DARIEN, Wis. — ​In the heart of Walworth County, where tales of Prohibition-era bootleggers and outlaws still echo, one name has nearly been forgotten—Daisie Erickson.

But for those who knew her, she was more than just a bar owner; she was a trailblazer, a rule-breaker and a woman who lived life entirely on her own terms.

What You Need To Know

  • The Boar's Nest is celebrating Daisie Erickson as a trailblazing female bar owner who defied societal norms
  • Her ties to bootlegging, John Dillinger and outsmarting law enforcement make for a compelling historical narrative
  • The Boar’s Nest, a bar she helped build nearly a century ago, remains a local landmark
  • Owner Bill Perkins is keeping her story alive with a special tribute at The Boar’s Nest in Darien, Wis.

Nearly three years ago, Bill Perkins took over The Boar’s Nest, a Dukes of Hazzard themed bar located at W9439 County Road X in Darien, Wis. 

What he didn’t realize was that he was stepping into a piece of history. Long before he arrived, Daisie had built the bar’s predecessor, The Shingle Inn herself—literally, with her own two hands.

“There’s not many like Daisie,” Perkins said. “Daisie put the blood sweat and tears, swingin' the hammer into building it and it is still standing 100 years later.”

Daisie wasn’t just a tough businesswoman; she mingled with some of the most infamous figures of her time. In her twenties, she was behind the bar pouring drinks while her first husband sat in prison for bootlegging. Meanwhile, she was regularly entertaining, none other than John Dillinger himself.

“Coming from Chicago with his buddies on their way up to hide up in the great white north if you will,” Perkins said.

She knew how to keep the authorities at bay, too. Even after Prohibition ended, she had a Walworth County deputy on her payroll to ensure her bar—and its illegal slot machines—stayed in business.

“They weren’t legal,” admitted Daisie’s niece, Coralie Recob. “And I do know, the payroll guy was on in the ’50s and ‘60s—I’m not gonna say his name, but I do know who he was.”

But for all the laws she bent, Daisie had her own set of principles. She never served liquor to minors, and the Wisconsin Tavern League recognized her as one of the state’s longest-running female bar owners.

“She may have even been president,” Recob said of her work with the organization.

In an era when women were expected to sit quietly in the dining room, she made sure they had a seat at the bar.

“She was a trendsetter,” Perkins said. “The women came into this bar and had that whiskey no different than the fellas.”“She was a trendsetter,” Perkins said. “The women came into this bar and had that whiskey no different than the fellas.”

Now, Perkins is ensuring Daisie’s legacy isn’t forgotten. Throughout Women’s History Month, The Boar’s Nest is celebrating by sharing old photos of Daisie and proudly featuring her drink of choice—vodka and seltzer—on the menu.

“She was way ahead of her time,” Recob said.

So, if you find yourself in Darien, stop by The Boar’s Nest, where Daisie’s spirit lives on. 

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