David Taylor House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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David Taylor House
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| Location | 3110 Erie Avenue Sheboygan, Wisconsin  United States |
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| Built | 1850s |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000080 |
| Added to NRHP | January 2, 1976 |
The David Taylor House is a historic building located on the grounds of the Sheboygan County Historical Museum in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. It's a really old house that has seen many changes over the years.
The Story of the Taylor House
The Taylor House was built in the early 1850s. It was the home of Judge David Taylor. He was a very important person in Sheboygan. Judge Taylor was a circuit court judge, which means he traveled to different courts to hear cases. He also helped the community grow. He invested in things like developing the harbor and building railroads. Later, he became part of the Wisconsin State Senate. This is a group that helps make laws for the state. He even served on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which is the highest court in Wisconsin.
Around 1900, the house became property of Sheboygan County. From 1915 to 1936, it was used as the Sheboygan County Sheriff's Office and even a jail. This was before the new Sheboygan County Courthouse was finished.
After that, a caretaker for Taylor Park lived in the house for many years. In 1949, the Sheboygan County Historical Society took over the house.
The Historical Society worked hard to turn the house into a museum. They removed the old jail equipment, including the bars from the windows. In 1954, it opened as the county museum. Some parts of the outside of the house were changed or "updated" at that time. The museum first used only the first floor. By the early 1970s, the museum expanded to fill the whole building. The Taylor House was the main museum building until a new museum opened in 1997.
The Taylor House was recognized as an important historical site in Sheboygan. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This means it's officially recognized as a special historical place in the United States.
Bringing the House Back to Life
In 2006, a lot of major restoration work was done on the house. Workers cleaned and repaired the bricks. They also removed a front porch that was added in the 1950s. In its place, they built a new front porch that looked just like the original one from the 1850s. They also fixed wooden parts of the house and removed an old fire escape. Because the David Taylor House is on the National Register of Historic Places, there are special rules for how it must be restored. These rules help make sure the house looks as much like its original self as possible.
