Ole K. Roe House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ole K. Roe House
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Ole K. Roe House
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| Location | 404 S. 5th St., Stoughton, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1892 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003652 |
| Added to NRHP | September 7, 1984 |
The Ole K. Roe House is a beautiful and historic home built in 1892 in Stoughton, Wisconsin. It was once owned by Ole K. Roe, who was a very important person in the city. He was a successful tobacco merchant and also a leader in the community. This house is a great example of the Queen Anne style, which was popular for homes back then. In 1984, the Ole K. Roe House was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a special building that is important to the history of the United States.
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Who Was Ole K. Roe?
Ole K. Roe was born in 1851 in a town called Pleasant Springs. His parents were some of the very first settlers to live there. Ole grew up farming and also started buying and selling tobacco.
In 1888, he moved to Stoughton and focused completely on the tobacco business. Stoughton was a big center for tobacco at that time. Ole owned three different tobacco warehouses in the city. He became one of the most important tobacco dealers in the area.
Ole Roe's Role in Stoughton
Ole K. Roe was not just a successful businessman; he was also a leader in Stoughton. He helped make decisions for the city and the state:
- In 1890, he was elected as an alderman. An alderman is like a city council member who helps run the local government.
- In 1896, he became the mayor of Stoughton. The mayor is the main leader of a city.
- In 1900, he was elected as a state legislator for the Wisconsin State Assembly. This meant he helped make laws for the entire state of Wisconsin.
Building the Ole K. Roe House
Ole bought the land for his house in 1889, just a year after moving to Stoughton. He even had the old house on the property moved away to make room. In 1891, he started building his new home. A local newspaper, The Stoughton Hub, called it "one of the finest residences in the city."
Special Features of the House
The Ole K. Roe House is 2.5 stories tall and has a unique square tower on one corner. It's made of brick, which is special because it's the only Queen Anne style brick house left in Stoughton.
- The house uses cream-colored bricks.
- It has red bricks and cut red sandstone for decoration.
- The fancy tower has a bell-shaped roof.
- Many windows have rounded tops.
- Some windows have colorful glass panes.
- Two windows even have shell designs and glass jewels!
The porch on the east side of the house still has its original wooden designs. The porch on the north side was added later, between 1912 and 1926. It replaced an older porch and is made of stucco.
Inside the house, you can find many beautiful details:
- Two fireplaces made of marble.
- Pocket doors that slide into the walls to save space.
- Inglenooks, which are cozy sitting areas built next to a fireplace.
- Many door and window frames are decorated with a special tobacco-leaf pattern. This reminds everyone of Ole Roe's business!
Later Years of the House
In 1905, Ole Roe had a stroke while traveling. He passed away in 1912. His son, Carl, and Carl's family moved into the house to live with Ole's wife. The house stayed in the Roe family until the late 1930s. Today, it remains a wonderful example of history and architecture in Stoughton.
