Walking in the Past

take a gander at historic homes, churches in annual tour

Barbara Arnold, photos by Andrea Paulseth |

The Schlegelmilch House, downtown Eau Claire
The Schlegelmilch House, downtown Eau Claire

The Eau Claire Historic Preservation Foundation is hosting its annual walking tour of homes and churches in Eau Claire on Saturday, Sept. 23. This year’s tour is focused on the downtown area and the west side, specifically the Grand Avenue and Randall Park districts. Participants can start and pay at any of the locations on the tour. The walking tour also happens to be on the same day as the International Fall Festival in downtown Eau Claire. 

Downtown

Herman Schlegelmilch House (1871) • 517 S. Farwell St. • Upright and wing • Owned by the Chippewa Valley Museum • Believed to be the first brick home in Eau Claire, built to survive the many fires in “sawdust city.”

Shalom Mennonite Church (1889) • 502 S. Farwell St. • Victorian • Owned by Christ Church Cathedral and now rented to the Shalom Mennonite congregation. The building has been home to three congregations: the Unitarian Church initially, then Christian Scientists for many years, and now the Mennonites.

West Side-Randall Park District

J.D.R. Steven House (1909) • 606 Second Ave.
Prairie School •Owned by Judge Paul Lenz • Designed by Purcell and Feick of Minneapolis, it’s meant to blend into the surrounding landscape.

Rick Peterson House (1928) • 822 Third Ave.
Colonial revival • Owned by Rick Peterson • Descendants of the original owner, George J. Losby, Esq., owned this home until 2015.

St. Patrick’s Catholic Church (1885) • 322 Fulton St. • Gothic revival • Owned by the Catholic diocese • St. Patrick’s, which features lovely stained glass windows, is the oldest remaining church building in Eau Claire.

West Side-Grand Avenue District

The Green Victorian on the bike path (1887) • 107 Elizabeth St. •Victorian • Owned by John and Sharon Moss •This house has had many lives: It’s been a single family home, a rooming house, and a potato chip factory.

Grace Lutheran Church (1916) • 202 W. Grand Ave. • Gothic Revival • Owned by Grace Lutheran Church •This was the first Norwegian church in Eau Claire to conduct its services in English.

Eau Claire Historic Preservation Foundation Walking Tour • Saturday, Sept. 23 • 9am-4pm • $10 adults, children under 12 free • (715) 834-9287 • hudsonrb@uwec.edu