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Historic Homes of Neillsville, Wisconsin
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contact us if you have details
concerning these homes.
Click on the photos to enlarge them.
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1. August Schoengarth Home-302 Oak Street
August Schoengarth operated a brick factory,
located west of his home, which is now Tock Field. If you look
carefully, you'll notice Tock Field is at a much lower level
compared to adjacent Park Street, as this was the land used to
obtain the clay for Schoengarth's brick business. Many of the
buildings on Hewett Street have an inner core made from bricks
manufactured at Schoengarth's brick factory. The house was
built with a solid brick wall across the upper floor of this home,
which divided the maid's quarters from the dormitory where the
workers from the brick factory stayed. August's son, Oscar
Schoengarth, lived in the house just north of his father's home.
Oscar's house was wedding present from his father. In later
years, Oscar also know as O. W. Schoengarth, became a prominent and
well respected local judge. It was O. W's son, Judge Lowell
Schoengarth and wife, Virginia, who donated the land for Tock Field
to the city. Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice, Bruce Beilfuss,
Drs. Milton and Sarah Rosenkrans, and Mr. and Mrs. Norm Saracoff
were all subsequent owners. Today (2006) John and Karen Gaier
own the home.
Sketch by B. Harder
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2. Campman Home-300 Clay Street
This home was owned for many years by
William
Campman who was born in 1878. As a child, he moved to
Neillsville by stagecoach from Hatfield. In 1898, he enlisted
in the U.S. Army and fought in the Spanish-American War. In
1904, after the war was over, he went to work for the "Grow and
Schuster" law firm as an attorney. (Grow and Schuster"
eventually became the well-known Neillsville law firm of "Schuster
and Campman.") The present owners (2006) Michael and Karen
Kuchenbecker, have restored the home and it is one of Neillsville's
more attractive residences.
Sketch by B. Harder |
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3. Marsh-Grow Home-218 Clay Street.
This home was built for Lute Marsh. It
was subsequently owned by Charles F. Grow--a local attorney of the
Grow-Schuster Law firm. Mr. Grow was highly regarded as a
lawyer and civic leader. In more recent years, several
generation of the Drake family lived here. An interesting
feature of the home is the parquet flooring. The main
entrance, parlor, dinning room, living room each have a parquet
floor and each has a different design. The owners of this home
are now (2006) Jim and Charlene Arneson and they are currently
involved in restoration project.
Sketch by B. Harder |
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4. Cornelius House-118 Clay Street at the corner of 2nd and
Clay Streets
stood
the stately Cornelius house, once serving as the locality of the
Lowe Funeral Home in the late 1920s and 1930s. The large, 3-story
home featured a ballroom on the second floor which was used for
entertaining guests and on occasions, a band would be obtained so
that the guests could enjoy dancing. In 1993 it was an apartment
house. This home was later "The Hubing Apartments" and now
(2007) has yet another owner and is somewhat in need of repair.
George Hubing Home (118 Clay Street)
Charles Cornelius, a
large land owner and builder of the First National Bank of
Neillsville in 1909, built a beautiful Colonial home in 1910, with a
ballroom with squint window and cupola on third floor and solid oak
woodwork and floors throughout the entire house, in southern limits
of the city of Neillsville, at that time the handsomest residence in
Clark County, surrounded by spreading lawns, shrubbery, flowers, and
hedges with a park and fountain and pretty walks. This home is
presently owned by Mr. and Mrs. George Hubing, 118 Clay Street,
Neillsville, Wisconsin, which they purchased in 1947.
Source: 1970 Atlas of Clark County
Sketch by B. Harder. |
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5. Captain A. C. Martin-111 Clay Street
Captain A. C. Martin was born
in Norway in 1867. As a young man, he was manager of the
Connor Retail Lumber Company of Marshfield. He later managed
the company's lumber operations in Granton and Neillsville.
There are, or have been, several homes in the city that have the
same design as this house (e. g. Ewing Home on Grand Avenue).
The present owners (2007) are Dan Herbrand. They
have worked hard to restore and redecorate this home inside and out
and their effort shows.
Sketch by B. Harder.
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6. George W. Trogner House,
National Register of Historic Places
George W. Trogner arrived in Neillsville in
the fall of 1865 after observing Lee's surrender. He began his
own carpentry business and wagon shop in 1867, going on to become
Neillsville's master builder, credited with constructing many of
Neillsville's substantial homes, including his own. He also
constructed many commercial and church structures. The house
is representative of the Queen Anne style of architecture. It
exhibits the strong influence of Charles Eastlake, with its ornate
detailing, almost lace like in nature. Trogner created a
variety of elaborate embossed woodwork, utilizing a different wood
variety in each room on the first floor. This home is currently
(2007) owned by Trink, widow of
Doc Donald Jenkins.
Clip #1;
Sketch by B. Harder.
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7. Mahar/Bruley/Dewhurst House (ca.
1878-1882); aka "Tufts Museum"
William Mahar was operating a stage line, when
he built the north portion of this house.
Emery Bruley, a
blacksmith, inventor and haberdasher, added the south portion of the
house in 1885. Bruley duplicated the Italianate architectural
details adding additional Queen Anne embellishments. Lumber
baron, banker, and state legislator, Richard Dewhurst, purchased the
home in 1886. Dewhurst added the tower roof to the north
angled bay and the Colonial Revival Porch with Porte-cochere.
Sketch by B. Harder.
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8. James L. Gates House (ca 1872-1876)
James L. Gates was one of the largest pineland holders
in the U.S.A. in the late 1800's. Most of his 800,000 acres
were located in Wisconsin and Florida. Gates also operated the
largest mercantile in Neillsville and erected two brick buildings.
The Gothic Revival style house was built before 1876. The
gable end verge boards exhibit detailing created with the newly
perfected scroll saw. When built, the front facade did not
have a porch, the prairie style porch was added at a later time.
Sketch by B. Harder.
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9. James Sturdevant-29 Hewett Street
This home was built for James Sturdevant in 1857.
Subsequently, it was owned by Daniel Gates. J. W. Mason
purchased the home in 1886. In 1889, Mary Jane (McMahon)
Huntzicker purchased the residence following the death of her
husband, Jacob Huntzicker of Greenwood, and moved in with her
children.
In December of 1891,
the house was the setting for her marriage to
Homer Root, a colorful Neillsville attorney. They lived in the house until 1920. She was
an energetic lady, constantly organizing meetings at 29 Hewett for
everything from clothing-drives for the needy to spiritualist
meetings. In 1920 they moved to the bungalow Homer Root built at 313
Hewett. Mary Jane Root died there in 1927. (source:
Cecily Cook,
g-g granddaughter of Jacob Huntzicker).
In 1920, Jewel and Cad Neverman purchased the
home. The Nevermans are well remembered grocery merchants
having a business on Hewett Street where the Neillsville
Professional Building is now (2007) located. Another owner of
the home was Mrs. Charles (Lila) Hubing.
Sketch by B. Harder.
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~Continue~
Contributors:
Cecily Cook,
Judy Hansen,
Dolores Kenyon,
Carol Mitte,
Neillsville
Historic Preservation Commission, Erdine Payne,
Bill Roberts.
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