Property Record
216 W Cass St
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Lori Knapp Home |
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| Other Name: | Lori Knapp Companies |
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| Reference Number: | 238967 |
| Location (Address): | 216 W Cass St |
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| County: | Crawford |
| City: | Prairie du Chien |
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| Year Built: | 1972 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 2019 |
| Historic Use: | house |
| Architectural Style: | Contemporary |
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| Wall Material: | Aluminum/Vinyl Siding |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
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| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | Lori Knapp Companies was established in 1972 by Donald and Bette Knapp whose thirteen-year-old daughter, Lori, had been born with cerebral palsy. Lori spent several years living at the Central Wisconsin Colony in Madison; her parents, however, believed that their daughter would be better served in a less institutional, home-like setting. To this end, the Knapps worked with the state of Wisconsin as well as Central Wisconsin Colony to establish a small group home in Prairie du Chien in 1972 to which their daughter and seven other children were relocated from state-run institutions. The Lori Knapp Home at 216 W. Cass Street was the first of its kind in Wisconsin and served as a model for providing community homes to children with mental disabilities. Today, the company operates multiple homes with offices in Ashland, Fond du Lac, La Crosse, and Richland Center, in addition to its original office in Prairie du Chien. |
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| Bibliographic References: |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |