September 24, 2014 at 1:15 p.m.
Courthouse neighborhood provides glimpse into Rhinelander's early years
Courthouse neighborhood provides glimpse into Rhinelander's early years
By By Kyle Rogers-
Nearly 130 years later, the courthouse site is the epicenter of "old Rhinelander." The neighborhood surrounding the courthouse contains some of the city's oldest homes, several built in the 1890s when Rhinelander was in the midst of the logging boom and experiencing considerable growth. Recently some of those homes were opened to the public as part of the Rhinelander Historic Preservation Commission's tour of homes. Amidst modern furnishings like updated kitchen appliances and flatscreen TVs are a lot of original features that provide a glimpse into the lives of Rhinelander residents during the city's early years. The following historical information was compiled from books on Oneida County history, handouts distributed during the tour and information from homeowners.
4 N. Oneida Avenue:
Built by pharmacist Dr. Fred Hinman in 1892, this home is an example of the Queen Anne style of architecture that was popular in the United States until the early 1900s. A key element of that architectural style was large, wrap-around porches. The home no longer has its wrap-around porch, but it retains some unique features one is unlikely to see elsewhere. Behind the house sits the original horse stable (now more of a small garage), and on the north side of the home still stands a hitching post.
There are raised steps leading up to a door on that side of the home, another sign of 1800s transportation. The carriage would pull up alongside the house and the elevated steps allowed its passengers to go from carriage to house without having to step down.
106 N. Pelham Street:
Another example of the Queen Anne style, this home was built some time prior to 1894, around the time its first owner, Stephen H. Alban, started a law practice in town. Walter Brown, owner of the Rhinelander Building Supply Company, bought the home in 1930 and his son, Elting, lived in it until his death in 1984. Elting was the last Brown in Rhinelander, the family that was so instrumental in first establishing the city. The home has had only two owners since Elting's death and still retains many of its original features - wood floors, interior French doors, 100-year-old kitchen cabinets - that accompany some recent improvements such as a sunroom that was added about 10 years ago.
119 E. Frederick Street:
This home was built in 1894 for William W. Fenelon and his wife, Mary. Fenelon was owner of the Crane, Fenelon and Co. General Store. William was killed by an out-of-town traveler following a dispute in 1900, but his wife continued to live in the home until her death in 1941. It has had several owners since, but has always remained within the family.
231 E. Rives Street:
This home was built in the early 1890s by Levi and Leora Billings. Levi was Oneida County's first district attorney, and the home is yet another example of Queen Anne style architecture. It still has its wrap-around porch, which was added around 1910, the period when the popularity of that architectural style was beginning to come to an end. Other original features of the home include the interior woodwork and the unique stained-glass windows. The original wood cook stove is still in the house as well, and used on occasion. The layout of the home also provides some insight into 19th century life. Upon first entering the home one sees a large, open parlor area, which is where much of the socializing would have occurred. That area was also designed for purposes such as funeral viewings, back in a time when such things occurred in the home rather than a funeral home.
306 Dahl Street:
Though it is decades younger than some of its neighbors, this home holds the distinction of being the only residence in the city officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built for Solon and Mathilda Sutliff in 1923, it is also unique because of its architectural style: Mediterranean Revival, Italian Renaissance variant. It only had one other owner besides the Sutliffs when Pat LaPorte purchased it 20 years ago. It was being rented out and had lost its original luster. LaPorte took care of that, and in 2009 she sought the official historical designation for the home. Tile and wood floors in the home are all original, as are several other interior features. LaPorte said because of the level of craftsmanship and the materials used, the home likely took two or three years to build when it was erected nearly a century ago. Solon Sutliff originally came to Rhinelander in 1904 and worked as a traveling salesman for the Brown Brothers Lumber Company. He established the Rhinelander Lumber and Coal Company four years later and also eventually platted two subdivisions in town.
Sutliff's story is typical of the kind you see behind the historic homes in the courthouse neighborhood. The neighborhood is the seed from which Rhinelander grew and it has been home to the people who had a hand in making the city what it is today - businessmen, doctors, lawyers and judges. Fortunately, many of those structures are still standing. For example, the house at 204 Court Park, built around 1890, was lived in by Dr. Thomas McIndoe, the first doctor to move to Rhinelander, and his family. The home at 229 Elm Court was constructed in 1906 for Dr. Alfred Daniels, founder of Daniels Manufacturing (now Printpack). A walk through the courthouse neighborhood is a glimpse into Rhinelander's beginnings.
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