Robert M. La Follette House facts for kids
|
Robert M. La Follette House
|
|
.jpg)
Robert M. La Follette House
|
|
 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 733 Lakewood Boulevard, Maple Bluff, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Built | 1905 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000020 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | January 29, 1964 |
The Robert M. La Follette House is a special old house found at 733 Lakewood Boulevard in Maple Bluff, Wisconsin. It was the home of a very important person named Robert M. La Follette. He was a governor for Wisconsin, a member of the U.S. Congress, and even ran for president! He lived here from 1905 until he passed away in 1925. Because of its history, this house was named a National Historic Landmark in 1964.
Contents
Robert M. La Follette's Historic Home
Who Was Robert M. La Follette?
Robert M. La Follette was a famous politician from Wisconsin. He was known for his strong ideas about making things fair for everyone. He believed in what was called the "Progressive" movement. This movement aimed to fix problems in society and government.
La Follette started his political journey in 1885. He became a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was part of the Republican Party at that time. He served in Congress until 1890.
His Time as Governor and Senator
After leaving Congress, La Follette began to fight against big companies in Wisconsin. These companies had a lot of power in politics. His ideas were popular with many people. This support helped him become the Governor of Wisconsin in 1900.
As governor, La Follette wanted to make many changes. At first, the state lawmakers did not agree with his plans. But over time, some of his ideas became law. One important change was a statewide income tax. This meant people paid taxes based on how much money they earned.
In 1905, the same year he bought this house, La Follette was elected to the U.S. Senate. He stayed a senator until he died. In the Senate, he continued to support progressive ideas. He wanted to create national groups to oversee businesses. He also supported workers' unions and was against World War I.
Running for President
La Follette also thought about becoming president. He was considered a Republican candidate in 1908. Later, he ran for president as an independent candidate in the 1924 election. He won in Wisconsin and received a lot of votes across the country.
Robert M. La Follette passed away in 1925. His wife, Belle Case, and his sons, Philip and Robert Jr., also became important in Wisconsin politics.
About the La Follette House
The house in Maple Bluff was very important to La Follette's life. Before moving here, he lived in another house in Madison. His Maple Bluff home was first on a large piece of land, about 60 acres. Over time, the land around the house became smaller.
The house itself is made of brick and has two stories. It has a style called Victorian, which was popular a long time ago. It also has a special part that sticks out, called a bay, with a unique roof called a mansard roof. After La Follette died, his family continued to live in the house for many years.
