LIVING HERE
The Webster House in Elkhorn has reopened in a grand way for the first time since 2019.
This Walworth County iconic landmark has gone back even farther in history with a change in style to replicate what life really was like in the days of the Webster family. It was possibly even a stop on the Underground Railroad. The home was originally built in 1836, where Veteran’s Park currently exists as the local land office during Wisconsin’s territorial years. The house was used as the federal land grant office, selling land to pioneers before Wisconsin became a state. It was also used for court cases by the district judge until a real courthouse was built a few years later. Then in the 1850s, it was moved to its current location, being rolled atop big logs across town. That is when the noted Civil War musician, Joseph Philbrick Webster, took ownership of the house.
The Webster House has been closed since 2019 due to the pandemic so those involved made the most of that time and did a makeover to give the museum a cleaning and a more accurate and appropriate look. The house previously held historical artifacts, memorabilia, and extra items for the displays. That part has been moved to the Walworth County Historical Society’s home. Now the Webster House is ready to be toured and visitors can see what it was like when the Webster family lived there. The table settings are in place, the music room has been reorganized, the bedrooms are set up from when people lived there, and the downstairs summer kitchen is in order, as it was in the 1800s. Everything has been recreated to be like it was when the house was filled with people and memories were being made. The ‘annex’ to the Webster House still houses preserved animals, an old-fashioned spinning wheel, Native American artifacts, and much more. Tours are available Fridays, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Admission is $5, or $4, if you live and can prove your residence in Walworth County.
Business Of The Week
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