Nathaniel W. Dean House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Nathaniel W. Dean House
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Nathaniel W. Dean House
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | 4718 Monona Dr., Madison, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 0.1 acres (0.040 ha) |
| Built | 1856 |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000119 |
| Added to NRHP | November 7, 1980 |
The Nathaniel W. Dean House is an old brick house built around 1856 in Madison, Wisconsin. It was designed in a style called Italianate, which was popular back then. This house was built for Nathaniel W. Dean, who was an important leader and developer in the Madison area a long time ago. Because of its history, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Today, it serves as a museum, helping people learn about the past.
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History of the Dean House
Who Was Nathaniel Dean?
Nathaniel W. Dean was born in Massachusetts in 1817. He moved to Madison, Wisconsin, in 1842. He first owned a successful store that sold dry goods, like fabrics and clothes. Later, he started working with real estate, buying and selling land.
Dean was also involved in local government. In 1846, he became a clerk for the Dane County Board of Supervisors. He was even elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1857 for one term. He supported business and railroads. He also helped build the third state capitol building. Dean also supported the right for Black people to vote.
He was also a treasurer for the University of Wisconsin (UW) Board of Regents. In this role, he helped plan how the university would get money from selling land. He also helped plan some of the first buildings at UW, like North Hall, South Hall, and Bascom Hall.
The Dean House and Its Land
In 1855, Nathaniel Dean bought 160 acres of land from the University of Wisconsin. This land was in the town of Blooming Grove, which was farmland at the time. He and his wife, Harriet, had this farmhouse built. It might have been a country retreat away from the city of Madison.
The house has two stories and is shaped like a rectangle. It is a simple Italianate design. It has a balanced front, simple stone window sills, and plain brick around the windows. A decorative wooden trim, called a dentilated cornice, goes around the top of the house, except on the back. This trim hides a flat, tarred roof. A wooden porch, which matches the trim, stretches across the front of the house.
Dean's main interests were in the city of Madison. His real estate office was in a building he built called Dean's Block. He also became the largest owner of shares in the Park Hotel. In later years, Dean rented a room in Madison. However, in the 1870 census, he listed his job as "farmer" and was listed as living in Blooming Grove. He also gave land for Blooming Grove's town hall and Commonwealth Cemetery.
Later Years of the House
After Nathaniel Dean passed away in 1880, Harriet sold the house to Frank Allis. He then sold it to Adolph H. Kayser in 1916. In 1922, a private golf club bought the house and land. They sold it to the city of Madison in 1928. For many decades, the house was used as the clubhouse for a public golf course.
In 1971, the city planned to tear down the old house. However, the new Blooming Grove Historical Society decided to save and restore it. In 1980, the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was recognized for its connection to Nathaniel Dean, who was an important leader in Madison's growth in the 1800s. It was also noted as the only remaining home from the early years of Blooming Grove. Today, the Nathaniel W. Dean House serves as a museum.
