Stonefield (Wisconsin)
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Stonefield
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| Location | 12195 County Road VV, Cassville, Wisconsin |
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| Coordinates | 42°44′3″N 91°1′18″W / 42.73417°N 91.02167°WCoordinates: 42°44′3″N 91°1′18″W / 42.73417°N 91.02167°W |
| Area | 591 acres (239 ha) |
| Built | 1865 |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| NRHP reference # | 70000034 |
| Added to NRHP | May 19, 1970 |
Stonefield, located at 12195 County Road VV outside Cassville, Wisconsin, United States, was the 2,000-acre (800-hectare) estate of Wisconsin's first governor, Nelson Dewey. Much of the original estate has been separated into Nelson Dewey State Park and the Stonefield historic site, an expansive museum operated by the Wisconsin Historical Society. The historic site takes advantage of the large property by offering several different areas for visitors, including an early Wisconsin farmhouse, a re-created agricultural village built to resemble those common around 1900, and a reconstruction of Nelson Dewey's home. Stonefield is also home to the Wisconsin State Agricultural Museum, which features a large collection of antique farm equipment.
On May 19, 1970, Stonefield, also known as the Nelson Dewey Plantation, was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Nelson Dewey first moved to Cassville from New York state in 1836. He quickly became involved in Wisconsin's territorial politics, and after Wisconsin became a state in 1848 he was elected as the first governor. He served for two terms, and afterwards he returned to Cassville. Hoping to spur development in the village, he invested in land and businesses in the area. He also went to work building an agricultural estate, which he called "Stonefield." As its centerpiece he constructed a three story brick house in the Gothic revival style. The home was completed in 1868. Dewey was unable to enjoy the estate for long, for in 1873 a fire destroyed the house, and shortly afterward the Panic of 1873 caused Dewey to lose nearly all of his property. He was forced to leave the estate and return to the village of Cassville, where he lived in poverty until dying in 1889.
In 1879, General Walter Cass Newberry purchased a 40-acre (16 ha) plot of land on the former estate that included the site once occupied by Dewey's home. Newberry farmed the land for several years, and in the 1890s he decided to rebuild the Dewey home as a summer residence. Although the rebuilt home followed the original floor plan used for Dewey's house, the new version did not include many of the ornate details of the Gothic revival style. Newberry sold the home in 1896, and it underwent a succession of owners before it was purchased by the state of Wisconsin during the formation of Nelson Dewey State Park.
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