4414 Washington Blvd
Madison Lake, MN 56063, USA

Folk Victorian For Sale Minnesota Historic Homes

High up on a hill overlooking Lake Washington, not far from Mankato, Minnesota, a beautiful resort hotel called the Belvedere was opened to the public sometime between 1898 and 1900. It was built by Louis A. Linder, a well known businessman from Mankato. The summer hotel quickly became a vacation magnet and popular spot for honeymooners, with wealthy patrons coming from as far away as Chicago. It wasnt an easy hotel to visit in the early 1900s. Guests first arrived in the town of Mankato by train, after which they traveled by horse and buggy to Connors Farm, just across the lake from the hotel. The last leg of their trip was taken by ferry. One year in a bad storm the ferry sank, but the hotel patrons all survived. The ferry still sits on the bottom of this deep lake today. It was on a honeymoon stay at the hotel that led William and Inez Wood to purchase the building in 1921 as their summer home. They had an idea to establish a beach resort at the bottom of the hill along the lakes shoreline. With the help of their six children, Woods Beach became a spectacular beach resort and picnic grounds that attracted weekend visitors from over four counties for more than thirty years. During the 1920s and 1930s, the five Wood sons and their father constructed an amazing array of water attractions to please and entertain every member of the family: a very high slide, a lower slide, a water wheel, diving docks, rolling barrels, and rafts. It was a big operation that rented boats and canoes, and even bathing suits. Many people at that time did not ownbathing suits, so they paid ten cents to rent a scratchy woolen one, changing in a special beach house on the shores of the lake. The Beach closed down in 1948 and pieces of the original property were slowly sold off. Today, the main house remains with 300 feet of shoreline and stunning views of the lake and sunsets. The money earned from summer rentals paid for the college education of all six Woods children, all of them obtaining higher degrees and having very successful careers. Below isjust a few snippets of their lives: Delbert L. Buck Wood graduated from the St. PaulCollege of Law. He worked for the FBIfor six years duringwhich he headed up investigations of the Capone Gang and other Mafia organizations. J. Edgar Hooverawarded him three commendations for his outstandingwork in the Bureau. Harland Goff Wood attained internationalfame in biochemical research. Hisrevolutionary discovery early in his career in1935 that not only plants, but also animals andhumans utilize carbon dioxide formetabolic processes (CO2 fixation),resulted in him being nominated twice for theNobel Prize.Harland also served onthePresidents Scientific Advisory Commissionunder both Presidents Johnson and Nixon. After graduating from Macalaster College in St. Paul, Louise Wood worked with the NationalRed Cross in Europe during World War II. Based in London,she directed the USO operations for the American Red Crossfor the entire European Theater of Operations. For her effortsand accomplishments in the Red Cross, President Trumanawarded her the Medal of Freedom. Earl H. Wood was internationally celebratedin both cardiology and aerospace medicine.During WWII he was a keyfigure in the top-secret research at Mayo to develop an anti-gravity G suit, and perfected the centrifuge, as well asdeveloped the M-1 straining/ expirationmaneuver to assist pilots in maintaining consciousness when pulling high Gs. The home is currently For Sale with additional information at the property website . Used seasonally as a summer residence, the home is perfect for year round use or potential B&B, and needs updating. This historic property is looking for a preservation minded buyer who will restore the home and love it as much as the Woods family has for the last 94 years.