Beaver Dam Mulling Name Change For City Hall

(Beaver Dam) City officials in Beaver Dam area considering a name change for the Municipal Building. If approved, the new name of city hall would be the Mary Spellman Municipal Building, in honor of the city’s first female mayor.

Alderman Mick Fischer is against the idea, saying if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

“If we start naming that we’re going to have to start naming everything,” Fischer says, “it’s ridiculous, city hall is city hall.”

Alderman Mike Wissell says the renaming is appropriate.

“I think if it says Mary Spellman Municipal Building on the building, we’re all still going to call it city hall,” Wissell says, “but it does point out the fact that there is some history there.”

The same resolution would designate the walking path along the Beaver Dam Family Center in honor of Maddy Horn, internationally acclaimed speed skater who at one time held seven out of ten world records in women’s skating.  Other name changes that were considered but that are not going forward at this time include the renaming Gould Street or the naming of the alley behind Front Street for Frederick Douglass, the former slave and national leader of the abolitionist movement who spoke in Beaver Dam in 1856. Also proposed but not being recommended at this time: changing Beichl Avenue to Nancy Zieman Avenue. A resolution is being drawn-up by the city attorney for both standing committees to consider advancing to the full common council.