MORTENSEN COTTAGE

Originally located on site where Botany Hall stands now.

An acre of land was leased to Professor J.L. Budd in May 1877, and he began immediately to build a home for his family. He sold the house to the College in 1884 at which time an addition was built from plans by Foster & Liebe. Tomlinson built the addition for $780. Budd received $2,000 for the house. The addition was two stories 14 x 22 feet. Chimneys of the house were blown down in the cyclone of April 8, 1882.

Selection of the location where Budd’s house stood as the site for Agricultural Hall (Botany Hall) resulted in the removal of the house in 1892 to a location at about what is now the southwest corner of Dairy Industries Building. Cost of moving, including a new foundation came to approximately $1000.

Tenants of the house are listed by Dorothy Kehlenbeck¹ as follows:

The house was razed in 1927 to make room for the new Dairy Industries Building.