Fond du Lac Convention &
Visitors Bureau's Visitor Information Center. Please stop in between
8am and 5pm, Mon-Fri, or Sat Memorial Day Weekend through October, 9am
to 1 pm for additional information on Fond du Lac's attractions, tours,
recreation and special events. Because of parking considerations
at the Painted Lady, site #11, radio transmission is heard from this transmitter.
One of Wisconsin's most
beautiful parks. This 400 acre showplace, which had its beginning
back in the 1890s, is located along the southern edge of Lake Winnebago.
Summertime brings brilliant flower displays, special events, and festivals.
Children of all ages visit the petting zoo, rent aqua bikes, bumper boats,
and canoes, ride the miniature train, enjoy the playground and the old
fashioned carousel. Fishing charters and boaters launch from 18 free
ramps!
A memorial of those who
served in the war with Spain in 1898. A tablet, made of the metal
recovered from the battleship, honors the memory of those aboard the U.S.S.
Maine when it was sunk.
This added attraction stands
in all its glory as a reminder of the city's early days as a railroad center.
The 1911 steam locomotive is admired and photographed by visitors.
One of the few authentic,
wooden merry-go-rounds left in Wisconsin. Built out East in the 1920s
by the Allen Herchel Co., all the animals were wooden pegged and fashioned
without nails. Sam Costas bought it from the Jack Vomberg Carnival
in 1946, and after three years of renovation used it at his outdoor theater.
In the early 1950s Donald Duck was added. Costas moved the carousel
to Sam's Beer Hut in 1955 where it gave 180,000 rides the first year.
It used light bulbs rather than neon and is still operated by a simple
clutch mechanism and two gears.
Treasured landmark that
was built in 1933. Gradually through the years it has become the
symbol for the city. Of "Cape Cod" design, the lighthouse stands
40 feet, has eight sides and a 10 foot foundation of flagstone and concrete.
In September of 1932, lumber man W.J. Nuss made an offer to the city, with
help from architect Roger Sutherland, to erect a lighthouse at the entrance
of the harbor. When accepted, all materials for the construction
of the lighthouse were supplied by private donors and the construction
was completed by the unemployed in May of 1933, during the Depression.
The cornerstone was laid July 10, 1933 and in October the stairs were altered
to allow the public to climb to the top. Open seasonally to the public.
Given to the city by William
McDermott in 1900. The bandstand is octagon shaped, 24 feet across,
and 30 feet tall. According to original plans it was to be topped
by a 12 foot flagpole. The platform was elevated 8 feet with a liberal
amount of ornamentation. It was named in honor of bandleader Joseph
Schmitz, who conducted many concerts there for Lakeside Park visitors.
The bandstand received national attention in 1959 when it was pictured
in the Sunday Evening Post.
St. Louis catholic Church
congregation was organized by French settlers in 1862. This church's
distinctive twin spires are French reminders of the virtues of temperance
and fortitude. A church of deep local roots and antiquity.
St. Louis has a formative place in Fond du Lac's religious history.
Aetna No. 5 Fire Station.
Architecture of the Mediterranean tradition typified by its tall campanile.
The name "Aetna" was used by fire stations at this time for it was the
name of a volcanic mountain in Sicily. The bell tower is inscribed
with the date 1878. The tower, besides housing the bell, was for
observation and hanging fire hoses to dry. Designed by Fond du Lac
architect T.H. Green. The building is now used for offices and apartments,
and is the home of Talking House. Cover illustration.
Italianate quarried stone
house dating back to the mid-1800s. Original home of Robert Baker,
proprietor of the Farmers and Merchants Bank. highlighted by an open,
cherry wood staircase, marble fireplaces, and and original chandelier.
The original home included a west wing which was destroyed by a fire in
the early 1900s.
Modified Italianate Colonial
style with Federal style Porch, which has clustered Doric columns.
The owner was Mrs. E.A. (Carrie T.) Galloway of Galloway West (major cheese
factory), and Galloway Lumber. Well cared for fence and grounds add
to the charm of this unusual and lovely two-story home.
Queen Anne style with turreted
Norman towers. Houses painted this way with several colors were referred
to as "Painted Ladies." The original builder and owner was Rudolph
Ebert. Later owned by Charles Hastings, president of Fond du Lac
Tent & Awning in 1907, and William J. Nuss of Nuss Lumber & Supply
Co. The present owners have renovated the house and the exterior
has four shades of pink. Inside each room has its own unique woodwork
featuring different woods, and there are 8 fireplaces. Because of
parking considerations, radio transmission of this house may be heard at
19 West Scott Street (#1 stop on the tour).
Queen Anne style with large
round corner turret. Original owner was William McDermott.
He established an insurance business in 1867, by 1880 he owned 14 companies
and was a member of the Board of Education. In 1900 McDermott gave
the Lakeside Park bandstand to the city of Fond du Lac. It was later,
in 1926, occupied by the Edwin Galloway family.
Victorian style with cornices
under eaves along with decorative lintels above the windows. German
woodcarving experts were brought to the city to beautify the structure.
The original owner, in 1877, was John Amory who manufactured guns with
T.S. Weeks. John, a millionaire, was the biggest taxpayer in Fond
du Lac, and one of Fond du Lac's most active developers. In 1856
he developed the downtown Amory block; 1866-1867 the Post Office block,
and in 1872-1873 the stores south of the Amory block. Fond du Lac
Bishop Charles Grafton later acquired the residence and in 1890 began bringing
The Sisterhood of Holy Nativity to work here. The Holy Nativity convent
addition was built in the rear in 1904.
Victorian elegance with
all the modern conveniences, the Ramada Hotel was built by Walter Schroeder,
the well-known owner of the Schroeder Hotel in Milwaukee. Originally
called the Retlaw, "Walter" spelled backwards. Over the years it
has lured famous travelers who recognized not only its beauty but a tradition
of first class hospitality. 132 guest rooms, a beautifully restored
ballroom, dining room, lounges, pool, and excellent health facilities.
J.D. Finnegan's historic
Schmidt "Sample Room" was the scene of a brief Carry Nation hatchet swinging
episode on July 18, 1902, the result of a comment on her lecture about
the evils of liquor and tobacco. The building was originally a bank
with quarried stone from the old Moore Quarry in Fond du Lac.
St. Paul's Cathedral Church
is a sight-seeing must for those interested in old church lore. Colorful
vestments and unique wood carvings now considered one of the finest unified
collections from Oberammergau, Germany, in the United States. A rare
sight in any country, this impressive Gothic stone cathedral, with its
beautiful stained glass windows, has been attracting visitors for many
years. Tours by appointment only. Call (920) 921-3363.
Merrill Institute.
A red brick structure built as an outstanding school for young ladies,
now an apartment house. A monument to Fond du Lac's early dedication
to good education.
This Civil War Statue is
showcased in Veterans Park. Erected in 1902. Built in front
of the original courthouse and dedicated to the memory of the brave men
of Fond du Lac County who, to save the Union, fought victoriously on land
and sea in the great struggle of the Civil War of 1861-1865. The
statue was financed by Mark R. Harrison, GAR Post, Louis Manderschied,
John D. Coon, Theodore Herrling and the County of Fond du Lac. In
the fall of 1981 the old courthouse was raised and the property was developed
for a Veterans Park. The gardens and walkways are the setting for
civic and social celebrations.
Octagon House. Authentic
Orson Fowler design, built by Isaac Brown in 1856. Once believed
to be a point on the "underground railroad" although the secret walls and
escape routes were probably used for other purposes. A nostalgia
shop and an antique and gift shop are in the Carriage House. Open
for groups of 12 or more by reservation only, and holiday special events
throughout the year. (920) 922-1608.
The Postilion. Gray
framed Italianate style, shaded by large oak trees. The Postilion
School of Culinary Arts trains chefs and culinary specialists. Madame
Kuony's condiments are sold in gourmet shops at Marshall Fields, Nieman-Marcus,
department stores and specialty shops throughout the nation. This
home has a long heritage and once was owned by the pioneer Darling family.
Dr. Mason Darling played a major role in the planning and development of
Fond du Lac.
Historic Galloway House
& Village. Thirty room, four fireplace, stately white clapboard
Victorian mansion with its contrasting red shingled roof contains an multitude
of Italianate details. The original house was owned by Selim Newton.
In 1868, Edwin H. Galloway bought the house and remodeling was completed
in 1880. Edwin H. Galloway came to Fond du Lac in 1854 and engaged
in the lumber trade until 1866. He was a principal stockholder of
Fond du Lac Savings and Loan and held the office of Mayor and Treasurer
of Fond du Lac, and also was a representative to the Wisconsin State Legislature.
This land and house were given to the Fond du Lac County Historical Society
in 1954 by the late Edwin P. Galloway and the late Teresa Galloway Ebernau,
grandchildren of Edwin H. Galloway. It was opened to the public in
1956. Edwin used to drop by for a visit at the home and reminisce
about his memories of the home. Now a part of the famous historic
Galloway House and Village, the home is open daily, Memorial Day Weekend
through Labor Day Weekend, and weekends in September. 10am to 5pm.
Gate closed at 4pm. The home is surrounded by 23 authentic structures
such as a photographer's shop, country store, early newspaper, and church
depicting the lifestyle of the turn-of-the-century. A National Registered
Historic Landmark.
Upright and Wing Greek Revival
style with Victorian porch and characterized by gingerbread trim.
Original owner was John martin who was a prominent farmer and stock trader,
and also a co-founder of First National Bank.
Victorian. Known as
the Stanchfield Place. Constructed in stages by george and Samuel
Stanchfield from 1850 to 1876. The home now has 23 rooms, with meticulous
remodeling having added to its stature as a fine example of Italianate
architecture.
A lovely brick home with some
of the original outbuildings, one of which was a hexagonal library.
Built for John B. Macy, a prominent landowner and developer, who owned
much property in the central part of the city. Founder of the Rock
River Valley Union Railroad which was the beginning of the Chicago &
Northwestern system, Macy represented Wisconsin in Congress from 1853 to
1855. His home was a showplace and his name became a synonym for
hospitality for many of Fond du Lac's most influential early settlers including
territorial Governor Nathaniel Tallmadge.
HISTORY OF FOND
DU LAC More than 200 years ago French explorers
established an isolated trading post on the southern shores of lake Winnebago,
one of the largest inland bodies of water within the boundaries of any
state in the nation. They named it Fond du Lac because of its location
at the "far end of the lake." However, with the city's modern role
as the gateway to the Fox River Valley, Fond du Lac today is referred to
as "First on the Lake." By 1837, Fond du Lac's population numbered
only about 15 persons. But growth then came at a steady pace with
many settlers arriving from the East. When Wisconsin was granted
statehood in 1848, Fond du Lac ranked as the state's second largest city.
With the building of lumber mills during the mid-1800s, the city continued
to flourish. Added impetus came from the railroads which streamed
through the city. There were ups and downs n the local economy, but
those who prospered enjoyed the good life and often built impressive homes.
Today many of these still stand, and some have been restored to their original
beauty. Often these structures are all that lingers of people who,
in their time, were colorful leaders of business, industry, and politics,
and were well-known beyond community boundaries.
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