Morgan House offers doorway into 19th century Oshkosh architecture

photo by Adele Faust

Entering the Morgan House is like stepping back in time. As technology rapidly evolves, it’s hard to imagine what upper-middle class life was like before the age of easy convenience. With the help of the Winnebago County Historical Society, free guided tours are now  available every first of the month, allowing community members to come and enjoy unique woodwork and learn about the past. 

The Morgan House, a Queen Anne style house with Victorian asymmetrical building features, offers

unique designs that don’t follow the modern right angles and perfect symmetry society often sees today. The house was built in 1884 for John R. Morgan and Eleanor Morgan. With his brother, Richard, John came to Oshkosh in 1855, founding one of the first saw mills known as Morgan Brothers & Company. With some setbacks due to fires and financial burdens, the brothers were able to build up their company. Once John felt satisfied with the success, he hired Edwin Cole and Adam Bell to design and build what is now known as the Morgan House. It cost an estimated $12,000 to build. After the Morgans’ passing, the home was shortly kept by their children, but was eventually sold to Constance Misky who utilized it as a cosmetology school before bequeathing it to the Winnebago County Historical and Archaeological Society. The WCHA made diligent efforts to attempt to restore the original features of the house. Today, its restoration and furnishment reflects late 19th century Oshkosh, giving visitors a peek into the past.

While many visit the Morgan House to admire its intricate design, Leeann Morrill, a former West staff member and current board member of the Winnebago County Historical Society, enjoys the interaction and ability to teach an audience about Oshkosh’s past.

“I think my favorite part is sharing history with other people,” she said.

The open house viewing is conducted on the first Friday of every month, however, the staff hope to expand the tours. 

“We are working really hard to expand our programming, so we have an event on June 13, we have rec department classes for kids nine through twelve, we have historical walks that are coming up with Pie on the Porch this summer, so we’re trying to expand our time with the community,” Morrill said. 

Bobbie Nelson, a board member chairperson of the Outreach Committee, joined due to her appreciation for the historical Morgan house. 

“I think I joined a year ago in April. Before that I had come to one of the open houses ten years ago and really fell in love with the house then. Two years ago, I was married in the house. And since then, I joined the board and my husband and I volunteer here a lot,” Nelson said. 

Nelson was dressed in time-period based clothing, a feature of the tours that helps the visitors feel like they really teleported back in time.

“It’s as close as I can find to the time period,” she said. “It’s hard to find time period clothing at a reasonable price.”

Each part of the Morgan House incorporates classics of the Victorian era that are distinctive for their own reasons.

“I love the staircase and probably the front sitting room, and under the alcove because that’s where we got married. So that’s kind of ‘my’ room,” Nelson said. 

Verna Hassenfeldt, a board member and a member of the collections committee, assists in many areas throughout the Morgan House. 

“I have helped catalog some materials. I helped catalog the Puritan record cabinet and all of the records in there. I also recently hosted a book talk event,” she said.

Hassenfeldt has taken on many roles while volunteering.

“I’m trying to learn to be a docent, which is what Leeann is, or learn how to lead tours,” she said. “Mainly I’ve been helped with support. I answer questions or lead people to where they need to go, help set up for events, guide people, make sure no one is snatching things they’re not supposed to.” 

Each Morgan House board member has a different experience that led them to joining the board and helping with tours, but they are all joined together by their shared love for the house and its upkeep. 

“When I was a freshman in college I toured this house. When I was a senior, one of my professors emailed me and offered an opportunity knowing I like local history and events around the turn of the century,” Hassenfeldt said. “He was like, ‘Here’s this volunteer experience to help with an exhibit.’ And we did an exhibit on death and dying in the late 19th century. That was my first time helping with the historic society. After that, I continued to volunteer. Early last year I joined the board.” 

Talks about paranormal activity surfaced during the tour. Some staff remained neutral to the idea while others were stronger believers. 

“I would consider myself a believer in ghosts. Do I know what it is exactly? No, but I do believe that there is something supernatural. I do believe that the ghosts of the Morgan family still haunt these halls,” Hassenfeldt. “We got a lot of really good evidence the last time Wendigo Paranormal was here. We do a tour every October, two nights, usually two slots per night, around $40 for a ticket. It’s a really cool experience, you get to use the instruments. You get to use the readers, the cams, it’s a very personal paranormal tour experience.”

For many, the Morgan House is a treasure within Oshkosh, with tours providing guests an experience to step back into the past and learn more about their city’s history. 

“I fell in love the first time I visited. Bobbie was enthusiastic about history and the house is so beautiful. I just love learning about Oshkosh’s past,” Morrill said. 

by Adele Faust

Published May 26, 2026

Oshkosh West Index Volume 122 Issue VIII