Tag Archives: wi

Alexian Brothers Novitiate

Photo: All that remains of the Alexian Brothers Novitiate.

The well-to-do widow of lawyer F. M. Peters, Mrs. Jennie Peters, dearly loved her daughter. In the latter portion of the 1930’s architects John King and Gordon Feldhausen were tasked with creating a unique building just for her. Unlike the farmhouses, barns, and silos typical for the Gresham, WI community this structure would be designed around a single individual. The expansive home surrounded by trees along the banks of the Red River would provide much needed respite to Jennie’s disabled daughter Jane.

Unfortunately Jane would never set foot in the house. She passed away just six weeks after construction began.

Undeterred by the unfortunate events, Mrs. Peters made the mansion in the quiet rural community her home. When completed the stone Georgian colonial building featured 20 rooms. On the first floor the were the drawing room, library, guest room, dining room, kitchen, pantry and laundry. The second floor had three bedrooms, three bathrooms, and four rooms for the maids. A nearby four car garage also had quarters above it. The total cost of the property amounted to $250,000 (or approximately $3.9 million adjusting for inflation).

Photo: One of the few remaining beautiful architectural flairs in an otherwise empty mansion.

Although Jennie was able to assimilate into the community there were rumors that one day she would give the property away. The rumor bore truth in 1950 when Jennie gifted the 232-acre estate to the Alexian Brothers Novitiate. Shortly thereafter novices preparing for service to the Catholic church moved to the novitiate to begin their training. A $1.5 million (about $12 million today) facility named Peters Hall was built adjacent to the mansion to serve the growing number of faculty, staff, and novices.

The novitiate struggled to keep pace with the edicts of the Second Vatican Council, which required its religious orders provide a college level education to novices. This meant that novices had to travel 55 miles to St. Norbert’s College in De Pere, WI. The commute proved to be time-consuming, expensive, and as anyone who has driven through Wisconsin in the middle of winter knows, dangerous at times. The decision was made in 1968 to relocate the novitiate to Chicago.

In the following years the property received no substantial bids when placed on the market. In 1974 negotiations were in motion with the Green Bay Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council to convert the novitiate into a rehabilitation center. Those plans came to a screeching halt around midnight on New Year’s Eve. The caretaker Joe Plonka, his wife, two children, and two friends were awoken by armed members of the Menominee Warrior Society seizing control of the novitiate buildings. The Menominee Warrior Society began their occupation of the property claiming that the lands rightfully belonged to their tribe.

With experienced Vietnam veterans in their midst the Menominee Warrior Society quickly secured their foothold. In response local, state, and federal agents quickly descended upon the area. Electricity and telephone service for the novitiate were cut. A perimeter with guarded checkpoints around the area were erected. Tensions ran high as shots were frequently exchanged between the occupiers and government officials. The Menominee Warrior Society’s goals were clear in their negotiations with their motto “deed or death.”

Photo: The top of the mansion where Menominee Warrior Society members kept watch.

Seeking to avoid bloodshed the Alexian Brothers Novitiate sold the property to the Menominee Tribe for $1. On February 3, 1975 the members of the Menominee Warrior Society willingly turned themselves over to the National Guard. The 34 day standoff ended with no major injuries between the Menominee Warrior Society and officials. The ordeal could have ended a lot sooner as Menominee Warrior Society general Mike Sturdevant later admitted that they ran out of ammunition on January 4.

As per the negotiated agreement the Menominee Tribe would have to make a “good faith” effort to reimburse the novitiate $750,000 for the property. They were unable to afford upkeep on the facility and ceded control back to the Alexian Brothers Novitiate after just five months. The novitiate fielded several proposals from potential new occupants, but nothing substantial ever materialized.

On the morning of October 11, 1975 the neighbors adjacent to the novitiate noticed smoke billowing above the trees. Due to a dense fog a fire raged for hours within the mansion. Responders to the scene described the inside as a total loss.

After the suspected arson the property changed hands several times. The remaining structures fell into disrepair after decades of neglect. Frequent break-ins and vandalism hastened its decline. In 2003 everything but the mansion was torn down. Some of the land has since been parceled out, though the main property with the gutted mansion remains.

Video (source): J. Patrick Rick’s documentary “The Abbey & Me.”

Resources:

Alexian Brothers – Comprehensive history of the Alexian Brothers Novitiate estate in Gresham, WI.

Google News – April 13, 1941 Milwaukee Journal article describing the origins of the mansion.

Google News – January 2, 1975 Milwaukee Journal article on the Menominee Warrior Society occupation.

Google News – February 4, 1975 News and Courier article on the history of the Alexian Brothers.

Google News – March 17, 1975 Milwaukee Journal article on the lack of ammunition.

Google News – October 13, 1975 Lewiston Daily Sun article on the fire in the mansion.

Wikipedia – Entry for Alexian Brothers Novitiate

YouTube – J. Patrick Rick’s documentary “The Abbey & Me.”

American Urbex Podcast E.02 – The Abandoned Farm – Part 1

A chance sighting on the side of a Wisconsin road leads to a mystery that will take three years to unravel. This podcast is part 1 of 2.

Flickr – The abandoned farm explored described in the podcast episode.

Abandoned Waupun Farm – The original article about the abandoned farm.

Finding Your Old House – Where contact is made with the person who lived in the house.

Subscribe to the American Urbex Podcast on iTunes or download the episode directly.

Madison Protests

For two days this week I joined the throngs of protesters in support of unions’ rights to collective bargaining, which Gov. Scott Walker (R) plans to do away with entirely. After just one month in office Gov. Walker has given corporate interests budget deals that have created a $137 million dollar deficit. This deficit of Walker’s making is being used as leverage against the rights of state employees. Wisconsin has historically been on the forefront of workers’ rights in the United States. To wipe away years of progress with the stroke of a pen is unacceptable. We must press Gov. Walker for a compromise. The protests have been peaceful and I am proud to be exercising my rights as an American citizen.

On Wisconsin!

Foreclosed Hotel

Normally when I go to an urbex location it has been abandoned for quite some time. This definitely was not the case this time around. This hotel was foreclosed upon sometime in early 2010. From the looks of it, the employer ran out of time to remove their property. The pool was still half full of water. Networking equipment sat behind the front desk. The bar still had beer, juice, and other foodstuffs behind it. Despite being right next to a major highway the hotel is not easy to get to from the nearest exit. The nightly logbook indicates that even on weekends the hotel only had 3-4 check-ins. Employees recorded their malaise dealing with sheer boredom.

If the United States economic woes continue unabated I have no doubt that this will not be my last urbex adventure in a foreclosed property.

Photo: Keys to the conference rooms.

Photo: The view from the lobby. Photo taken by Nick Forslund.

Photo: One of the undisturbed rooms. It is good to see that vandals or copper thieves have not made their way through the building. Photo by bitter_buffalo33.

Photo: Despite the extreme cold the pool area remains quite humid.

Photo: The whirlpool was completely empty.

Photo: The basement refrigeration doors were made of wood. Photo by Nick Forslund.

Photo: The damp basement provides the perfect environment for mold to thrive. Photo by Nick Forslund.

King James Jesse Strang

On July 8, 1850 James Jesse Strang was crowned King. To this day he holds the illustrious honor of being the only person crowned as a monarch on United States soil. Six years later he was shot in broad daylight in front of apathetic witnesses.

Let’s rewind…

In February, 1844 Strang becomes a member of the The Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints and is personally baptized by founder Joseph Smith, Jr. Within a month Strang is recognized by the church as an Elder and dispatched by Smith to Wisconsin to create a Mormon settlement. The settlement in Voree, Wisconsin is located just west of Burlington in the southeastern part of the state. On June 27 Smith is murdered by an anti-Mormom mob. The homicide creats a power vacuum within the church with three individuals each claiming leadership; Bringham Young, Sidney Rigdon, and James Jesse Strang.

Up to this point Strang’s story appears to be a quintessential early American story. A young man moves west to find his place in the world, adopts religion, and becomes a prominent community figure. This is where things turn weird.

Photo: The Strangite church located in Voree, WI appropriately on Mormon Road.

Strang, being the deeply religious and righteous man that he is, forges a letter supposedly from church founder Smith stating that Strang is to be the successor. To further his claims Strang provides evidence that Voree is to be the next chosen Mormon settlement. In 1945 Strang is guided by an angel to discover three small gold plates buried in the ground. The plates have text etched into them that only Strang can translate. The Voree Record supposedly affirm Strang’s ascendance in the church and reveal God’s plan for the Mormons.

Although ambitious, Strang doesn’t get any points for originality. The whole “finding gold plates and revealing God’s plan” was exactly what church founder Smith claimed years before. Strang’s life is about to get a whole lot stranger.

Brigham Young is eventually chosen to be the head of the Mormon church. Strang decides to break off and form his own sect, which still survive to this day as the Strangites. As non-Mormons moved into the area Strang made the decision to move his followers to Beaver Island, Michigan in June 1848.

No wait… it gets even better.

In 1849 Strang took a secret second wife Elvira Field. Strang concealed their relationship by passing his buxom new bride off as a man named Charles Douglass. The ruse was so convincing that her own family believed her to be missing.

Like all things American, Strang decides to up the ante even further. He’s kind of like Scarface, only with religion instead of cocaine.

In 1850 Strang is crowned “King of the Kingdom of God on Earth.” The ever expanding congregation was able to take control of the island’s raw material and commercial resources. Friction between the gentile population increased when Strang demanded gentiles pay a tithe to the church. Physical skirmishes broke out when the church prevented alcohol from being shipped to the island. After the “War of Whiskey Point” most of the gentile population of Beaver Island moved.

Polygamy is wholeheartedly embraced after Strang takes a third wife in 1852. After this he mandates that all Strangite men have at least two. Wives four and five join the Strang family in 1855.

Word of King Strang’s abberant behavior eventually reaches President Fillmore, who then opens a jar of pickled whup-ass on Strang. Or so he thinks. The USS Missouri is dispatched to bring Strang and his followers to trial for tax irregularities, harvesting from public lands, delaying mail service and counterfitting. Strang, acting as his own lawyer, is able to beat the federal government in open court. He then returns with his followers back to his Beaver Island kingdom.

So King Strang returns victorious and is viewed as a hero by his congregation. Things start to fall apart when the fearless leader brutalizes one of his subjects.

In 1856 King Strang orders David Bedford to be lashed 79 times for allegedly sleeping with his business partner’s wife. The punishment is doled out swiftly and deeply enrages Bedford. Bedford convinces a group of 40 men to ambush Strang on the shores of Beaver Island. During the confrontation Strang is shot three times; one bullet grazes his head, one goes through his cheek, and the last bullet lodges itself in his spine. The group of men then board the docked USS Michigan, where they set off for nearby Mackinac Island. The conspirators are given a mock trial, fined $1.25, and are released.

A dying King Strang is placed as soon as possible on a vessel back to Voree, Wisconsin. He dies from his injuries three weeks later on July 9, 1856. Four of Strang’s five wives are pregnant at the time of his death. He is buried in the Burlington Cemetery shortly thereafter.

The King is dead. Long live the King.

Photo: King Strang’s marker is almost indistinguishable from the rest in the cemetery.

Abandoned Brodhead

Precise location not marked… keep reading.

Sometimes the key to finding an urbex location is to develop a keen instinct for signs along the road. Why does that isolated patch of trees have an electrical box by the curb? Why does the gravel extend beyond the side of the road? Can you sit in the car honey while I wander into the woods alone?

If you develop these instincts they can pay off.

Photo: The house was in terrible shape. The second floor had all but collapsed into the first. It is way too dangerous to enter. Also, black mold. Everywhere.

Photo: Pulling back the door of a collapsed garage revealed a cherry red Volkswagen.

Photo: Whoever lived in this house left a majority of their possessions behind. Homes like these only heighten my curiosity.

The Day Kennedy Was Shot

This photo was taken in an abandoned farmhouse in the Koshkonong, WI area. The property still has occupants and I did ask for permission to shoot on their land. The property owners do not wish to share their address and I must honor their wishes.

The house itself was in really bad shape. Water damage has caused the first floor to collapse into the basement. I was able to inch my way along the edges into one room that was filled with magazines, newspapers, and books. Most of the texts were illegible in the layer of filth that had accumulated. Tucked away on a shelf to the right was the spine of “The Day Kennedy Was Shot” by Jim Bishop. I’m not a big fan of the Fuji F70 EXR that I took it with, but this is one of my personal favorite photos. Sometimes there isn’t much to shoot at an urbex location. Sometimes just one shot is enough to make the entire effort worthwhile.

Abandoned Ford Truck in La Grange, WI

Wisconsin is blessed with a dearth of old barns throughout the countryside. Driving from my home to Madison, Milwaukee, or Green Bay means I’ll pass one eventually. Taking a few minutes to explore the backroads often leads to fantastic findings. Above is a beautiful old Ford truck that appears as though it hasn’t moved an inch since the 1930’s. This is an easy find for any beginner and it is relatively safe. Let me know if you come across it!

Urbex in Your Backyard

Getting a start in urbex can be as easy as looking around your own hometown. As a kid I grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin. It wasn’t until I moved out in college that I began to appreciate all the unique history the city had to offer. (No, I don’t care about the historical Green Bay Packers.) Green Bay is host to one of only two vintage McDonald’s neon signs of its kind nationwide. In high school I used to come here for lunch with my friends. Although I’ve developed quite a distaste for their food, I do find this neon sign to be quite beautiful. I’m glad that the franchise owner has decided to maintain it.

Abandoned Farmhouse in Janesville, WI

In the interest of preservation the exact location of this farmhouse will not be shared. It is a fairly easy to find if you’re willing to drive around Janesville, Wisconsin. Hop on your motorcycle and you’ll be triumphant. (That’s a hint.)

This weekend I stumbled upon an abandoned farmhouse. Rural exploration (rurex) sites often yield a wealth of photographic opportunities. Because of their relatively isolated locations they receive less traffic from vandals, drug users, the homeless and other explorers. They often have personal artifacts left behind in undisturbed states. I was able to locate a phonebook from 1988 on the floor of this farmhouse. There was also a few envelopes full of checks from 1974. All evidence shows that this house is not standing up to the elements. Plants have begun to grow in the woodwork, all of the windows are broken, and the floors are sunken in.

It was also nice to get a text from another urbexer who was a few minutes away at the time. We met up and checked out another abandoned farm close by.