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Thauer Home
Watertown
Daily Times, 06 12 1976
The
home of Mr. and
Mrs. Richard Thauer, 214 South Washington, was built on property included
in the first land grant given to an individual in the present city limits of
Watertown. James
Rogan received the early deed for $1. It was recorded at the Milwaukee
Register of Deeds office in 1836. Parcels of Rogan's property passed through
many hands.
The
original Rogan land grant covered acres of wooded land on the west side of the
Rock River and was at that time occupied by the encampments and homes of
Winnebago Indians. The camps of the Potawatomis were on the east side of the
river.
Thauer’s
abstract begins with Rogan in 1839 and shows 17 listings of owners of the
property before its purchase by Edward Racek in 1878. Racek had been a
Watertown resident since 1853. He erected the back home, appraised at $3,600 in
1878, although there is some evidence that a small building was on the property
as early as 1864.
The
present Greek revival type home was remodeled by Lewis Parks, owner of the
house for some years, in 1915.
Thauer
purchased the home in 1956 and is its present owner. Subsequent renovations
have been made by him. This home was among those listed in 1902 by Blumenfeld
in his Picturesque Watertown Homes.
Thauer
relates that the large fireplace in his home originally came from the Fred
Lehman home which stood on the present site of the A&P store. The home
itself is in a fine state of preservation and attractively landscaped.
The
full length ornate mirror in the spacious front hall is from another
100-year-old Watertown home, the Jesse Stone home,
300 South Washington.
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