Novotny's Saloon

Novotny's Saloon is a Michigan historical marker in Traverse City, Grand Traverse County, dedicated 1980.

423 South Union Street, Traverse City

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In 1886 Antoine Novotny, one of the Bohemian founders of this community, built a bar on this site. Novotny’s Saloon was the social center of the city’s south side and headquarters of the Traverse City Hustlers semi-pro baseball team. In 1939 the business was purchased by William H. Dill, and the name changed to Dill’s. In the ensuing years, the adjacent meat market and vegetable stand were added to the preexisting establishment. The second floor was the home of both the Salvation Army and a dance hall. On April 22, 1978, a fire destroyed the original wood frame building. This near replica of that structure, which was completed ten weeks later, continues to be one of Traverse City’s social centers.

TodayHistorical map

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Digital Commonwealth, Boston Public Library

Historical maps covering this location

1873 · Michigan. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1874 · Colton's Michigan (1874) (Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1888 · State of Michigan (Digital Commonwealth, Boston Public Library)
1897 · Southern Michigan. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1907 · Map of the original swamp areas of the lower peninsula of Michigan. : 1907. Compiled from… (University of Michigan Library)

State of Michigan, 1888, covering the location of Novotny's Saloon, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — State of Michigan, 1888, covering this location. Digital Commonwealth, Boston Public Library. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

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Marker data: Michigan History Center
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