Looking from County Road R, off the highway and deep in the Wisconsin countryside, visitors can spot a ruined building from the road. While an intriguing destination in its own right, they may be surprised to learn that this husk was once one of the most cutting-edge and high-end resorts in the state of Wisconsin. Today, the former site of the Maribel Caves Hotel remains a destination for local trailgoers and intrepid explorers.
The history of this location begins with Father Francis X. Steinbrecher, the child of Austrian immigrants who was studying abroad near the Mirabell Palace in Salzburg, Austria. Writing back home, he shared with his father Charles a dream of a hotel that was inspired by Austrian resorts, based upon the natural springs and limestone caves found on their property. Working with Christ H. Tegen, an architect who built many of Manitowoc County’s most priceless buildings, and a team of masons from Austria and nearly 30 men from the local parish, the Steinbrecher family opened the Maribel Hotel in June 1900.
The hotel was an instant success, soon attracting visitors not only from Wisconsin, but from across the country. Built intentionally from rough stone, the hotel was the height of rustic elegance, with what were then-modern accouterments such as indoor plumbing and running water. People would be picked up by stagecoach from the train station and brought to the hotel through the luxurious dining room and beautiful murals to enjoy their stay.
The highlight, of course, was the natural spring water itself, rich in magnesium and much sought after. The hotel set up hot and cold water plunges, and began to bottle its water for sale to high-end clients in Milwaukee, Chicago, and beyond. After an explosion, the bottling plant was moved to the bathhouse in 1909 (this structure also still exists today). Maribel Mineral Springs water was sold until around 1960.
The clientele began to change for the seedier after 1915 and especially after Steinbrecher’s death in 1927. The hotel was used as a prohibition bar and hangout for gang leader John Dillinger and his criminal partner, George “Baby Face” Nelson. In 1931, the property would land in the hands of Adolph Cherny, whose family ran it as a tavern. Eventually, he offered the property to Manitowoc County for a small fee, as long as the county agreed to name the property after him. Cherny Maribel Caves Park would open soon after its sale in 1963.
Cherny also asked to sell the hotel, but the county did not take him up on the offer. Instead, it would later be bought by Bob Lyman of the Manitowoc County Historical Society to prevent it from being demolished. Sadly, the hotel was partially destroyed in a 1984 fire. It would sit vacant for decades, and ghost stories and rumors began to pop up. The hotel was said to be haunted, earning the nickname “Hotel Hell.” When asked about the rumors, Charles Steinbrecher’s grandson replied, “The only ghost he ever saw was his grandfather walking around in his one-piece nightshirt.”
The most visible damage to the ruined hotel does not come from the fire, however. On August 7, 2013, a tornado ripped through Maribel Caves Park, uprooting more than 75 percent of the trees, and collapsing the hotel. Although the hotel now sits in ruins, it remains in the hands of the Lyman family, who are continuing to preserve this piece of Wisconsin history.
Know Before You Go
The Maribel Caves Hotel site is private property, and strictly off-limits to trespassers. It is visible both from County Road R and from a short easy hiking trail found within Maribel Caves Park. To see inside, you can also watch a video tour presented by a Maribel Caves Park volunteer.
Although the hotel is not open to the public, Cherny Maribel Caves Park has a number of popular features in its own right, including the mineral springs that led the hotel to become an attraction in the first place. It also features the extensive Tartarus Cave System, including the famous New Hope Cave, discovered in 1984. Visit the park’s website for trail maps or to learn about guided tours.
