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licensed real estate salesperson
Tlf.: +11 111 111 111
jhondoe@realestate.com
www.loremipsum.com
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john doe
licensed real estate salesperson
Tlf.: +11 111 111 111
jhondoe@realestate.com
www.loremipsum.com
___
location
address line 1
address line 2
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location
address line 1
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Morgan House
The Morgan House was the residence of John R. and Eleanor Morgan along with their three children. The Morgans accumulated wealth in the booming lumber industry of Oshkosh. To reflect their social status, they hired Adam Bell and Edwin Cole to design and build this Queen Anne style home in 1884. The home featured modern conveniences of that time like hot and cold running water, electric bells, a laundry room and a steam boiler heating system. The residence cost a staggering $12,000 to build at that time equal to about $300,000 today. The Morgan House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
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Every inch of Morgan’s home is a work of craftsmanship. These stained-glass windows are original as are several other leaded glass windows in the home. An Oshkosh Daily Northwestern article from December 1884 describes the windows being fitted with French glass and “ornamented with heavy carving.” It is also interesting to note that the original window blinds were made of cherry wood and not the usual pine. The Morgans spared no expense.
When the Morgan House was built in the late nineteenth century, horse-drawn carriages were considered a luxury in a time where dirt roads were customary. The Morgan carriage step (pictured here) would also help them travel with ease. This personalized stone was once positioned near the street and was used as a stepping stone when getting in and out of carriages. This stone was removed from the property by a Morgan descendant years ago but donated back in 2013.
Are you wondering what this hole is for? Speaking tubes are found here in the dining room, but in no other room in the house. These tubes were an early version of a home intercom. The other ends of these speaking tubes have been removed or covered, however they were used by the Morgans to communicate with hired staff in other rooms-possibly the kitchen, basement laundry room or upstairs servant’s quarters.
The use of steam to heat a private home was relatively new technology in 1884. Two local contractors were hired to install the home’s steam heating system. The boiler and copper chimney flue were manufactured and installed by Martin T. Battis who owned Union Steam Boiler Works located on the corner of Pearl and Market streets. Charles L. Rundle furnished and installed all of the radiators and fitted the steam pipes. He was a plumber by trade and ran a business on the 400 block of N. Main Street. Rundle likely plumbed the gas lines for the gas-lit lamps, lead water pipes and sewer lines in the Morgan House, too.
The ladies parlor, with its decorative style, likely served as a showcase for the Morgan family’s most beautiful homemade arts and crafts. The room features Lincrusta wallpaper, birdseye maple woodworks, and a hand painted ceiling. The room also has a gas fireplace that was manufactured in the Bell & Cole workshop, which was a local Oshkosh company.
The Morgan House was the residence of John R. and Eleanor Morgan along with their three children. The Morgans accumulated wealth in the booming lumber industry of Oshkosh. To reflect their social status, they hired Adam Bell and Edwin Cole to design and build this Queen Anne style home in 1884. The home featured modern conveniences of that time like hot and cold running water, electric bells, a laundry room and a steam boiler heating system. The residence cost a staggering $12,000 to build at that time equal to about $300,000 today. The Morgan House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
The sitting room was meant to be a public room for the Morgan family to formally entertain guests. John and Eleanor Morgan had three children Elnora, Grace, and John Earl. The most notable event to take place in this room was Elnora's wedding in 1887 when she was 27 years old. The alcove canopy was decorated in roses, and the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern reported over 200 guests in attendance. Grace was also married in this room. Both daughters were favorites within Oshkosh society circles.
Fire affected the Morgan family on numerous occasions. The Oshkosh Times reported a “serious chimney fire” taking place at the Morgan residence on February 8, 1894. The damage totaled around $300 at the time equal to $9,000 today. We speculate that the fire occurred in the library since this area appears to be remodeled and since the Arts and Crafts architectural style is distinctly different from the rest of the house. Today, the Winnebago County Historical & Archeological Society uses the library as a research center. The bookcases, located in the alcove, are packed with materials of local historical interest. Visit the “Library” tab on our website to see our library catalog.
This photogravure print of the 1875 Oshkosh fire encapsulates the city’s fiery history. Oshkosh experienced five major fires between 1859 and 1875. The fifth fire in 1875 originated at the Morgan Mill and spread to the city’s downtown, burning an area approximately a quarter mile wide for one mile. Two persons died in the fire including Thomas Davis, an employee of Morgan’s Mill, who grabbed a chemical extinguisher and attempted to put the fire out. Oshkosh was considered the lumber capital of the world. Since sawdust and lumber are major fire hazards, it is not a surprise that the city endured several fires.
The dining room was the formal dining area that was reserved for special occasions and entertaining guests. The Morgans would have taken most of their meals in a casual dining area closer to the kitchen in the back of the house. Considering the purpose, the details in this room hold up to its formal standard. The room’s woodwork and built-in sideboard is a combination of oak, ash, and mahogany which was made by the skilled carpenters at Bell & Cole’s workshop. The impressive sideboard was used as storage and a showcase piece for the family’s fine linens, silver, and china.
While the first floor served as a place to entertain guests, the second floor was reserved for sleeping and family activities. The family parlor was a private area for the Morgan family members to retreat to and enjoy each other's company with activities like reading, writing letters, or conversing. Another pastime the family may have enjoyed in this room was music and singing. Several Oshkosh Daily Northwestern articles share detailed accounts of music groups that gathered in the Morgan’s home for concerts.
The girls' bedroom is the second largest of the three bedrooms in the Morgan House. It is likely that both of the Morgan daughters, Elnora and Grace would have occupied this room at one time or another. Both daughters lived at the Morgan House until the time of their weddings.
Considering that the Morgan House likely has one of the largest collections of original Anaglypta and Lincrusta wall coverings contained in one home in the state of Wisconsin, it is an important feature of the house to keep in pristine shape. All the wallpaper in this room was restored in 2015 due to water damage from a chimney leak.
After John and Eleanor passed away their children had brief ownership of the home, but it was eventually sold outside of the family in the early 1900s. The Winnebago County Historical & Archaeological Society acquired the home from Constance Misky’s family through bequest and purchase in 1987. Since then, the organization has made extensive effort to restore the home and preserve original features as they have existed since 1884. The Morgan House is furnished to reflect how a family of the Morgan’s social status lived in late-nineteenth century Oshkosh.
The Morgan House is home to many different items of historical intrigue, like this trunk built by Oshkosh luggage maker Charles Bauer. He constructed this travel trunk in 1874 as a wedding gift to his wife. Later, he went on to start his own luggage company called Bauer Trunk & Bags. While most of the furniture and items on display in the house are not the personal effects of the Morgan family, these are period items the Morgans may have used that offer us a glimpse into their lives.
This is the only known photograph of Eleanor [Hughes] Morgan (1833-1909), which is surprising considering that her husband was a prominent Oshkosh businessman. Eleanor married John R. Morgan in Sandusky, New York, in 1857. Shortly after their marriage, Eleanor moved to Oshkosh where John had started a sawmill. Eleanor was involved with Oshkosh’s First Congregational Church, the Art Leisure Hour and the Ladies Benevolent Society. After living in Oshkosh for nearly 30 years and finding business success, the Morgan’s built their elegant home on Church Avenue. Eleanor lived in the Morgan House until she passed away in 1909. This photo was taken in 1895 when Eleanor was 62 years old. The black silk dress worn in this photo is part of the society’s Morgan Family collection, donated by a descendent of John and Eleanor Morgan. Although the dress has been slightly altered, the historical society is very fortunate to have a piece of Morgan provenance.
The Morgan House is named so after John R. Morgan, the original owner of the home. Born in Wales in 1831, his family immigrated to the United States in 1833 and settled in New York state. After gaining experience as a skilled carpenter, John and his brother, Richard, arrived in Oshkosh in 1855 and founded one of Oshkosh’s earliest and prosperous saw mills, Morgan Brothers & Company. The mill fell victim to financial hardship several times as a result of fires. The Great Fire of 1875 that devastated Oshkosh started in the lumber yard of the Morgan mill. Despite the setbacks, they persevered to become one of the leading saw mills in Oshkosh into the 20th century. By the time of his death in 1906, John R. Morgan was hailed as a very successful businessman and an utmost respected citizen of Oshkosh.
The Morgan House has not always been owned by the Morgan family. In 1946, the home was sold to Constance Misky who operated a cosmetology school from 1949-1960 and the Constance Beauty Salon from 1953-1987. The ladies parlor and sitting room were used as a women's clothing boutique from 1964-1983. The clothing store, known as Jean’s La Petite Shop, was originally owned by Mrs. Imogene Streich. In 1974 Mrs. Misky took over the shop in 1977, and renamed it Constance’s Boutique. Constance Misky lived on the second floor of the home until 1970.
The home’s ornate woodwork and wallpaper were meant to impress and symbolize the Morgan family's wealth and fine taste. Several species of wood are used throughout the house. As you can see in the background picture, cherry was used in this room. The Morgan House likely has one of the largest collections of original Anaglypta and Lincrusta wall coverings contained in one home in the state of Wisconsin. Both types of wall coverings were popular textured wallpapers that could be painted.