You can take a tour of this beauty by calling (218) 864-4008. The Prospect House, a Georgian-style "mansion", was the first house, and later the first resort, in Battle Lake, MN. James A. “Cap” Colehour, a veteran of the Civil War, migrated to Battle Lake, MN and built the first house in town called the “Chicago House” in 1882. In 1886 Colehour built an addition onto his house and began to offer his home to visitors, which he then called "The Prospect Inn," as a seasonal resort hotel. He operated the resort until 1924 when he retired at age 82. Cap’s daughter, Kathrina, and her husband, Ernest Wilkins, remodeled the interior five years later, in 1929. The house’s furnishings and décor have not been changed since that time. Continually inhabited by descendants of Cap Colehour since 1882, the four stories of Prospect House are filled with priceless artifacts, including a large exhibit room on the lower level dedicated to the Civil War. Historical markers around the yard tell the story of the Prospect House, which is on the State and National Register of Historic Places. The Prospect House and Civil War Museum is open year round. Call (218) 864-4008 for a tour appointment reservation.
