And, its for sale.
Tour the Mid-Century Modern Dr. Maxine Bennett House
To Support the Madison Women’s Historic Buildings Research Project
of The Madison Trust for Historic Preservation
3110 Waucheeta Trail, on Lake Waubesa (scroll down for map below)
Sunday, Nov. 20, 1-4 pm
$20 suggested donationThis is an event to raise funds and raise awareness of the research and development of histories and historic building nominations to help preserve Madison buildings associated with women’s history. Please share this invitation with others.
The event will take place at the Mid-Century Modern house designed by architect John Steinmann for Dr. Maxine Bennett. The house is located on a bluff amid century-old oak trees on the west shore of Lake Waubesa just south of Lake Farm County Park. The site has four native American mounds on the double lot, which are part of a group of seventeen effigy, linear and round mounds on this bluff. These include an enormous goose mound, measuring 162 feet by 100 feet.
Dr. Maxine Bennett was the first woman to head a department at a major medical school in the United States. She was nationally recognized as a leading specialist in otolaryngology, the ear, nose and throat medicine. She was also an avid mountain climber throughout her life. Here are links to web pages on her work: www.secfac.wisc.edu/senate/2009/0504/2118%28mem_res%29.pdf
www.prdrsteve.com/portals/0/Examples/womendocs.pdfThe house was designed by John Steinmann, a progressive architect based in Monticello, who designed many homes and business buildings in the Mid-Century Modern style. An architecture graduate of the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, his first work was for the Army at the Truax base in Madison after World War II. John and his brother Howard Steinmann established the architectural firm and designed churches, many schools, public and institutional buildings, cheese factories, commercial buildings and residences. Notably, he was the architect for the Wisconsin pavilion for the 1964 New York World’s Fair, which was relocated and still stands in Neillsville, Wisconsin. His work was distinctly modern. View a portrait and an article on Steinmann (scroll down on the web page): www.ci.evansville.wi.gov/documents/newsletter2007October.pdf
The house has an open floor plan with few doors, considerable natural light, and spectacular views and a deck overlooking Lake Waubesa below.
The house is for sale, and these are some views from the listing site: http://scwmls.fnismls.com/publink/default.aspx?GUID=336a4d94-9dbb-4517-9c22-9393a05939b4&Report=Yes
The Women’s Historic Building Project was born out of the effort to save the Womans Building 240 W. Gilman Street, Madison, from demolition back in 2004. The public awareness that the ad hoc community committee generated helped win support for landmarking the building and attracted a sympathetic owner who renovated the building into the very successful Samba Restaurant. Recently, the ad hoc committee surveyed local historians to reveal another several buildings worthy of landmarking that represent women’s history in downtown Madison and plan to proceed to gain support for the project.
If you are unable to join us, yet wish to support the Madison Women’s Historic Buildings Project, please consider sending a donation to:
Madison Trust for Historic Preservation, PO Box 296, Madison, WI 53701. Please, write Women’s Historic Buildings Project in the memo line.
Watch for a feature story by Chris Martell in the Wisconsin State Journal.
Driving directions:
Take the Park Street or Hy 14 turn off from the Beltline, drive south to the first exit at McCoy Road, then left (east) several hundred feet to Hy MM, then right (south) 500 feet to East Clayton Road, then east to Larsen Road, then south to first left turn to Meadowview Road, then east to Lake Farm Road, then right (south) to Alma Road then east on Alma Road to Wacheeta Trail, then left several hundred feet to the burnt red mailbox, 3110 Waucheeta Trail. Find parking along Waucheeta and walk up the drive to the house.
Parking: Please park along either side of Waucheeta Trail if you can walk the 300 feet on the gently-inclined drive up the hill to the house. The drive is reserved for dropping and picking up those who desire it, rather than parking. Thank you!
