Julia B. and Fred P. Bowen House facts for kids
The Julia B. and Fred P. Bowen House is a special old home in Richland Center, Wisconsin. It was built way back in 1869. In 1996, it became a part of the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's an important building because of its cool Italianate architecture style. It's also famous because of Julia Busby Bowen, who lived there and worked hard for women's suffrage, which means women getting the right to vote.
Quick facts for kids |
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Julia B. and Fred P. Bowen House
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | 220 E. Union St. Richland Center, Wisconsin |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1882 |
| Architectural style | Italianate/Second Empire/Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 96000729 |
| Added to NRHP | July 5, 1996 |
Contents
Meet Julia and Fred Bowen
Julia Busby's Early Life
Julia Busby was born in 1840 in New York. She went to Alfred University for her studies. There, she met a painting teacher named Abigail Ann Allen. This teacher really inspired Julia. Abigail Ann Allen often spoke about women's rights.
In 1860, Julia married S.N. Waite. They moved to the Southern United States. During the American Civil War, they were held prisoner. This happened because they were in an area controlled by the Confederate States of America. Julia's husband managed to escape. Sadly, he later died fighting in the war.
Julia was eventually set free. The young widow then moved to Richland Center. Her brother was the sheriff there. She started working as a teacher in the town.
Fred Bowen's Businesses
Frederick Phelps Bowen was born in 1835. He came to Richland Center in 1854. Fred and his brother started a business called Bowen's Mill. This mill likely helped process grain.
Fred was a busy person. He also owned a drugstore. He ran a tannery, which made leather. Plus, he was involved in selling livestock.
Building a Home Together
Fred and Julia, the new teacher, fell in love. They got married. In 1869, Frederick built a house for Julia. It was a very stylish home for its time. Julia wanted a "modern house." This meant it had wood-burning stoves in every room. There were no old-fashioned fireplaces.
The Bowen House: A Look Inside and Out
Original House Design
The main part of the house was built in 1869. It has two stories. The house is shaped like a rectangle. Its walls are made of red brick. The roof is low and gently sloped.
The roof's edges have double brackets. These are decorative supports. They show the house's Italianate style. The windows have shutters on their sides. A cool, multi-sided window sticks out from the west wall. The roof was first covered with cedar shingles.
Inside the House
When you entered the house, you found an entrance hall. A staircase with a carved wooden rail led upstairs. The first floor had fancy rooms. These included a parlor, a library, and a dining room. There was also a second parlor.
Upstairs, there were four bedrooms. Julia made sure the house was modern. Each room had its own wood-burning stove. This was a new way to heat a home back then.
Later Additions and Changes
The house first had a small entry porch. It also had a wooden cookhouse. This was a separate small building for cooking. It was attached to the east side.
In the 1880s, the cookhouse was replaced. A new two-story kitchen wing was added. This new part had a special roof. It was a mansard roof, a style from the Second Empire period. This wing also had a laundry room. It included a bathroom and a pantry. The pantry even had a built-in icebox.
In 1908, Julia and Fred's son-in-law, Grant Ross, made more changes. He replaced the old porch. He added a grander entrance over the front door. This new part is called a portico. He also added a porch and balcony that run across the front of the house. The columns on this porch are thin. They have special tops called Ionic capitals. This new porch style is called Classical Revival.
Julia Bowen: A Champion for Women's Rights
Leading the Suffrage Movement
Julia was a very important leader. She worked for the early women's suffrage movement. This movement fought for women to have the right to vote. In 1876, Julia and Mrs. D.E. Pease made history. They were the first women to be on the Richland Center school board.
In 1882, Julia helped start the Richland Center Woman's Club. The club's official goal was to help with social and intellectual interests. It also aimed to do good deeds. But their real goal was to help women get the right to vote.
The club met at the home of Laura Briggs James. Julia was chosen as their first president. She told the members they needed to be "wise as serpents and as harmless as doves." This meant they should be smart and gentle to convince people.
Making a State-Level Impact
Just two months later, Julia and others from Richland Center went to a big meeting. This meeting was in Madison. They wanted to form the Wisconsin State Suffrage Association.
Out of 34 people at the meeting, 11 were from Richland Center. This shows how important Julia's group was. They had a big influence at the state level. In 1884, the state group held its first yearly meeting in Richland Center.
Other Community Work
In 1883, Julia and the Woman's Club helped get a new schoolhouse built. This was a big help for the town's children. Julia was also involved in the temperance movement. This movement worked to reduce or stop the use of alcohol.
The Richland Center Woman's Club did many good things. They helped people who were poor. They looked out for women who were in prison. They even helped arrange funerals for people in need. The club also started a farmer's market. They helped create a local library for everyone to use.
A Symbol of Women's History
The Bowen home is still a strong symbol. It reminds us of the women who fought for suffrage in Richland Center. Laura James and her husband had a nice house too. Their daughter Ada James was also a leader in the next generation of suffragettes. But Ada later changed their house a lot. The Bowen house, however, is mostly still the same as it was. This makes it a special reminder of Julia Bowen's important work.
