Rain, cold, and grey skies won’t stop us from wandering out this Tuesday for another look at Wausau Historic Architecture Tuesday (WHAT!). By request, today we feature another Wright (no Frank Lloyd with this one), this time at 901 6th Street.
Historically, this house is known as the Ely (born 1838) and Ella (born 1840) Wright home. Built in 1881, the home was part of a brand new neighborhood at the time, surrounding the new high school (which was built on the edge of town). Ely was one of the owners of the P.G. Murray Iron Works. Ella and Ely had six children.
The home is a fine example of Italianate style, with many details traditionally associated with the style, including a vertical orientation, tall windows with decorative caps/surrounds on each one (a vine in this case), a low-pitched roof that overhangs the structure, and decorative brackets along the roofline (including a more ornate bracket at each corner). A one-story bay window can be seen on the north side.
The covered front entrance is supported by four Tuscan columns (plain in design and stout in shape). Above the door an elliptical fan light is featured, and sidelights are seen on each side.
One of the most prominent features is, of course, the rectangular cupola on the top. This can also be called a “belvedere” (coming from the Italian for “beautiful view”). The windows on each side of this cupola most certainly do provide a stunning view of Wausau.
This home was designed by architect John Mercer, who was also a cabinetmaker by trade. He was considered one of Wausau’s most prominent architects, having designed several other buildings including the Plumer house and First National Bank. He was born in Canada and came to Wausau via Saginaw, Michigan; Superior, Wisconsin; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. He remained in Wausau until his unexpected death in July of 1894. He and his wife had just finished dinner and were reading a letter from their son in Brazil when he suddenly passed with no warning.
The building remained a private residence for most of its existence, having been owned by several other prominent families, including Guy Gooding, president of the Wisconsin Box Company, and his wife, Polly. In 2006, it became the Wright Place, a fine dining establishment (with an apartment on the second floor). The restaurant closed in 2012, and it became the Centre for Well Being in about 2014.
