The Mansion at "Forget-Me-Not Creek"

Artist rendering of the half-way house. MCHS 2006.25.1

In the early days of our county much of the land along the shores of Lake Michigan was undeveloped.  But in 1858 a beautiful mansion was constructed in between Manitowoc and Two Rivers, being known as the half-way house.  The two and a half story brick home had a magnificent veranda along the entire front and a balcony to enjoy the views of the lake, which was about 200 feet away.  It was considered the finest in Manitowoc County.

The mansion was the residence of local banker Charles Kuehn.  Kuehn was born in Prussia in 1818 and eventually made his way to our area.  During the 1850s when banks were first opening in Manitowoc and Two Rivers he decided to open a bank in both communities and built his home between the two.  His Manitowoc bank was located at 714 York Street but it is unknown where the Two Rivers bank could be found.  In addition to becoming a successful banker, from 1856 to 1858 Kuehn served as the Wisconsin State Treasurer.

The Forget-Me-Not creek ran through the Kuehn property.  Kuehn’s mother-in-law lived in the home with Kuehn and his wife and bought the forget-me-not seeds from Europe to plant on the banks of the creek.   

During the Civil War Kuehn invested his own money, along with the banks, in Confederate bonds.  This ended tragically for Kuehn, as well as those who placed their faith in his Manitowoc and Two Rivers banks. 

In an article from the Manitowoc Pilot on June 15, 1893 it was written that,”[Kuehn] was a financier of some ability and a man who could not bear to have his character for honesty impeached. … It is thought that when he found that failure was inevitable he took a dose of morphine and died before the announcement of his failure was made public. The usual stories were put in circulation and many contended that death was only pretended so that Kuehn might escape the country.”

Following Kuehn’s “death” on Nov. 2, 1865 his widow was hounded by creditors so she sold their mansion and moved to Salt Lake City.  The home was sold to Calvin Cole Barnes, also a local banker, in 1867.  During the panic of 1893 Barnes bank failed.  The home and all the family’s belongings were sold to creditors.  He died a few months later.

In 1922, the mansion was slated to be torn down and the newspaper had the following to say about the home: “The old Half-Way House, situated on the main highway between Manitowoc and Two Rivers, is about to close the last chapter of its checkered career. … There is something weird, something mysterious, in the appearance of the house.  The incessant swish-swish of its front door, Lake Michigan, and the plainness of the gray brick structure combine to give it an atmosphere which might well be termed spooky.  … Through its many changes in ownership it degenerated and for a time was a house of ill repute.”