Rowley House Museum
In the heart of Middleton, an impressive brick home has graced Hubbard Avenue for more than 150 years. The Rowley House Museum is where visitors…
In the heart of Middleton, an impressive brick home has graced Hubbard Avenue for more than 150 years. The Rowley House Museum is where visitors can step through time to view 19th-century architecture and take a look back at Middleton’s rich history.
Visit the Rowley House Museum’s website for the most current hours of operation or to book a tour.
2023 Hours: mid-April to mid-October
Tuesday from 1-4 p.m.
Saturdays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
The history
In 1868, Middleton Doctor Newman C. Rowley built the home for $800 using 30,000 yellow bricks from a Milwaukee brickyard. The house was built in a style common then in rural Wisconsin, a 19th-century form known as a Gabled Ell. Four generations of Rowleys lived in the home before the Middleton Area Historical Society took ownership in 1989.
Visit the Rowley House Museum’s website for the most current hours of operation or to book a tour. The Rowley House is a Middleton Landmark and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.
The collection
Each room of the home houses a different mix of historical treasures. On the main floor, visitors will find one of the Midwest’s largest displays of Depression-era glass. Other items to discover include:
- Native American artifacts
- A vintage kitchen
- Medical equipment from the 1800s
- Turn-of-the century cooking implements and appliances
- Old-fashioned toys and school materials
- Uniforms and other military items from war veterans from the city
- Photographs and manuscripts of early Middleton
- Histories of area churches, schools and businesses
- Farm implements and an antique buggy
Take a tour to learn more about the history of Middleton
Middleton Landmark Tour
See Middleton’s rich history come to life on the Landmarks Tour. Visit 21 stops around the Middleton for a glimpse into the past of the Good Neighbor City. Download Landmarks Tour below or pick up at the visitor center.
Downtown Stroll & Tell
Explore downtown Middleton’s rich past through the Middleton Area Historical Society’s free guided Historic Downtown Middleton Stroll & Tell. Tours start and end at the Rowley House and are an hour and 45 minutes.
Historic Walking Tours
The Historic Walking Tour takes you on a stroll through Middleton’s past and right by these locations. See the list and map below, or view, download and print the full map and descriptions by clicking here.
Modified October 25, 2023