By Sam Kilgard —
As the days become shorter and the air becomes colder, many students start to look for activities that no longer require going outside in the cooling temperatures. Luckily for those students, the Wilson Place Museum will be hosting free Roaring ‘20s-themed holiday tours.
“We’re highlighting each generation of the home; this year we are focusing on the Roaring ‘20s and 30s,” said Melissa Kneeland, the museum’s director. The tours offer a unique perspective on Menomonie and what it was like to be one of the wealthiest families back in the 1920s.
The Mansion is rich with history of Menomonie and the University of Wisconsin–Stout.
“There have been three generations that have lived in the Mansion: the Wilson’s, the Stout’s and the La Pointe’s. The Roaring ‘20s theme was chosen based off of the La Pointe family, which was the last family to live in the mansion,” said Kneeland, regarding the 20s theme.
When the museum first opened in 1976 it had regular open hours, but within the past 10 years the museum has narrowed its hours down to appointments and selected events such as Christmas tours and other events.
The tour includes many artifacts from the La Pointe family such as clothing, pictures and many other items. There’s even a pair of ice skates that the La Pointe family used when they would flood the front lawn of the mansion to create an ice skating rink for the community.
The tour is a testament to the Wilson Place’s unique luxury. There are exotic African woods, elegant chandeliers and golden trimmed wallpaper.
Wilson Place is a time capsule that offers a glimpse into the rich history of Menomonie. It’s truly a must-visit.
The Wilson Place Museum, located next to the Student Health Services building, is hosting tours from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays during the first three weeks of December.