It was originally built in 1859 by Captain William Wilson, a local lumber baron, first mayor of Menomonie and the area's first state senator.

This included the addition of 17 marble fireplaces, a ballroom, a carved mahogany staircase, and wrap-around porches.

The LaPointes also undertook a large remodeling project, reducing the size of the house by two-thirds, transforming it into a Mediterranean style villa in 1931.

[1][3] Irene LaPointe died in 1974, and the building was acquired by local couple Jackie and John Dotseth, who were not aware of its history and intended to use it as a retirement home.

[4][1] It has been preserved as the Wilson Place Museum to provide visitors a view into the lives of the Wilson, Stout, and LaPointe families, the founders of Menomonie, the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and the Knapp, Stout & Co. lumber company, as well as the history of Menomonie.