The Thoreson House
Photo by George Navrestad
The Thoreson House was built in 1892 by Theodore and Katherine Bekkedal Thoreson for their family. The house is Victorian age. Prior to moving to Westby, the Thoreson Family lived in Koshkonong near Dodgeville, then Leon Valley in Monroe County. In 1881 Theodore moved his family to Westby, a new Norwegian settlement, which was growing rapidly because of a railroad line. In 1884 Theodore and his father, Ole, started a lumber business on what is now East State Street. The influence of their business is evident when one sees the use of wood inside the house.
The floor in the living room is original and is patterned in bird's eye maple and cherry. Bird's eye maple and oak framing and floors are throughout the house. The open stairway has the original spindles and is entirely of wood. The kitchen is used for displays, the dining room and parlor are filled with donated and borrowed furniture and artifacts, and the library is a resource for historical materials. On this floor is a modern bathroom.
The rooms on the second floor have been greatly modified and are currently used for storage and supplies.
Changes made to the house before our ownership: wrap around porch, painted woodwork in several rooms, stairway removed from kitchen to second floor and clothes washing was done in summer kitchen (now an open porch). Originally there was a widow's walk.
Standing on the porch one could have seen the Chicago Milwaukee St. Paul Pacific and the LaCrosse Southeastern railroads, which ran by the house and is now Bekkedal Avenue. The family looking out would also have seen their whole lumberyard beyond their yard. Mrs. Thoreson kept a garden and small orchard between the house and lumberyard.
The abstract of the property indicated that the land was originally owned by Hans Knutson in 1870. It was sold to Theodore Thoreson in 1881 and he subsequently built the house. It passed through the family and on June 1, 1971 Leilah Thorseon sold it to John and Leah Walker. The Westby Area Historical Society purchased it from them in 1993 to save a "piece of the original history of Westby".
December 4, 1997
Revised June 27, 2002