Marathon County Historical Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cyrus C. Yawkey House
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | 403 McIndoe St., Wausau, Wisconsin |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1900 |
| Architect | George Maher/Van Ryn & Degelleke |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000098 |
| Added to NRHP | December 31, 1974 |
The Marathon County Historical Museum is a cool place to visit in Wausau, Wisconsin. It's located inside the Cyrus Carpenter Yawkey House, which is a very old and important house. This house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It's a great example of Classical Revival architecture, a style that looks like ancient Greek and Roman buildings.
Contents
Who Was Cyrus C. Yawkey?
The Yawkey House was once the home of a very important person named Cyrus C. Yawkey. He was a successful businessman. Before moving to Wausau, he owned a company in Saginaw, Michigan.
Yawkey's Life in Wausau
Cyrus Yawkey moved to Wausau to buy large areas of land for lumber. He later owned many local businesses. He even served in the Wisconsin Legislature, helping to make laws for the state. Yawkey also led a group called the Wausau Group. They invested in new businesses, like paper mills, as the pine timber in the area started to run out.
Building and Changing the House
The Yawkey House was built between 1900 and 1901. It was designed in a fancy style called Beaux-Arts Classical by architects Van Ryn & DeGelleke from Milwaukee.
A few years later, in 1907, Yawkey hired another famous architect, George W. Maher. Maher was known for his Prairie School style. He updated the first floor inside the house. He also added a sunny porch and two more stories to the back of the building.
Cyrus Yawkey passed away in 1943. His wife, Alice, lived in the house until 1953. Their daughter, Leigh Yawkey Woodson, later gave the house to the Marathon County Historical Society. This is how it became a museum for everyone to enjoy!
Exploring the Museum House
The museum lets you see what life was like in the early 1900s.
First Floor Rooms
On the first floor, you can explore several rooms. There's a grand entrance area, a living room, and a dining room. You can also see Cyrus's office and a bright sun porch. The ladies' parlor has furniture that looks just like it did at the beginning of the 20th century. There's also a kitchen, a pantry, and a room where servants used to eat.
Second and Third Floor Areas
The second floor has the Yawkeys' bedroom and Leigh's bedroom, each with their own bathrooms. There are also guest rooms and servants' bedrooms. The main staircase has beautiful, large stained-glass windows.
Some parts of the house, like Cyrus's den and the sun porch, were added by architect George Maher about eight years after the Yawkeys moved in. On the third floor, you'll find more servants' bedrooms, a bathroom, and even a ballroom!
Gardens and Restoration
Outside, there are formal gardens. There's also a carriage house where horses and carriages were kept, with living quarters for servants above. When the house was given to the city in the 1950s, some walls on the upper floors were removed to make space for changing exhibits. However, in the early 2000s, the house was carefully restored to look almost exactly as it did originally.
Marathon County Historical Museum Library
The Marathon County Historical Museum also has a library. It's located across the street in the Woodson mansion. This mansion was the home of Leigh Yawkey Woodson and her husband, Aytchmonde Perrin Woodson. It was also designed by architect George W. Maher. The library is a great place to find information about the history of Marathon County.
Andrew Warren Historic District
The Yawkey House and the Woodson mansion are part of the Andrew Warren Historic District. This district includes 62 historic buildings, most of which are old homes. It's a special area where many old and important buildings are preserved.
