For several decades, it's been known as the "Pink House" for the color of its fading stucco exterior. The house, located on the Drumlin Farm in the northeast corner of Fitchburg, 2849 Oregon Rd.,shows its age, having been abandoned and then a rental property.
But its interior contains a wealth of architectural and historical detail that will be lost if its razed. The Alexander Co., which purchased the property several years ago, plans commercial development on the site and has given tenants until Jan. 31 to vacate the property.
"The Alexander Company is not in the business of managing multi-family homes in Madison anymore... Consistent with exiting this rental market, we have also taken out of service all of the other single-family homes that we had for rent adjacent to the Novation Campus," wrote Dan Peterson, a spokesman for the firm
The other single-family homes that have been "taken out of service" by the firm have been razed.
The house was built around 1910 by Albert Anderberg, a carpenter from Rockford who moved to the area to work on the State Capitol.
In addition to maple floors and windows with stained glass, several rooms feature small murals around the ceiling, apparently painted by Anderberg's daughter.
A fireplace features a built-in buffet. Ceilings feature different styles of exposed beams. There are hand-built bannisters and book shelves. Doors, trim and other features apparently reflect styles common in Sweden.
Directors of the Fitchburg Historical Society are meeting to consider the historical value of the house. Winnie Lacy, a member of the board, said the group had extremely limited resources.
