Bonnie Oaks Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bonnie Oaks Historic District
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | Briggsville, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 28 acres (11 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 86000626 |
| Added to NRHP | April 3, 1986 |
The Bonnie Oaks Historic District is a special place in Briggsville, Wisconsin. It is located in the Town of Douglas. This district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 1986. This means it's an important historical site worth protecting.
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History of Bonnie Oaks
The Bonnie Oaks Historic District has fifteen old buildings and one archaeological site. These buildings were all built a long time ago. They were constructed between 1870 and 1930.
A Place for Artists
This special place was important for writers and musicians. It was an informal retreat where artists could relax and create. The first owner of the land was Cyrus Woodman in 1853. He received it from the government.
Later, Alma and John Ormsby owned the property. Alma named it Bonnie Oaks. John built many of the buildings you can see there today. Their daughter, Mildred, was born at Bonnie Oaks. She married Harrison S. Green, a lawyer from Milwaukee.
After Mildred's father passed away in 1916, the Greens became the owners. During this time, many young authors came to Bonnie Oaks. They enjoyed spending time there.
In 1922, Mildred Ormsby Green invited a famous pianist named Josef Lhévinne. He spent part of each summer at Bonnie Oaks for 22 years. He stayed in a building called the Tower.
Zona Gale, a writer from Portage, often visited Bonnie Oaks. She wrote a famous novel called Miss Lulu Bett. Zona Gale and Mrs. Green encouraged other writers to visit. These included William Maxwell and Margery Latimer.
Margery Latimer was interested in the ideas of a Russian philosopher named George Gurdjieff. In 1930, Latimer and Zona Gale tried a unique living arrangement. It was called the "Portage Experiment." Several people, including Latimer's husband Jean Toomer, lived together. This experiment caused some talk in the nearby towns. By the end of summer 1931, the experiment ended. Jean Toomer wrote about what happened.
Other famous visitors to Bonnie Oaks included Robert Fitzgerald and Paul Robeson.
Ancient Mounds at Bonnie Oaks
There are two special effigy mounds at the archaeological site. These mounds are shaped like animals or other figures. They are thought to be from the Woodland period, a time long ago. These mounds are still in very good condition.
They are among the best-preserved mounds in Wisconsin. They can teach us a lot about the people who lived there long ago. We can learn about their social customs and burial traditions.
Where is Bonnie Oaks?
The Bonnie Oaks Historic District is in the southwest part of Marquette County. The town of Briggsville is just over a mile to the west. The Neenah Creek forms the eastern edge of the district. The rest of the property is in thick woods. It is located between 3rd Avenue and Grouse Drive.
