MONONA, Wis. – The Wisconsin Historical Society announces the listing of the Frost Wood Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places on February 23, 2026. This neighborhood has the largest concentration of International style houses and displays other high-style residences from the mid-century in a consciously planned development.
The Frost Woods Historic District contains a cohesive collection of 126 residences located near the center of Monona, Dane County, and borders the southeastern shore of Lake Monona. The area was originally occupied by Native Americans, and for over the past 100 years, it slowly transitioned from a wooded area to a farm and the beginnings of a lakefront residential community. In 1935, it was consciously platted to appreciate the existing landscape features guided by the planning principles established by the Frost Woods Homes Association, which remains active today. Distinguished architects and early residents were resilient in creating a subdivision that embodied good design and honored the Native past.
The Frost Woods Historic District is a unique representation of popular and emerging styles from 1911 and 1980, when the district was fully developed. The architectural styles are reflective of what was popular during development, such as Craftsman, Ranch, Contemporary, International, and Colonial Revival examples. The neighborhood is well-known for the high concentration of International style residences, the largest in the state, designed by Gwenydd Beatty, Hamilton Beatty and Alan Strang.
There are public parks incorporated into the residential plan. The residences are privately-owned; please respect the property owners.
Additional information for the Frost Woods Historic District is available at: https://wisconsinhistory.org/Records/NationalRegister/NR2849
To learn more about the State and National Register programs in Wisconsin, visit: https://wisconsinhistory.org/hp/register/
About the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.
