The Wrolstad-Quien House
Victorian House Tour and Christmas
Craft Show
Sat/Sun Dec 7 & 8 - 10a until 5p
255 Mill St. - Scandinavia, WI 54977
In the 1850s Norwegian immigrants received land parcels from
the U.S. government. They cleared the land and settled in the a community they named Scandinavia,
Wisconsin located on the South Branch of the Little Wolf River. They became farmers, loggers, and tradesmen.
April 28, 1854 a group of Norwegian settlers gathered for a
meeting in the cabin of Hans Jacob Eliason to discuss what to name their
village. One man suggested Danger, using
the name of the Eidanger Parish in Norway where many of the settlers came
from. Much to their surprise a Swedish attorney present Mr. Dreutzer informed the group 'Danger"
in English means Dangerous Town. Before
the evening was over, the group agreed to name their village Scandinavia.
***
Saturday and Sunday, Dec 7 & 8, you can tour my home--the John
Wrolstad Victorian house at 255 Mill St., in Scandinavia from 10a until
5p. The home was built in 1893 by
Norwegian immigrant John Olson Wrolstad, on land originally acquired by
Norwegian immigrant Peter Christiansen Gurholt in 1854.
Original homeowner Wrolstad served in the U.S. Civil War and
owned a successful logging business and flour mill. Second owners were Thomas and Maren Quien
family who owned the house for 90 years. Currently the house is owned by Jon and Linda Durrant who restored the
house over 8 eight years.
During the tour, you can review the house's Queen Anne architecture--wrap
around front porch, turned columns, bay windows, cutaways, and corbels. The house has faux bois woodwork--considered
lavish at that time, having artisans paint woodwork to look like quarter sawn
oak, walnut, and mahogany.
Windows and
door frames are decorated with Eastlake spoon carved flower blocks, fluted
rails and stiles. You'll see original
pocket doors, fancy wood spandrels, etched glass doors with herons, and a
stairway stained glass window filtering colorful lights on the foyer
floor.
Jon and I invite you to join us Dec 7 & 8 to
celebrate our Victorian house's 126th birthday, with refreshments, and a
Christmas Craft Show on site, featuring handmade items for sale.
Quilts, purses, loomed rugs, chocolates, vintage and antique sewing machines, jewelry, Christmas decorations, fresh bakery fancy aprons, teas, infused oils, jams, jellies, salsas, pickles and much more. Plenty of Parking. A $2 per person admission at the door goes directly to the Humane Society of Waupaca County.
While visiting Scandinavia, Wisconsin--our local businesses welcome you for lunch and more Christmas shopping on Main Street: Sliced (pizza), ScandiHus, Trout Bum Bakery, Country Chic Boutqiue, and Adeline's Antiques.