Join Us!

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. 

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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.