Knollward is a 1928 mansion in the style of a French manor house in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin which was designed by Thomas Van Alyea for Marjorie Montgomery Ward. The home was added to the Architecture and History Inventory of the Wisconsin Historical Society in 1995.
| Knollward | |
|---|---|
 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Single family home |
| Architectural style | French Provincial |
| Address | 800 N Lake Rd, Oconomowoc, WI 53066 |
| Coordinates | 43°07′12″N 88°30′01″W / 43.12°N 88.500278°W |
| Construction stopped | 1928 |
| Renovated | 1932 |
| Client | Marjorie Montgomery Ward |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 15,222-square-foot (1,414.2 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Van Alyea |
| Designations | History Inventory of the Wisconsin Historical Society |
History edit
The home in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin was designed by Milwaukee-based architect Thomas Van Alyea and Brew City artist George Spinti III, and owned by Marjorie Montgomery Ward Baker: work was completed in 1928.[1] It had 700 feet (210 m) of lake frontage on Oconomowoc's Lac LaBelle.[2] The home is known as Knollward and it is an example of architecture in the style of a French manor house. It is a 15,222-square-foot (1,414.2 m2) estate with 30 rooms which took the interior designers and other craftsmen 10 months to complete.[3] An addition was built on the home when Marjorie married Robert Baker.[4] The home has 15 bathrooms and 8 bedrooms, with one of the bathrooms featuring a dog bathtub. There is also a garage for four and one half cars. Cyril Colnik was commissioned for the iron work in the home.[1]
On February 1, 1962, the home became a home for the aged. It was purchased for $300,000 USD and operated by the Lutheran Homes Society.[2] The home was sold to private owners who renovated the mansion in the 1990s.[1] In 1995 the home was added to the Architecture and History Inventory of the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) as "800 Lake Rd". The WHS refers to the home as French provincial architecture.[5] In 2017 the Knollward Mansion was again sold to new owners.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c d Tanzilo, Bobby (27 July 2017). "Palatial Knollward Mansion is sold, doggie bathtub, zebra room and all". On Milwaukee. Archived from the original on 22 July 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ a b "$300,000 Showplace Mansion To Become a Home For The aged". The Journal Times. 29 January 1962. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ Daniels, Mary (6 September 1998). "The Grand View From Knollward". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ "Marjorie Montgomery War and Robert Baker House, "Knollward"". Society of Architectural Historians. 2021. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
- ^ "800 Lake Road". Wisconsin History. Wisconsin Historical Society. January 2012. Archived from the original on 27 October 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2022.