Minocqua Coach House Demolished

The End of a Minocqua Landmark

The historic house and Coach House Apartments at the corner of Oneida Street and Highway 51 in downtown Minocqua are no more. Demolition of the buildings began this past Monday, erasing a piece of Minocqua’s history.

The house itself dated back to 1909 and had seen a variety of businesses over the years. More recently, the two-story building contained apartments upstairs. Behind it sat the Coach House Apartments, built in 1929 as the Barker Apartments.

Tragedy struck in January when a fire broke out in one of the upstairs units, resulting in the death of 70-year-old Roger Nordrum. Though firefighters saved the Coach House from the flames, both buildings suffered heavy smoke, fire and water damage.

In the months since, cost estimates for repairing and renovating climbed to around $900,000. Concerns over safety and structural issues ultimately led to the decision to demolish instead. Crews have been on site this week, erasing the damaged buildings bit by bit.

It’s undoubtedly a sad loss for the town. Over a century of history gone due to one fateful fire. The lot now sits empty, awaiting whatever the future may bring for the prominent corner space. For many lifelong residents, it’s the end of an era.

We can only hope what rises in its place will prove a worthy addition to Minocqua’s heritage.