| Additional Information: | The Wehmhoff Farmstead, located at 3314 State Highway 83 in the Town of Wheatland, was established by the Wehmhoff family, German immigrants, by 1861. By 1903, ownership of the farm passed to Henry Wehmhoff, who had increased the scale of the farm to 160 acres and constructed a number of extant farm buildings. In 1915, Wehmhoff constructed a large concrete Dutch Colonial Revival style house on the property. Henry Wehmhoff studied agriculture at the University of Wisconsin, Madison before taking over operating the farm, which raised and bred shorthorn cattle, draft horses, and sheep. Henry Wehmhoff owned the property until at least 1924.
CURVED FRONT PORCH AND PORT COCHERE AT SIDE BALCONY ABOVE. According to the historical maps cited in the bibliography, this property was owned by Henry and Anna Wehmhoff by 1861 (about 130 acres) and until his death sometime between 1873 and 1876. By 1887, it belonged to Henrys widow, Mrs. Bernhard Wehmhoff. By 1903, the property had passed to Henrys and Annas son, Henry Wehmhoff, who had increased the holdings to about 159 acres. Henry Wehmhoff continued to own the property through at least 1924. In 1931, it belonged to L. W. Popp. William, Herman and Joseph Dressel jointly owned the property in 1950.
The Henry Wehmhoff for whom these buildings were erected was born in Wheatland Township in 1869 (probably on this farmstead). His father, Henry Wehmhoff, was born in Westphalia, Prussia and immigrated to Wisconsin with his parents (Henry and Gertrude Wehmhoff) and five siblings (including Bernhard Wehmhoff). In 1876, Anna married her late husbands brother, Bernhard Wehmhoff (himself a widower). Bernhard Wehmhoff raised and sold cattle and Vermont Merino sheep (in 1879, he had 650 head of sheep). Henry Wehmhoff (Henry's and Anna's son) studied at a business college in Milwaukee and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (in agriculture). In 1892, Henry married Susan Timm. In 1913, Henry and Susan Wehmhoff were raising shorthorn cattle and draft horses.
The large collection of agricultural outbuildings, many of them very large and all of them retaining excellent integrity, is quite remarkable. |
|---|
