The Vilas neighborhood evolved out of the Wingra Park and Oakland Heights Additions to Madison. The Wingra Park Addition was platted in 1889 and was the first of Madison's "suburbs" for people wishing to move away from the increasingly crowded isthmus. The land was originally owned by William Fish, one of Madison's most successful building contractors. When he was unable to sell many of the lots to prospective home owners he sold these remaining lots in 1893 to H.C. Adams, H.C. Thom and C.E. Bross who developed the properties. In 1897 the electric streetcar line was extended down Breese Terrace to Monroe Street, and these lots became more desirable because of easy access to public transportation.
In 1896 Edward Riley purchased land adjacent to the Wingra Park Addition and formed the Oakland Heights Addition. Both the lot size and building size in the Oakland Heights Addition were somewhat smaller than in the Wingra Park Addition, but local residents and outsiders considered both additions as one. These were annexed by the city in 1903 and the variety of architectural styles makes this region one of Madison's most interesting.
A consistent appeal of the Vilas Neighborhood has been the small-town atmosphere created by area businesses. Many of the businesses are within walking distance of most residents. It has been said that the life of the neighborhood is related to the businesses along Monroe and Park Streets. The neighborhood is bordered by Edgewood schools, the Vilas zoo, Randall Avenue, Regent Street, and Monroe Street.
1630 Madison Street. This house was built in 1928 in the English
cottage style and is somewhat unusual for the neighborhood in that it is
veneered in brick. It was built for S. Christ and Mary Pedracine as a home
and office for their carpentry and contracting business. Christ helped work
on the woodwork in the state capitol. The kitchen has been recently
remodeled, but much of the rest of the interior has been refurbished in the
original style of the house. The newly-landscaped backyard provides an
isolated area of tranquility in the heart of the city.
1628 Madison Street. Built in 1917, this foursquare home has had
many alterations over the years. When the present owners bought the house
in 1987, it had been used for student housing for about 20 years. The
living room remains as it was when it was purchased. The kitchen, dining
room, bathroom and back porch addition have been remodeled. Still a work in
progress, much of the first floor has been gutted and updated for modern
needs.
Walk by 1609 Madison, the former bungalow home of Florence and Edwin
Witte. Witte, a student of John R. Commons, went on to draft this country's
Social Security Administration Act under the Roosevelt administration.
Walk by 1603 Jefferson, the Leslie and Grace Burd House. Built in 1897, Burd was then the clerk of the UW Board of Regents. Theirs was the first home built in Oakland Heights. The house typified smaller Queen Anne-style houses of the day, but its Dutch Colonial gambrel roofs with their Palladian window groups looked to the future revival styles. The house appears in the Heggland booklet.
1614 Jefferson Street. This gambrel-roofed building was erected in
1898. Much of the first floor is original, including the floors, interior
pocket doors and leaded glass window facing the street. The fireplace has
been reproduced as closely as possible using photographs of the original.
The original owners had extensively documented both the interior and
exterior in photographs and many of these are reproduced and on display.
1413 Mound Street. This Victorian house was built in 1898 when much
of the area was still undeveloped. It was expanded with an addition to the
rear in the 1920s. At some point it was converted into a two flat for
students. The current owner purchased it 25 years ago and reconverted it
back to a single-family home. The interior is decorated with many Victorian
features in keeping with the building's architectural style and includes
interesting local stained glass window panels and many international
decorative items.
Walk by Madison's newest park, Bear Mound Park. Bear Mound Park
received its sign in September of this year. It is on the 1400 block of
Vilas between Drake and Mound streets. It includes a nearly 200-year old
oak tree, an effigy mound, solstice rocks, and a lovely place to sit.
Neighbors began to create native prairie sections on the mound this year.
Unfortunately, heavy summer rains and hungry birds destroyed most of the
planted seeds.
1527 Vilas Avenue. This Georgian, prairie-design home was designed
by Law and Law. It was built during 1919 and 1920 and was originally owned
by Dr. and Mrs. Dreher. The second owners have lived here since 1971. The
playhouse out back was built before WW II. The house contains many art
works by three generations of family artists and family heirlooms from the
turn of the century. The owners also have a before-and-after remodeling
photo book you can see before leaving the home. Be sure to enjoy the garden
on your way out of the house.
Walk south on Grant for a block to see Cora Tuttle's former home at 1206
Grant. She was the only woman architect known to have designed buildings
in Madison prior to WWI. The house was built in 1909, combining the American
Craftsman and Bungalow styles. Four others in the neighborhood later
commissioned Ms. Tuttle's work for their homes. Her house appears in Tim
Heggland's booklet.
1720 Vilas Avenue. This Queen Anne house was built in 1894 and was
one of the first in the neighborhood. It was built for Laura and Prof.
Edward Kramers, a world-renowned pharmaceutical chemist and dean of the
Pharmacy School from 1892-1935. He had a hand in the design of the house
and specified that each room should have two exposures. The house has been
restored to its basic original design. The house also originally had a
"pharmacy garden" where Dr. Kramers studied plants of medicinal value. The
garden was later moved to Camp Randall and then to the area of what is now
Eagle Heights.
1011 Grant Street. Prominent Madison architects Claude and Starck
designed and built this Tudor revival house in 1909 for Maud and Prof. Adam
Millar. Some changes have been made (the former library is now a dining room
and the former dining room is now a family room) but much of the interior
has been maintained including the cherry wood cabinetry, the woodwork around
the fireplace mantle, the window seating as well as the original fixtures in
the kitchen and upstairs bathroom. The interesting stone patio in the back
yard dates from the 1930s. Note the original blueprint elevation drawings on
display.
Walk by 1006 Grant, the August Cornelius and Della Larson house,
built in 1911, for a comparison of architectural styles. It was also designed
by Claude and Starck and is a textbook example of Prairie Design. Larson was
an insurance executive for the Central Life Assurance Society's Wisconsin
office. He was also a one-time president of the Randall Bank, currently the
Associated Bank on Monroe Street. This house is in the Heggland booklet.
