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Prospect House & Civil War Museum, Battle Lake

4.9
#87 of 173 in Museums in Minnesota
History Museum · Museum
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The Prospect House, a Georgian-style "mansion", was the first house, a later the first resort, in Battle Lake, MN. James A. “Cap” Colehour, a veteran of the Civil War, migrated to Battle Lake, MN and built the first house in town called the “Chicago House” in 1882. In 1886 Colehour built an addition onto his house and began to offer his home to visitors, which he then called "The Prospect Inn", as a seasonal resort hotel. He operated the resort until 1924 when he retired at age 82. Cap’s daughter, Kathrina, and her husband, Ernest Wilkins, remodeled the interior five years later, in 1929. The house’s furnishings and décor have not been changed since that time.

Continually inhabited by descendants of Cap Colehour since 1882, the four stories of Prospect House are filled with priceless artifacts, including a large exhibit room on the lower level dedicated to the Civil War. Historical markers around the yard tell the story of the Prospect House, which is on the State and National Register of Historic Places.

The Prospect House and Civil War Museum is open year round. Call (218) 864-4008 for a tour appointment reservation.
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Prospect House & Civil War Museum reviews

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TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 5.0
23 reviews
Google
4.8
TripAdvisor
  • Love this museum! After a lifetime of visiting historical museums, this one is unique. I hate over-curated displays with 2-3 artifacts that are explained to death. This is not one of those. It is a... 
    Love this museum! After a lifetime of visiting historical museums, this one is unique. I hate over-curated displays with 2-3 artifacts that are explained to death. This is not one of those. It is a...  more »
  • This was so much more than I was expecting. EVERYTHING has provenience. I love Civil War history so the many artifacts were amazing. The guided tour was about 1 1/2 hours and was led by a... 
    This was so much more than I was expecting. EVERYTHING has provenience. I love Civil War history so the many artifacts were amazing. The guided tour was about 1 1/2 hours and was led by a...  more »
Google
  • This was a wonderful experience if you enjoy history. Call in advance to book a guided tour.
  • Picked up my gourmet lunch box today (fundraiser). It was delicious! The bread pudding was amazing. Special leaf decorations on the top of the box and cute fall napkin inside were just a perfect touch to make it festive. Thanks to those who make that possible. I appreciate the preservation of history at the Prospect House.

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