National Register of Historic Places listings in Marathon County, Wisconsin facts for kids
Did you know that many special buildings and places in Marathon County, Wisconsin, are officially recognized for their history? These places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This is like a special list kept by the United States government. It helps protect important historical sites so people can learn from them for many years to come.
Marathon County has 32 different places on this list. They include old houses, parks, and even a fur farm! Each one tells a unique story about the past of this area. Let's explore some of these cool historic spots!
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Exploring Marathon County's Historic Places
Homes with History: Wausau's Architectural Gems
Many of Marathon County's historic listings are beautiful old homes, especially in the city of Wausau. These houses show off different building styles from long ago.
The Andrew Warren Historic District: A Neighborhood's Story
The Andrew Warren Historic District is a whole neighborhood filled with history. It's roughly bordered by Fulton, Grant, 4th, and 7th Streets in Wausau. Andrew Warren was an early owner of a sawmill in Wausau. He slowly sold off parts of his land, and many homes were built there between 1868 and 1934. You can see many different styles of architecture in this one area!
Bird and Dunbar Houses: Tudor Revival Style
The C. B. Bird House at 522 McIndoe Street in Wausau is a great example of a Tudor Revival style home. It was built in 1910 and designed by a famous architect named Alexander Eschweiler. Claire B. Bird was a lawyer and even a state senator!
Another beautiful Tudor Revival home is the C. F. Dunbar House at 929 McIndoe Street, also in Wausau. Built in 1929, it has a cool half-timbered look. It was built for the wife of a local jeweler and lumberman.
D. C. Everest House: A Grand Estate
The D. C. Everest House at 1206 Highland Park Boulevard in Wausau is a large home built between 1925 and 1928. It mixes English and Spanish Baroque styles. D. C. Everest was the general manager of Marathon Paper Mills, a very important company for the area.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Usonian Homes
Marathon County is home to two special houses designed by the famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright. His "Usonian" homes were meant to be affordable and practical for middle-class families.
The Charles L. and Dorothy Manson House at 1224 Highland Park Boulevard in Wausau was built from 1939 to 1941. It was Wright's fourth Usonian home and was specially designed to fit on a sloped piece of land. Charles Manson owned a local insurance company.
The Duey and Julia Wright House at 904 Grand Avenue in Wausau is another Usonian house by Frank Lloyd Wright. It was built later, in 1958, on a bluff overlooking the Wisconsin River. Frank Lloyd Wright designed this house with musical themes because Duey and Julia owned a music store and school!
Other Notable Wausau Homes
The Granville D. Jones House at 915 Grant Street in Wausau is a Prairie School style house from 1904. It was designed by George W. Maher. Granville Jones was a teacher, lawyer, and even helped start Wausau Insurance.
The Louis Marchetti House at 921 Grand Avenue in Wausau was built in 1878 in the Second Empire style. Louis Marchetti came from Austria and worked in the lumber business. He became a lawyer, judge, and even the mayor of Wausau! He also wrote a history book about Marathon County.
The Henry Miller House at 1314 Grand Avenue in Wausau is a beautiful Queen Anne house built in 1894. It has a unique round tower and fancy bargeboards. Henry Miller was a state representative and a respected judge. This house is one of the few grand homes left on Grand Avenue.
The Hiram C. Stewart House at 521 Grant Street in Wausau was designed by George W. Maher in 1906. It combines Prairie School and Arts and Crafts styles. Hiram Stewart was a partner in a lumber company. Today, it's a bed and breakfast!
The Ely Wright House at 901 6th Street in Wausau was built in 1881 in the Italianate style. Ely Wright was the person who started Wausau Iron Works.
The Cyrus C. Yawkey House at 403 McIndoe Street in Wausau is a Classical Revival house built around 1901 and made even bigger around 1908. Cyrus Yawkey was a very important person in the lumber business and helped start many local companies. He was also known for being very generous. This building is now the Marathon County Historical Museum.
Public Buildings and Community Spaces
Marathon County also has historic public buildings that served the community in important ways.
Joseph Dessert Library: A Gift to Mosinee
The Joseph Dessert Library at 123 Main Street in Mosinee is a brick building from 1898. It was designed in the Victorian style by Alexander Eschweiler. Joseph Dessert was a French-Canadian who came to Mosinee in 1844 and ran sawmills, making boards and shingles for many years.
Edgar Village Hall: A Community Hub
The Edgar Village Hall at 107 West Beech Street in Edgar is a unique brick building from 1917. It mixes different styles like French Colonial, Italianate, and Classical. This building was once the village government office, fire station, library, and even a jail! Upstairs, there was an auditorium where people held social events, plays, dances, and basketball games.
Rothschild Pavilion: A Riverside Dance Hall
The Rothschild Pavilion at 1104 Park Street in Rothschild is a rustic stone dance hall built in 1911. It sits right on the Wisconsin River. What's cool about it? It was built with railroad car springs under the dance floor, which made it extra bouncy for dancing!
Schofield School: A Collegiate Gothic Building
The Schofield School at 1310 South Grand Avenue in Schofield is a three-story brick elementary school. It was designed in the Collegiate Gothic style and built in 1923.
United States Post Office and Court House: Art Deco Design
The United States Post Office and Court House at 317 1st Street in Wausau is a federal building built between 1937 and 1938. It was designed in the Art Deco style. This building used to house the post office, a federal court, and even offices for the FBI and IRS. The lobby has a cool mural about logging painted by Gerrit Van Sinclair. Today, it has been turned into apartments.
Wausau Club: A Historic Meeting Place
The Wausau Club at 309 McClellan Street in Wausau is a Neoclassical building from 1901-1902. It was built by ten important leaders of the time as a men's club. It closed in 2005.
Unique Historic Sites
Beyond homes and public buildings, Marathon County has some truly unique historic places.
Dells of the Eau Claire County Park: Nature's Art
The Dells of the Eau Claire County Park at P2150 County Road Y near Plover is a beautiful 190-acre park. It was created in 1924 around a gorge where the Eau Claire River flows over and between huge rocks. You can see a stone arch bridge from 1927 crossing the river. Many of the footpaths and shelters in the park were designed in 1937 and built by the CCC, a group that helped people find work during the Great Depression.
Fromm Brothers Fur and Ginseng Farm: Pioneering Industry
The Fromm Brothers Fur and Ginseng Farm at 436 County Highway F in Hamburg is a farm complex with a fascinating history. Starting in 1904, four brothers, the Fromms, became pioneers in growing ginseng in central Wisconsin. They used the money from ginseng to start raising silver foxes for their fur. By 1929, they were the biggest producers of both ginseng and silver foxes in the world!
The Walter and Mabel Fromm House, located off WI 107 in Hamburg, was built in 1928 for the oldest Fromm brother. It's an interesting mix of Mediterranean and Spanish Revival styles.
Benjamin Single House: An Early Settler's Home
The Benjamin Single House is located west of Wausau at 4708 Stettin Drive. This beautiful Greek Revival home was built in 1849. Benjamin Single came from England and built one of the first sawmills in Marathon County on the Little Rib River in the 1840s.
Marathon County Fairgrounds: A Place for Community
The Marathon County Fairgrounds on Stewart Avenue in Wausau has historic buildings. The stock-judging pavilion and cattle barns were designed by Alexander Eschweiler and built in 1921. These buildings have seen many county fairs and community events over the years.
Other Interesting Listings
Fricke-Menzner House: A Mill Owner's Home
The Fricke-Menzner House at 105 Main Street in Marathon is an Italianate home built in 1875 by Henry Fricke. He built the first successful mill on the Big Rib River. Later, Phillip Menzner, a German immigrant who worked for Fricke, married his daughter and took over the mill. He also became a community leader. Today, the house is an office for Menzner Hardwoods.
Karl Mathie House: A Riverside Retreat
The Karl Mathie House at 202 Water Street in Mosinee is a Shingle style house built in 1912 along the Wisconsin River. It was also designed by Alexander Eschweiler. Karl Mathie was a clergyman and educator. He was the first president of Wausau Sulphate Fiber Co., which later became Wausau Paper. This company helped Mosinee's economy after Dessert's sawmill closed. The house was later bought by musician John Altenburgh.
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