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Knollward

Coordinates: 43°07′12″N 88°30′01″W / 43.12°N 88.500278°W / 43.12; -88.500278
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Knollward
Map
General information
TypeSingle-family home
Architectural styleFrench Provincial
Address800 N Lake Rd, Oconomowoc, WI 53066
Town or cityOconomowoc
CountryUnited States
Coordinates43°07′12″N 88°30′01″W / 43.12°N 88.500278°W / 43.12; -88.500278
Construction stopped1928
Completed1928
Renovated1932
ClientMarjorie Montgomery Ward
Technical details
Floor area15,222-square-foot (1,414.2 m2)
Design and construction
Architect(s)Thomas Van Alyea
DesignationsArchitecture and History Inventory of the Wisconsin Historical Society

Knollward is a 1928 mansion in the style of a French manor house located in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. It 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.

History

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The home in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, was designed by Milwaukee-based architect Thomas Van Alyea and Brew City artist George Spinti III, and was owned by Marjorie Montgomery Ward Baker. Construction was completed in 1928.[1] The property features 700 feet (210 m) of lake frontage on Oconomowoc's Lac LaBelle.[2] Known as Knollward, it is an example of French manor house architecture. The estate covers 15,222-square-foot (1,414.2 m2), with 30 rooms. Interior designers and craftsmen spent 10 months completing the interior.[3] An addition was made when Marjorie married Robert Baker.[4] The home includes 15 bathrooms and 8 bedrooms, one of which features a dog bathtub. There is also a garage for four and a half cars. Cyril Colnik was commissioned for the ironwork.[1]

On February 1, 1962, the home was converted into a facility for the aged. It was purchased for $300,000 USD and operated by the Lutheran Homes Society.[2] The mansion was later sold to private owners, who renovated it in the 1990s.[1] In 1995, Knollward was added to the Architecture and History Inventory of the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) as "800 Lake Rd" and is classified as French provincial architecture.[5] In 2017, the Knollward Mansion was sold to new owners.[1]

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ Daniels, Mary (6 September 1998). "The Grand View From Knollward". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 29 June 2022. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ "800 Lake Road". Wisconsin History. Wisconsin Historical Society. January 2012. Archived from the original on 27 October 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2022.