Hwy 59
Eagle, WI

This former farm was originally purchased as a homestead by Jacob Von Rueden in 1852, after he arrived from Prussia with his wife, Theresa, and their six children. Jacob’s son, Frederick, worked hard to transform the homestead into a successful working farm. He obtained ownership of the property in 1860. Frederick died in 1930, two days after undergoing an operation on his dining room table. His son, Joseph (born on the same dining room table in 1921), took over the farm after his father’s death. Initially, the Von Rueden farm produced only wheat, but later crops were expanded to include oats, hops, rye, potatoes, butter, hay, wool, and corn. It was also reported that people often gathered at the Von Rueden home at some point during its history to enjoy cider produced in the basement. The house is an example of rural Italianate architecture, which gained popularity between 1830 and 1850. Joseph sold the house and land to the Department of Natural Resources in 1963. The State Historical Society of Wisconsin prevented the home from being torn down in 1995. It is now included the State Register of Historic Places. The former Von Rueden house (plus one acre) is now known as the Eagle Home Hostel.

**information obtained by Carloyn Rosprim from newspaper, article by Anne Celano, and Department of Natural Resources staff

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