Property: Neillsville, WI--The Geo. L. Lloyd Home
Contact: Dee Zimmerman

Surnames: Allen, Hansen, Lloyd, Marden, Meier

----Source: June, 1943 Compiled by Dee Zimmerman for her weekly column "The Good Ole Days" published June 18, 2003.
 

Clark County

The Historic Lloyd House of Neillsville, WI

The George L. Lloyd property is now in the ownership of LeRoy Allen, whose farm lies just to the east of it. The sale was recently finalized. Included in the sale was farmland of about 40 acres, chiefly purchased by Allen to extend his own farm. The property sale is authorize Clyde D. Lloyd Bellingham, Wash., a so the late George L. Lloyd

This sale carries with it ownership of one of largest residences in Neillsville, and property which was once one of finest. The house is of brick, very large, with fine hardwood floors and trim. It the pride of George L. Lloyd, who was a successful Lumberman and merchant of Neillsville's earlier days. The house was built some years ago. Lloyd died about 25 years, ago. As time passed, became evident that the residence, however well suited to the pride and family of a successful lumberman, not suited to the size viewpoints of modem families. So the place has gradually depreciated, although it is still intrinsically a splendid building.

One of the assets of property is a spring, which in the old days was harnessed by means of a ram to provide a private running water supply for the Lloyds. The Lloyd house is said to have cost $15,000 for building it, at a time when the dollar was larger than it is now. It is eloquent of the changing taste and viewpoint that house and the whole 40 acres should have been sold $2,000, the price of which Allen is said to have paid for it. And as for the house itself, its present value is highly debatable, as it is vacant, seemingly useless and depreciating steadily. (Fortunately, the Lloyd house withstood the intermit- tent bad years, due to neglect. In recent years, an energetic couple, Ray and Mary Jo Meier, saw its possibilities of restoration by investing seven years of labor and resources to bring the house back to its original state. Once again, the elegant house stands as a monument of the Victorian Era and the lumbering wealth that once prevailed in Neillsville and Clark County. The Meiers have done a great job in the restoration of the Lloyd home. Noted by: Dee Zimmerman)

The photo above was taken in early June, 2003 after the home was restored by Ray & Mary Meier.

Responses

Property: Neillsville, WI--The Geo. L. Lloyd H
Contact: Judy (Marden) Hansen

Dee, Thank you so much for your wonderful article on the Lloyd-Meier house. I'd like to share my personal memories of that property with you!  Judy (Marden) Hansen

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Property: Neillsville, WI--The Geo. L. Lloyd H
Contact:  Jane Rasmussen

Let me thank you, and also Judy your for a fascinating story. I took a picture of this property during my last visit to Neillsville, Oct.2003. Martha (nee Holtz) Allen was my mother's sister and after they bought the house,my family would visit the elder Holtz & across the road the Allen farm and as I was a curious child and the house was not locked I spent many a hour exploring the home & playing let's pretend. I knew nothing re:haunting, the chickens &cats; but, dearly loved the tiled and marble bathrooms (3 I believe), I didn't know the plumbing never worked. The living room, fireplace and large windows were quite impressive. I don't remember the creek, as that's not what I came to explore. The front lawn was ruined by as many as 40 huge pinetrees, laid out in rows.