Edwards-Larson House
6003 Exchange Street, Mcfarland, Dane County
Date of Construction: 1898
The Edwards-Larson House is a beautiful example of the Queen Anne style in McFarland. It is unknown if there was an architect responsible for its design but its construction has been attributed to local carpenter and craftsman, Sure Johnson. Constructed in 1898, the Edwards-Larson House features an abundance of characteristic elements of the Queen Anne style, such as a steeply pitched, compound roof form with a dominant front-facing gable, and construction devices to avoid a smooth-walled appearance including: an asymmetrical front façade, wood clapboard siding with decorative patterned shingles in the gables, corner brackets, cutaway bay windows at the front and sides of the house, decorative spindle-work in the gables, tall, wood, double-hung windows, a prominent wood door sited left of center and a full-width front porch with turned porch posts, an elaborate pattern of turned balusters in the railing, and a spindle-work frieze at the top of the posts.
The Edwards-Larson House embodies the distinctive characteristics of the Queen Anne style and displays very good integrity. When the current owners acquired the house, some exterior finishes were damaged beyond repair. The restoration of the exterior was meticulous, replicating damaged features so that the repair matched the original in material, design, scale and profile; the balance of the exterior materials and features were retained and repaired. The interior retains very good integrity, having its historic plan, features and finishes throughout. Prominently siting on the corner of two well-traveled roads, it is considered one of the best homes in McFarland.
It is open Memorial Day and every Sunday from 1 to 4 PM through September. It is also open for special tours by appointment. |