Project Description
The Halverson House
CONTACT INFO
PHONE: 262-706-3414
EMAIL: info@halversonhouse.com
WEBSITE: https://www.halversonhouse.com/
ADDRESS: S110 W23450 County Line Drive, Waterford, WI 53185
ABOUT
Our passion to create Halverson House is more than just as an execution of a business plan or chasing a trend of “rustic weddings”. Instead, we see it as a way of life for our own family as we celebrate with, and for you, by providing a venue location that caters to families with comfortable elegance in a way that allows you to soak in the occasion, both because of the special space you are in, as well as because of the people you are with. We also see it as an opportunity for our family to connect with other families (or soon to be families in the case of engaged couples) at a special time in their lives as they celebrate together what being a family means, by literally inviting you into our family home. Speaking of our family…
High school sweethearts since our freshman year at Martin Luther High School in Greendale and married in 2007 after our junior year at UW-Madison (Go Bucky!!), we feel blessed to have the same person we felt we “grew up” with be the same as the person that we will grow old with. Mike, the son of entrepreneurial business owners, and self-employed in real estate and project management himself, if there is one thing to know about him it is that being hands on and allowed to create is a must. Joi, a lifelong mom, whether of her baby dolls growing up, or those she cares for today, motherhood is truly in her DNA, which is good because she has plenty of opportunities to practice with 5 kids! Deciding to homeschool when our oldest was 5, Joi has put her college degree in elementary education to good use as her enrollment has continued to grow over the years! Believing that you learn best from doing, whether that be building tree forts in the woods, making dinner in the kitchen or helping with venue projects, what we are creating at Halverson House allows that holistic approach to life, business and mostly family, go from dream to reality.
We used to joke that we were born a hundred years too late, enjoying staring at a sunset, rather than a screen, or valuing how a meal makes it to our table over the convenience of it being passed through a window. As self-proclaimed foodies, we appreciate knowing where our food comes from, how it is prepared and eating outstanding food. Understanding that a reservation for 7 with a high chair is a frightening proposition, whether because of the logistics or the sticker shock due to toddlers who also appreciate a good balsamic reduction or a sip of dad’s merlot, making our home kitchen on par with those at the trendiest tapas bars became a must. Once it did, hosting others around our table became all the more common. This love of cooking, eating and gathering around our table is what birthed another aspect of Halverson House we are so excited about, our “Supper Club”.
After years of dreaming how all of this may take shape, including multiple close calls and times of despair, we feel blessed to have been given the opportunity at Halverson House for our family to live and work side by side on a daily basis while also being a resource for other families to celebrate, commune and enjoy what it means to gather together. It is truly a one of a kind property with so much history, inside and out, that we are excited to honor its legacy as we take it into its new life as not only a home for our family, but a memorable marker in others.
The Alexes
The MAIN BARN
The VICTORIAN MANSION
Some properties are labeled “historic” because they are old, but the Halverson House (as it was referenced in one of the state historical society files) is so much more than that. Built in 1910, by Andrew & Merandy Halverson, as a galvanizing effort to help the family move past the tragic loss of a child following an accident in the silo. As outlined in a 1994 Milwaukee Sentinel article, the home is built in the “carpenter gothic” style and is the product of a recently apprenticed local Mukwonago carpenter whose rough sketches on plain paper and craftsmanship created a showpiece of his work to other prospective owners in the area. Subsequent remodeling has been the winner of national awards, seamlessly integrating additions to the ornate style of the original craftsmanship. Beyond its age and character physically, is the history that took place within it. Paging through correspondence and newspaper clippings left in the attic of the home, reveals how the original family (the Halverson’s) not only developed this beautiful property, but also had its hand in financing other projects such as the building of the Knickerbocker Hotel in Milwaukee, or the Pitts Building in Kenosha, and as an investor in Joseph Brothers Lumber Company in Chicago that succumbed to bankruptcy during the great depression. A variety of crops were planted at various times, but the largest cash crop was potatoes due to the soil conditions, operating until the remaining cattle and equipment were auctioned in December of 1959. Other favorable memories have been retold to us of “The Wisconsin Homestead” as it was referenced by some, as an annual summer country get away for extended family, or stories of the extensive impromptu meal spreads hosted by Etta Drought for friends and neighbors. It’s this history, both physically and in the community, that we are not only already enjoying ourselves, but are honored to be able to open up to others.
The GARDENS
120 acre parcel with 3 acres of landscaped gardens featuring a wide variety ornamental and deciduous trees, exotic annuals and sculptured shrubbery all framed by dense woodlands and still farmed prairie fields. A variety of outbuildings, landscape features & points of interest make the perfect backdrop for your event, or commercial shoot. We have opportunities for site rental by the hour or the day. Contact us for more information.
The GRANARY
Two story building with upper level sitting area featuring 65″ smart TV, bluetooth soundbar, dining table & bar.
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