28 E. Gilman St. Built 1857 Madison Landmark Romanesque Revival/French Second Empire
Donnell & Kutzbock
In 1870 the Second Empire style mansard roof was added.
This is the last of the four houses constructed on the Pinckney-Gilman corner.
Built for Napoleon Bonaparte Van Slyke and his first
wife but they never lived in the house because Laura died before it was completed.
James Richardson, a business partner of Van Slyke, was the first to live in the house.
The next owner was James Robbins, miller at the Yahara River flour mill.
Chauncey Williams added the Mansard roof.
In 1899, the house was bought by Magnus Swenson. He subdivided the land and built a residence
at the lower edge of the bluff overlooking the lake. The property originally extended to the
lake and included additional buildings including a kitchen, billiards building and stable.
George and Mary Keenan lived in the house from 1900 to 1916. He was a prominent physician who
helped establish St. Mary's Hospital. He was a nephew of William Freeman Vilas whose mansion was at the west end of this block.
