Madison Originals Magazine Madison Originals Magazine May 2014 | Page 10

By Erin Abler

Socialites, Statesmen, and Students
A Brief History of the Old Governor’s Mansion
Local history buffs know that Mansion
Hill (then known as “Big Bug Hill”)
was the unrivaled social center of late
19th century Madison. Guest lists at
social events frequently boasted leading
citizens, traveling diplomats, politicians
of state and national repute, and
nationally known artists, writers, and
performers. For all the many parties held
in all the many prestigious homes on the
Hill, few are more storied than the house
built at 130 East Gilman Street, whose
walls sheltered some of the city’s most
distinguished citizens.
Currently managed by the University
of Wisconsin, the building falls under
the care of the UW’s Facilities Planning
and Management division. As Daniel
Einstein, Historic and Cultural Resources
Manager, explains, the building has had
a number of names. On the National
Register for Historic Places, it’s the Old
Executive Residence. The University
called it Knapp House for the 60+ years
it housed graduate scholars. And, owing
to its most prominent residents, it’s
also sometimes referred to as the Old
Governor’s Mansion.
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Early Days
Built around 1855, the house was one of
the first constructed on Mansion Hill. Its
first owner was Julius White, giving rise to
the joking monikers the “White House,”
or “Madison’s White House.” According
to Daniel, White “was a socialite and art
collector, one of many rich owners of
the house.” White only lived there for
about two years, at which point he sold
the house to George Delaplaine. “The

when he tried, unsuccessfully, to install
Madison’s first central heating system in
the house.

To Court a Violinist
In 1868 the house was bought by the
Thorps, a family based out of Eau Claire
whose patriarch, J. G. Thorp, had made
his fortune as a lumber tycoon. “Eau
Claire was not sophisticated enough for
Mrs. Thorp, who had social ambitions,”

Madison landmark is firmly guided by those
with its best interests at heart.
Delaplaines were land speculators,” says
Daniel, “and they were also socialites.
Both White and Delaplaine were known
for their lavish parties—they hosted
all kinds of socialites and bigwigs.”
Although they stayed in the house for
more than a decade, the Delaplaines
eventually left because they couldn’t keep
it warm—it was too big and therefore too
costly to heat. Apparently it wasn’t for
lack of trying; secondary sources claim
Delaplaine was “the subject of derision”

explains Daniel. “Mr. Thorp had been
elected to the legislature, and this was
a chance for them to move to Madison
to be closer to the Capitol and move up
the social ladder. Their daughter was 18
at the time when she meets Ole Bull. In
contemporary terms, he’s a rock star,
except he plays the violin. He’s known
throughout Europe, throughout the
United States. He meets Sara Thorp after
a concert in Madison—she has a crush
on him—the only problem is, Ole Bull

Photograph provided by UW-Madison/Facilities Planning & Management

or iginal landmark