BEST-OF-MENOMONIE-2024

menomonie Best Of

HISTORIC WILSON PLACE WELCOMES VISITORS AGAIN 19TH-CENTURY LANDMARK HAD BEEN CLOSED TO PUBLIC FOR YEARS words by KYRA PRICE

A historic downtown Menomonie mansion that was home to three generations of lumber barons is once again open to the public. An agreement between the cur rent owner of the Wilson Place Man sion, Tim Dotseth, and the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts means the Wilson Place will be open for tours on select days and times. The reopening is viewed as a fundraising opportunity for both the Mabel Tainter and Wilson Place. “We want to raise money to help restore Wilson Place,” Mabel Tainter Execu tive Director Lucas Chase said. The privately owned mansion has been closed to the public for about five years, so for those who have not visited the Wilson Place be fore, this is an exciting opportunity. “Menomonie has a great history, and we want to share that history,” Chase said. He believes the reopening of Wilson Place offers an informative and transformative experience for locals and visitors. Wilson Place Mansion overlooks Broadway Street next to UW-Stout’s North Campus. On the outside, it may just look like a yellow build ing with vintage-style trim sitting behind a metal gate. But Wilson Place is a true relic of historical Menomonie.

WILSON PLACE TODAY

SUBMITTED PHOTO

A 1999 Dunn County News article

County Historical Society, said Wil liam Wilson was the first mayor of Menomonie and his family designed the home to look like a federal-style building. Wilson died in 1892, and the building was named after him. Wilson Place was originally built on 22 acres in 1859. It has been re modeled and expanded since then. “There were 11 marble fireplaces, stained glass, and gaming rooms,” Kneeland said. In 1897, the Stout family took possession of the mansion. They were well known for their power in the booming lumber industry. James Huff Stout – namesake of UW-Stout – was son-in-law of the previous owner. Stout and his wife, Ange lina, remodeled the house together. “There were 22 servants, 17 marble fireplaces, silk furniture. … For opu lence, there was even a room lined with leather,” Kneeland said. In the 1920s, the LaPointe fam ily took possession of the mansion. George Wilson LaPointe Jr., grand son of William Wilson, made a liv ing in the lumber industry, too. The LaPointe family reduced the overall

size of the mansion by two-thirds to better suit their style. “The mansion changed from federal style to Victo rian style,” Kneeland said. Eventu ally, it was nearly torn apart by the LaPointe family to be more modern and contemporary. Inside, Victorian style furnishing and décor inside were preserved. The Dotseth family bought Wil son Place in 1974 and the building has been privately operated as a museum since 1976. “They saw their mission to preserve that local histo ry,” she said. “All that history would otherwise be scattered to the wind.” The Wilson Place now serves as an example of a combination of his torical eras. “You can see the trans formation of the generations through the furniture and artifacts. It kind of tells the story,” Kneeland said. Upcoming tours at Wilson Place are slated for Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14-15, and Saturday and Sun day, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1. Tours will last about 1 hour, and tickets are $25 each. Find tickets by visiting ma beltainter.org and clicking on “Buy Tickets.”

noted “Wilson Place is a journey through generations. … Dating back to the Civil War era, this structure is filled with history. … Wilson Place and its contents preserve a unique local and state heritage.” The Wilson Place belonged to three generations of lumber bar ons: the Wilsons, the Stouts, and the LaPointes. It was eventually purchased by the current owners, the Dotseth family. Melissa Knee land, executive director of the Dunn

WILSON PLACE CIRCA 1910

UW-STOUT ARCHIVES

Best Of menomonie

July 25, 2024 | www.volumeone.org

6