Onon B. and Betsy Dahle House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Onon B. and Betsy Dahle House
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | 10779 Evergreen Ave. Daleyville, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 1.3 acres (0.53 ha) |
| Built | 1864 |
| Architectural style | Italianate/Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 08000322 |
| Added to NRHP | April 16, 2008 |
The Onon B. and Betsy Dahle House is a historic home built in 1864. It's located in Daleyville, Wisconsin, a small community within the town of Perry, Wisconsin. This house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008 because of its special design and history. It shows a mix of Greek Revival and Italianate styles.
Contents
The Dahle Family Story
Onon Dahle's Early Life and Adventures
Onon Bjornson Dahle was born in 1823 in Upper Telemark, Norway. He went to school to become a teacher and taught for six years. In 1848, he moved to America.
Onon first taught school in Norwegian near Christiana. He also worked on farms and cut wood. In 1850, Onon and his brother went on an exciting trip. They traveled west with oxen to find gold in California. Onon later called this journey "hungry horrors." They did find some gold and returned to the Midwest in 1851.
Building a Community in Wisconsin
In 1853, Onon and his brother Tarjie settled in a new Norwegian community in Perry. Onon bought land on a ridge. It wasn't the best for farming, but it was a great spot for a trading center. He built a store and a log cabin there. He also started a private mail service, bringing mail seven miles from Blue Mounds once a week.
Onon became very successful. In 1854, he married Betsy Nelson. That same year, he was elected to several important roles for the new Town of Perry. He became the first town clerk, town treasurer, justice of the peace, and superintendent of schools. Around this time, Onon also helped start the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church in Perry.
The Historic Dahle House
In 1863, Onon built the house we see today. It has a special T-shape design. The front part of the house is two stories tall. Its walls are made of large, cut limestone blocks. The windows are placed evenly around the front door.
The house mainly shows the Greek Revival style. This style was popular in America and looks like ancient Greek temples. But the house also has fancy double brackets under the roof's edge. These are from the Italianate style, which adds a touch of elegance. Behind the main part, there's a one-and-a-half-story wing. Its roof extends to cover a porch on each side. Inside, the house has shiny wood floors and smooth plaster walls.
Behind the house, Onon also built a one-story barn around 1870. Its walls are made of vertical wooden boards.
Later Years and Legacy
Onon Dahle lived in the house and ran his store until he retired in 1895. He and Betsy then moved to Mount Horeb, where they both passed away in 1905. The community where Onon started his store and lived for many years is now called Daleyville. It was named in his honor.
Other homes belonging to the Dahle family are also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Henry L. and Sarah Dahle House and the Herman B. and Anne Marie Dahle House in Mount Horeb. Onon and Betsy's son, Herman, even became a member of the United States House of Representatives.
