U. of Wisconsin at Madison Finds No Takers for $1 House

(U. of Wisconsin photo)

The University of Wisconsin at Madison is trying to sell a 1941 house with an unusual history for just $1, but so far there are no takers. And the deadline is Monday.

There is a catch, of course—the buyer would have to move the two-story, 3,372-square-foot house from its campus location, where it’s in the way of an expansion of the School of Human Ecology. Also, the buyer would have to take the house as is, including some asbestos and possibly some lead-based paint.

The house, with a low roofline and bay windows on the first floor, is a perfect suburban period piece—all the more so because it was used for years as a home-economics practice home, according to the Wisconsin State Journal. “It has some really unique architectural features and interior features that you do not see any longer,” said Doris Green, a spokeswoman for the School of Human Ecology. The university says the house is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places.

In recent years the house has been used for faculty offices. Moving it 10 blocks would cost about $135,000, the university estimates. If no one comes forward to take the house, it will be demolished, university officials said.