La Crosse, Wis. – The Wisconsin Historical Society placed the Adolf and Helga Gundersen Cottage (La Crosse, La Crosse County) on the State Register of Historic Places on August 18, 2017.
Adoph Gundersen was a prominent Norwegian medical doctor who immigrated to La Crosse in 1891. Gundersen and his family played a large role in the establishment of the Gundersen Clinic – the Lutheran Hospital, and the advancement of modern medical practices and standards in La Crosse in the early-twentieth century. Dr. Gundersen was honored with the knighthood of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olaf in 1926, an honorary member of the Medical Society of Oslo, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, in the Scandinavian Surgical Society, an honorary member of the Christiania Surgical Society, a regent of the University of Wisconsin, and was inducted into the Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame in 2013. The Gundersen Cottage is an exceptional and unique example of Scandinavian- inspired Arts and Crafts style design. The summer home was constructed for the Gundersens in 1918.
The home features vertical log walls, leaded glass windows, half-timbering, massive stone chimneys, numerous carved wood features and an interior with Nordic designs. The highly artistic and individualized design, evoking characteristics of Scandinavian artistry, was created by the notable architects Otto Merman and Percy Bentley of La Crosse, who were best known for their designs in the Prairie style. The home remains in the Gundersen family and has been lovingly preserved.
The State Register is Wisconsin’s official list of state properties determined to be significant to Wisconsin’s heritage. The State Historic Preservation Office at the Wisconsin Historical Society administers both the State Register and National Register in Wisconsin.
To learn more about the State and National Register programs in Wisconsin, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.
