George White House
In December of 1847, before there was a Minnesota, Stillwater was the county seat of St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory. A group of Stillwater citizens approached the St. Croix County Board requesting a county courthouse be built in Stillwater, thereby assuring Stillwaters continued prominence in the area. The Board agreed, an appeal for money took place, and John McKusick donated a building lot. Jacob Fisher was authorized to build a new courthouse on Chestnut Hill in the location of todays homes at 225 West Chestnut and 205 West Chestnut._x000D_ _x000D_ However, there was a delay in construction when residents of the other communities in the county spoke up, lobbying for a courthouse in their locales. But by 1849, the county courthouse was standing on the southwest corner of Fourth and Chestnut Streets. _x000D_ _x000D_ In 1870, a "new" courthouse, now commonly referred to as The Historic Courthouse, overlooked Stillwater from Pine and Third Streets. The "old" courthouse at Fourth and Chestnut Streets did not fare well: by 1884, it was a boarding house, and by 1891 it had been abandoned, to be demolished by 1898._x000D_ _x000D_ But in the meantime, part of the old courthouse lot at Chestnut and Fourth Streets had been sold to local attorney Thomas Lecky, who over a period of years, managed to piece together a buildable size lot of 150 feet by 50 feet. This he sold to George R. White, an investor from Boston, in 1883, and in 1894 White had a $1,550 residence at 225 West Chestnut constructed on the lot--a house, which has remained almost unchanged to this day._x000D_ _x000D_ White did not live in the house; instead it appears he rented it out--probably as investment property. In 1900, the residents were David Blakeny, his wife, Faith, their three children, and a servant, Charlotte Martinson. David was a ticket agent at the Union Depot in downtown Stillwater._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1910, the residents were Harry C. Robertson, an executive at the First National Bank, and his wife, Ann, a daughter of prominent lumberman, Isaac Staples. With them are three children: Harry, Ruth, and Lowell, and Irene Anderson, an 18-year-old servant girl. Within a year, the Robertsons moved next door to 208 South Fourth Street._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1916, the home was sold to John Muckenhausen, and since that date, there have been only three subsequent owners. The present owners, Micky Cook and Jim Martin purchased the home in 1993. Concerned about maintaining the historic integrity of the house, they took extra care and expense to insure the screened porch was rebuilt to the same appearance and specifications as the original porch. Micky took office as a Stillwater councilmember for Ward 2 in January 2009._x000D_ _x000D_ The characteristics that define this compact Queen Anne style home include multiple gables, fish scale shingles on the second floor, matching return eaves on the north portico and north gable, an asymmetrical porch, and spindlework on the north entrance.
George White House
In December of 1847, before there was a Minnesota, Stillwater was the county seat of St. Croix County, Wisconsin Territory. A group of Stillwater citizens approached the St. Croix County Board requesting a county courthouse be built in Stillwater, thereby assuring Stillwaters continued prominence in the area. The Board agreed, an appeal for money took place, and John McKusick donated a building lot. Jacob Fisher was authorized to build a new courthouse on Chestnut Hill in the location of todays homes at 225 West Chestnut and 205 West Chestnut._x000D_ _x000D_ However, there was a delay in construction when residents of the other communities in the county spoke up, lobbying for a courthouse in their locales. But by 1849, the county courthouse was standing on the southwest corner of Fourth and Chestnut Streets. _x000D_ _x000D_ In 1870, a "new" courthouse, now commonly referred to as The Historic Courthouse, overlooked Stillwater from Pine and Third Streets. The "old" courthouse at Fourth and Chestnut Streets did not fare well: by 1884, it was a boarding house, and by 1891 it had been abandoned, to be demolished by 1898._x000D_ _x000D_ But in the meantime, part of the old courthouse lot at Chestnut and Fourth Streets had been sold to local attorney Thomas Lecky, who over a period of years, managed to piece together a buildable size lot of 150 feet by 50 feet. This he sold to George R. White, an investor from Boston, in 1883, and in 1894 White had a $1,550 residence at 225 West Chestnut constructed on the lot--a house, which has remained almost unchanged to this day._x000D_ _x000D_ White did not live in the house; instead it appears he rented it out--probably as investment property. In 1900, the residents were David Blakeny, his wife, Faith, their three children, and a servant, Charlotte Martinson. David was a ticket agent at the Union Depot in downtown Stillwater._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1910, the residents were Harry C. Robertson, an executive at the First National Bank, and his wife, Ann, a daughter of prominent lumberman, Isaac Staples. With them are three children: Harry, Ruth, and Lowell, and Irene Anderson, an 18-year-old servant girl. Within a year, the Robertsons moved next door to 208 South Fourth Street._x000D_ _x000D_ In 1916, the home was sold to John Muckenhausen, and since that date, there have been only three subsequent owners. The present owners, Micky Cook and Jim Martin purchased the home in 1993. Concerned about maintaining the historic integrity of the house, they took extra care and expense to insure the screened porch was rebuilt to the same appearance and specifications as the original porch. Micky took office as a Stillwater councilmember for Ward 2 in January 2009._x000D_ _x000D_ The characteristics that define this compact Queen Anne style home include multiple gables, fish scale shingles on the second floor, matching return eaves on the north portico and north gable, an asymmetrical porch, and spindlework on the north entrance.
Posted Date
Sep 27, 2021
Source Name
Heirloom Homes and Landmark
