Property Record
N SIDE OF FOLLETT, 150 FEET E OF MADISON
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | The Vilas and Carrie Follet House |
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| Other Name: | |
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| Reference Number: | 88481 |
| Location (Address): | N SIDE OF FOLLETT, 150 FEET E OF MADISON |
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| County: | Waushara |
| City: | Coloma |
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| Year Built: | 1900 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 19812016 |
| Historic Use: | house |
| Architectural Style: | Queen Anne |
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| Wall Material: | Aluminum/Vinyl Siding |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
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| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | 2016-This two and half story Queen Anne, single family home was built ca. 1900. It has a cross gabled roof with asphalt shingles. The home is clad in newly painted, Masonite siding not original to the home. The triangular section in the top of the gables surrounding the house are clad with a wooden shingle design. A one-story porch wraps around the first floor of the front and west side façade of the home. A small second story balcony porch is also present on the front façade. The porch is framed with unprepossessing support columns raised on large, square pedestals and a lower railing of square balusters. The small, second story porch also has the same features. Though the porch footprint is original to the house, based on a historic photograph of the home, the porch railing and balusters have been replaced since it was originally constructed and a wheel chair ramp has been added to access the back of the porch. A large, square double hung window is present on the first floor of the home next to the front entrance. Smaller double hung windows are present throughout the rest of the home both the first, second and half stories. There are two, small square windows, with multiple panes of glass in a diamond cross pattern present on the first and second story of the front façade. The front and side door entrances are simple and appear to lack the traditional delicately carved decorations found on many homes of the Queen Anne style. There appear to be additions made to the side and rear of the home. The first addition added a second story to the first level which may have been original. A two-car garage was constructed as well as a screened in porch and an uncovered side deck. A rough stone foundation is visible under much of the home. The home was originally built by Vilas Follet and his wife Carrie ca. 1900 for their family. Vilas was an active businessman in the area and organized the People's Bank of Coloma and serves as its President until turning it over to his son Darwin in 1932. The Follet family owned a number of farms in western Waushara County and in Adams County. Vilas published a small newspaper called the Coloma Free Press between 1898 and 1905 and wrote a series of articles in the Coloma-Hancock News. It is said that Vilas built the first telephone exchange between Stevens Point and Portage and participated in its wiring and repair. Vilas continued to live in the home until his death in 1953. Vilas and Carrie's only child, Darwin and his wife Anna, lived in the home until it was conveyed to their daughter Ada Mae Congdon in 1965. Ada retained ownership until 1997. |
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| Bibliographic References: | "Architecture/History Survey of STH 21 from Coloma to Redgranite; I39-STH 22 in Wautoma/Coloma, Waushara County, WI. November and December 2016. WHS Project #19-0953, Prepared by CORRE, Inc." |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |