|
|
| The story behind Pond View Lodge begins in 1919, when Edward Ditlefsen returned to his roots in Frederic, Wisconsin, after serving in the U.S. Army during World War I. Deciding to try his hand at dairy farming, Ditlefsen purchased six, cows and sixty acres of wooded and rolling farmland. |
 |
|
In 1920 Edward married Agnes Sorensen. The two of them raised five children on the farm and milked their Holsteins by hand in the early morning hours, aided only by the light of gas lamps. In 1940 the Ditlefsen farm received electricity which made milking much easier for the family. In 1949, using hardwood lumber off the land, the Ditlefsens and a community of helpers built the Scandinavian-style barn that is now Pond View Lodge.
Through the years the farm grew from from 60 to160 acres, and from 6 to 20 cows. In 1967 the couple sold their dairy operation. Son Harvey remained on the farm raising beef cattle and crops. Harvey lived on the family farm until 1994, when he moved into a nursing home. |
|
| In 1996 Dave and Gale Paulsen, whose friendship with the family went back two generations, bought the farm and an additional 40 acres. The Paulsens became only the second owners of the property in 90 years. Dave retired in 1998, and the couple spent the next ten years restoring the home, pole barns, fencing, and other features of the property. |
 |
 |
| In 2007 they decided to tackle the 4,500-square-foot barn. While renovating the interior of the barn, Dave stumbled upon a familiar name. Paul Paulsen, Dave's grandfather, had etched his name in the wood on the wall when he had helped to construct the barn nearly 60 years earlier. |
|
| Pond View Lodge is the result of the Paulsen’s barn renovation effort. |
 |
Beautiful and rustic, the Lodge features all the modern-day amenities which include a complete kitchen, large dining room, double-sided stone fireplace, comfortable great room with LCD television and wireless connection, a quiet reading room and two full bathrooms. The lodge comfortably sleeps fourteen in the two lofts. With all the modern ammmenities, the lodge still maintains the serenity of the peaceful, quiet countryside. |
The large windows provide views of flower gardens, still waters of a pond, acres of woodland, rolling hills, and spectacular sunsets. We invite you to come and experience the beauty and comfort of Pond View Lodge.
|
