Wilson Place Museum facts for kids
view of the front entrance of Wilson Place Museum
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| Established | 2002 |
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| Location | 101 Wilson Circle Menomonie, Wisconsin |
| Type | Historical |
Wilson Place Museum is a special house museum located in Menomonie, Wisconsin. It's a historic home that tells the story of important families who helped build the city. This museum lets visitors step back in time. You can see what life was like for the Wilson, Stout, and LaPointe families. These families were very important in starting Menomonie, the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and the Knapp, Stout & Co. lumber company.
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History of Wilson Place
The Wilson Place Museum has a long and interesting history. The house has changed a lot over the years. It started as one style and was later remodeled into completely different looks.
Captain Wilson's Vision
The Wilson Place Museum was first built in 1859. It was the home of Captain William Wilson. He was a very important person in the area. Captain Wilson was a "lumber baron," which means he owned a large timber business. He was also the first mayor of Menomonie. Plus, he was the first state senator from this area.
The house was originally built in a style called "colonial." It was much larger back then than it is today. In 1875, Captain Wilson built a sandstone wall around his big 22-acre property. Some parts of this old wall are still standing today. The house was named Wilson Place in 1859. Captain Wilson's family kept this name for the house for many years.
The Stout Family's Changes
Captain Wilson passed away in 1892. His daughter, Angelina, then inherited the home. Angelina was married to James Huff Stout. James Stout's father was one of the original partners in the big Knapp, Stout & Co. lumber company.
The Stouts decided to make big changes to the house. They started a huge remodeling project. They made the building much larger and turned it into a grand mansion. This new style was called "Queen Anne style." The changes included adding 17 beautiful marble fireplaces. They also built a large ballroom and a fancy carved mahogany staircase. Plus, they added wrap-around porches all around the house.
The LaPointes' Modern Touch
In the early 1920s, Captain Wilson's grandson, George Wilson LaPointe, Jr., took over the home. He was also a "lumber baron," just like his grandfather. George and his wife, Irene, decided to remodel the house again.
In 1931, they made the house smaller. They reduced its size by two-thirds! They changed its style completely. It became a "Mediterranean style villa." This is the version of the building that you can see standing today.
Becoming a Museum
Irene LaPointe passed away in 1974. After that, a local couple named Jackie and John Dotseth bought the building. They didn't know about its rich history at first. They planned to use it as their retirement home.
However, the Dotseths soon learned about the house's past. They decided to open the home as a museum instead! In 2002, it officially became a non-profit museum. The Wilson Place Museum has been carefully kept as it was. It helps visitors understand the lives of the important families who lived there. It also shares the history of Menomonie and its founding.
