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. A house museum is like a time capsule! It's a historic house that has been kept just as it was, so visitors can see what life was like for the families who lived there long ago. This museum tells the story of important families who helped build Menomonie.
Contents
The Museum's Story
Building a Dream Home
The story of Wilson Place Museum began in 1859. That's when Captain William Wilson built the house. He was a very important person in the area. Captain Wilson was a successful businessman who worked with lumber. He was also the first mayor of Menomonie. Plus, he was the first state senator for the area!
When it was first built, the house looked very different. It was in the Colonial style. It was also much larger than the building you see today. In 1875, Captain Wilson built a sandstone wall around his huge 22-acre property. Some parts of this old wall are still standing today! The house was named Wilson Place in 1859, and this name stayed with it.
A Grand Remodel
Captain Wilson passed away in 1892. His daughter, Angelina, then took over the home. Angelina was married to James Huff Stout. James was the son of Henry L. Stout, who was one of the original partners of the Knapp, Stout & Co. Company. This company was very important for the lumber industry.
Angelina and James Stout decided to make big changes to the house. They expanded it into a huge mansion! They used the beautiful Queen Anne style. This amazing remodel added 17 marble fireplaces. Imagine that! They also added a grand ballroom and a fancy carved mahogany staircase. Plus, there were wrap-around porches all around the house.
A New Look for the 1930s
Later, in the early 1920s, Captain Wilson's grandson took over the home. His name was George Wilson LaPointe, Jr. He was also a successful businessman in the lumber industry. George and his wife, Irene, decided to remodel the house again.
In 1931, they made a very big change. They actually made the house smaller! They reduced its size by two-thirds. They also changed its style completely. It became a beautiful Mediterranean style villa. This is the version of the building that you can see today.
Becoming a Museum
Irene LaPointe passed away in 1974. After that, a local couple named Jackie and John Dotseth bought the building. At first, they didn't know much about its long history. They planned to use it as their retirement home.
However, the Dotseths soon learned about the house's amazing past. They decided to open it as a museum instead! In 2002, it officially became a non-profit museum. This means it's run for the public good, not to make money. The Wilson Place Museum helps visitors learn about the lives of the Wilson, Stout, and LaPointe families. These families were very important. They helped found Menomonie, the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and the famous Knapp, Stout & Co. lumber company. The museum also shares the wider history of Menomonie.
