Some great news for Wausau history heads!
The Historic Preservation Commission
will hold two public hearings on February 26th (Wednesday) at 6pm at City Hall. They will also be streamed on YouTube.
These public hearings will be for the landmarking of The Little Red School House, located in Marathon Park, and St. John The Baptist Episcopal Church, located at 330 McClellan St. We will keep track on any future developments on these landmarkings
They both have great history behind them.
The Little Red Schoolhouse’s journey starts in 1895 on County Road O and County Road U as the Spooner school. It was moved to Marathon County park in 1963. It was originally painted white. The style of architecture is Front Gabled.
Since being moved to Marathon County park it’s been being used as a historical reenactment site/museum for the Marathon County Historical Society, allowing kids to experience what it was liked to be in school at the turn of the century.
This school is also a great example of an old rural school.
St. John The Baptist Episcopal
In 1858, construction of a church began but it was never completed and it was destroyed by a windstorm in 1863.
The congregation tried again and the church was built in 1867 as a wood church. In 1914 the sanctuary building was added in the style of a Tudor Revival by Zeno Speer and Harvey Swarth-out.
The first building, St. John of Wilderness (the wooden church), was moved back to the lot, it is still there but not readily recognizable.
The parish house was built in 1922 and was designed by Oppenhamer & Obel. In 1965 the rectory was remodeled into office and classroom space.
The now U shaped complex has combined many different styles of architecture. You see an English-inspired, Neo-Gothic Revival church on the east. English Tudor Revival-style is seen in the westside of the structure. The Guild Hall in the back shows a Tudor Revival-style. The Front Gabled low stone wall around the courtyard is made with locally quarried stone from Hatley.
If you think these should be landmarked by the city, show up to the public meeting next week Wednesday(February 26th) at 6pm at the city hall to voice your support.
If you can’t make it send an email with your support to the city clerk Kaitlyn Bernarde and address it to the Historic Preservation Commission at
kaitlyn.bernarde@ci.wausau.wi.us
