this pic ended up in the ‘Weird Wisconsin’ reserve
1850’s “mirror mansion” built by equivalent twins Argalus Isaac and Augustus Ira Foote.
Speculated underground railroad web page, Al Capone moonshine continue to
For a long time, this outdated position lie rotting absent just a short journey by means of the woods from my house. I was in it when I was youthful and later on in my teens. I knew it was there but didn’t believe substantially of it. Positive I loved outdated properties – the workmanship and the history – but it wasn’t right until outrageous tales explained to to me captured my creativity. Tales of mystery stairways, underground tunnels, and stories of moonshine and gangsters – then I was curious of the aged, boarded up setting up. Have been there tunnels? Was there, really, rings in the basement partitions and blood spattered upon them from some unlucky incident? Were there bars on the basement windows? There was some fact to some of it, but how considerably? I headed to the library to request information and facts….
It was there I acquired the story of twin brothers, born in 1817, who shared a deep brotherly enjoy by way of out their lifetime. It’s been mentioned they had a double marriage ceremony, Argalus married Adelia, and Augustus married Anna, building a complete foresome of “AF” initials. So close they were being, just after shifting from Massachusetts in the early 1850’s, they had built a home for two family members. A person facet of the home was the mirror impression of the other aspect just like the brothers on their own. It is said that they furnished their sides the very same and that the interior decorating was of the highest high-quality. Issues have been superior. The brothers farmed their 300 acres (and extra) of virgin land and Argalus and Adelia began setting up their household with sons Andrew, William, and Frank. The location was the satisfaction of the countryside… but fate intervened. Anna Foote died during childbirth just just before Christmas, 1855. The minimal daughter, Mary, followed her mother a number of months later. As you can think about, Augustus was devestated. Out of the blue factors became unequal in between the two. Opposite to what is penned out there, the Foote brothers carried on with life in spite of what was planned to be. Augustus lived with his sister, Sara, and mom, Rebecca, until finally they both equally earlier absent as perfectly. Arrive 1870 census, Augustus no for a longer time lived there. Much too a lot own tragedy almost certainly drove him absent. In his spot lived farmhands and a domestic servant or two. At the time Argalus’ wife earlier away in 1876, the selection was designed to move absent. Argalus’ three sons had developed and still left as perfectly. Everybody moved to Oshkosh and established the Foote Brothers Milling Co. Their property sat empty and turned recognized as “Foote’s Folly.”
The mansion was acquired by a family who lifted horses and shortly there ended up stables of high-quality horses and a racetrack was set up guiding the household. Some eleven a long time later, they moved on, and the location sat vacant. The area altered arms many situations until the current owner purchased it in 1934. But just prior to that, the put was one of speculation and worry.
Tales of included vehicles coming and heading via the night and gangsters living there experienced the city of Eureka worried. As soon as a place of admiration, now it was a area to avoid. Rumors before long circulated of a machine gun, on a turret, getting mounted in the cupola. There had been concepts of who they were being, and to this day, Al Capone’s title will come up. Their time handed there as well.
In 1935, a nearby women’s group held a Halloween tour at the huge area. Folks came from almost everywhere for their prospect to see the household, a thing of a legend by now. To this day, their names are composed on the walls of that time as effectively as other people. So considerably admiration….
A good deal problems and deterioration arrived into enjoy following that. A lot of posts in papers ended up written about it, a couple of pictures taken, but practically nothing to preserve it from destroy. The coils and boilers from the moonshine times had been lying out by a drop again in the 60’s as evidence of it truly is moonshine days.
Armed with my new found awareness of the house, I experienced a completely new sense of admiration for the area. It was the twins desire home. It was an great spot and currently being there, I felt like I was in one more period – a further time. The structure is – was – fairly a area to stroll up to. Very huge and frustrating, nonetheless somewhat individually passionate with it really is remaining Italianate gingerbread. It was hauntingly wonderful and I was completely drawn to it…. To picture what it seemed like – to “see” it with all the shutters, windows, and enormous entrance porch. Superb…
Investigating it more, I observed the continues to be of a carriage loop in the entrance lawn from all those years ago. Inside the 7000 sq ft household had been sagging floors lined with slipping plaster and busted lathe. Remains of peeling wall and ceiling papers clung to twelve foot ceilings, hand-grained woodwork, ceiling medallions with continues to be of chandeliers in every of the 4 parlors, and so on. There had been two kitchens joined to twin dining rooms graced by large bay windows. Upstairs there ended up 9 bedrooms, each with created in demonstrate closets, found off a 80ft hallway. The a few staircases have been open but the spindles were being very long absent. A hidden flight of techniques led to the cupola which was the moment encased in 16 double hung windows.
The fabled tunnel was no more time open up, but observed to be mortared shut in the basement and sealed off on the other close. I spoke to a male who tried using to dig it out when he was a child in the 40’s. What could be in there? I surprise to this working day…. Did the Foote’s established a lantern out on the porch many years in the past for people runaway slaves to location? Was it an additional location together the way to flexibility in Canada? It may perhaps eternally continue being a secret.
It was a area of damaged desires from an additional area in time. It turned a put riddled with rumors and speculation – a legend in alone. Those people who sought after to help save it, couldn’t uncover a way. A place admired by lots of but now it faces a destiny of it is own. Even the point of currently being perhaps qualified for National Registry position was not adequate.
The brothers lived out their life collectively in New London, Wi, with Argalus’ son, Andrew. It is prepared that they were being unattainable to convey to apart and shared all the things as a result of out life. Their minds had been but a single considered it would seem and their pleasures and sorrows have been shared alongside one another. Their pocketbooks had been mixed, and neither knew what a quarrel was.That they reliable each individual other in ways that several brothers ever could. Dwelling into their early ’80s, in advance of the time of Augustus’ passing it was reported they were being the oldest surviving twins in the United States. Augustus earlier absent in 1901 and was laid to relaxation beside his wife and daughter who lives have been tragically slice limited so many decades ahead of, and Argalus, the following yr. A quick mile absent, the relatives is buried alongside one another in a household plot marked by a tall, white spire. The brothers nevertheless collectively just like they experienced been all their life.
Posted by dtrannyman on 2009-01-08 22:38:04
Tagged: , foote mansion , aged , haunted , special , wisconsin , deserted , foote , household , gangster hideout , pre civil war , Al Capone , odd wisconsin , italianate , architecture , moonshine , folly , rural , decay , farmhouse , Argalus and Augustus Foote
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