau Club, the party upstairs serves a higher purpose. While the second-floor ballroom will play host to wedding receptions, business socials, music events and private parties, the revenue generated will be funneled downstairs to support the building’s anchor: a contemporary art museum featuring world-class artists. It is a modern model for a historic site, designed to help the gallery flourish while creating a warm, welcoming and distinctly artistic gathering space upstairs for the community.
“All the revenue from upstairs goes back down to the museum for curating and for our in-home gallery once we get it,” said Heather Becker, executive director of events at the Wausau Club. “The main goal is to be self-sufficient so we can do ticketed events and educational events and workshops in the future.”
While many are excited for the future of the club, the building’s past tells an interesting story of its own. The Wausau Club was established in 1901 with a goal to “promote the business interests of the city of Wausau and community and the social enjoyment of the members hereof,” according to the original bylaws. The building, in Classical Revival style, was designed by local architect J.H. Jeffers and cost $8,690 to build, plus $4,396 for furniture and fixtures, according to Marathon County Historical Society documents.
It quickly became a place were the local movers and shakers socialized, characterized fondly over the decades by large festive parties. There was also a 16-room dormitory that the club provided to businesses as temporary living quarters for relocating professionals to the area.
In 1979 the club was renovated and raised dues steeply to cover the costs. As a result, membership plummeted from about 400 to 120. During this difficult period, members launched a campaign to get the building recognized in the National Register of Historic Places, which it was granted in 1989 — saving the building from ruin. Off this national recognition, the club experienced a renaissance in the 1990s, but was ultimately closed in 2004.
The historic building — once the hub of Wausau’s high society activity — remained vacant for years, until local artist and business owner David Hummer pitched an idea to the city, which owned the property, to develop the building into an art museum.
In 2017, the Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art was opened on the first floor, with exhibits rotating about every three months. While the art museum took off, the second floor remained empty, though Hummer’s head was full of ideas for it.
Executive director Heather Becker said a revitalization of the Wausau Club was always in the plans, but wasn’t a reality until years of working on grants and securing donations were completed. Becker said the donors were motivated to keep the history of the building intact while simultaneously providing something new for the community.
“The fact that a lot of people have experiences and memories of being a kid with their grandparents here eating dinner,” Becker said, “the excitement of bringing that back to life, I think, really meant a lot to a lot of people.”
Becker came onboard, originally just for sales and marketing, as the renovations were starting. The renovation process took a little over two years and consisted of a complete gutting of the upstairs and restructuring the HVAC and sprinkler systems.
“It was pretty much down to the studs,” Becker said. “It was a major undertaking.”
Becker, who has lived in Wausau nearly all her life, remembers the old Wausau Club, having attended a high school ball and wedding receptions in the upper floor. Breathing new life into not only that space, but also that role in the community, is part of what drew her to the venue.
“I remember in its heyday what it used to be like, so taking a creative spin at it and giving it back to the community in a different way just really kind of excited me,” she said. “Now that it’s open, I [get to] focus on where we continue to grow and how we can continue to grow, what kind of events we can bring here and keeping the excitement in the community.”
Looking ahead, the Wausau Club has scheduled bookings for private parties, business gatherings and fundraisers. Becker is excited to begin hosting weddings in the spring and summer, and she said the club is already booking weddings into 2027.
“The idea of having an event space like this as a ballroom on top of an international art gallery really just adds to the space and makes it extra special for a venue, to have your wedding up here and be able to visit an art museum right downstairs is a unique angle for us,” said Caroline Meehean, operations manager.
“A lot of the weddings are doing their cocktail hours and things like that down on the first floor,” Becker added. “A few of our smaller weddings are actually doing the ceremony in one of the gallery spaces. If you have a creative mind, you can really think of things outside the box that you can’t really find at any other event venue. It’s been fun to collaborate with clients and find new ways of utilizing the space.”
The club is also focusing on developing community based programs, with Becker noting that community engagement is critical in the club’s success. They’re also exploring ideas with other local museums and art organizations.
“We’re trying to figure out how we can work with each other to enhance the experience, whether it’s a walking tour from one museum to the other and each museum has a different kind of take on that experience. We hope to work with Rise Up and really build upon the night markets and the things that happen on the 400 block downtown and incorporate all of that,” Becker said. “We just look forward to getting to know the community a lot more and how we can work together to make it a more inclusive experience.”
While plans for some of the ballroom’s future events are being kept under wraps, Becker said the club’s inaugural Masquerade Fundraiser will be held on Friday, Oct. 30 — fully revitalizing the formal attire, fancy food, dancing and extravagant history of the building, while also taking the club into an exciting new era.
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