
January 6, 2025
WISCONSIN RAPIDS – As a child, Rachael Stormoen said she walked by Wisconsin Rapid’s sprawling, faded Arpin mansion daily.
“I grew up just a few blocks from the house and walked by it every day,” she said. “I told my mom I was going to own it someday. At five years old, I knew what I wanted, and I accomplished it.”
Today, Stormoen and her husband, Mike, are the owners of Le Chateau The Manor Bed & Breakfast, constructed from lumber baron John Arpin’s one-time family home.
A look back
Stormoen said the history of Le Chateau mirrors that of Central Wisconsin, a place where, according to local historians, fortunes were made and mansions constructed by entrepreneurs building railroads, harvesting timber and eventually creating communities stretching from Rhinelander to Wisconsin Rapids and points south.
John Arpin was one of those men.
According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, he established the John Arpin Lumber Company in the nearby town named in his honor, and in 1889 completed the construction of the mansion for his wife, Clarice.
The family’s history in the home has been carefully preserved, Stormoen said, with photos and the family tree on display on the main level.
The home, which is listed in the Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, she said, was designed by James Douglas and was the first in the community with running water, electricity and telephone.
The original price tag, Stormoen said, was $8,000.
Even in the area’s gilded age of mansions, Stormoen said the Arpin home stood out.
The turreted style and elaborate exterior, she said, were distinctive, and the home featured a third-floor ballroom, accessible by a grand main staircase, along with a multitude of bedrooms, baths and fireplaces.
Stormoen said the ballroom now serves as the living quarters for her, Mike and their four children.
The grandeur extended to the area reserved for servants, she said.
At a time when those quarters were often modest, constructed of lower quality materials and accessible only from hidden back stairways, Stormoen said the Arpins used the same oak flooring, open stairway design and similar trim work as found in the public areas and family rooms.

“They were known for treating their servants well,” she said.
Stormoen said John Arpin was only able to enjoy his mansion for three years, dying in 1892 at age 65.
Clarice spent decades in the home, passing in 1926 at age 84.
The house passed to their daughter, Georgianna, who historical records indicate was the last of the Arpin family to reside there.
Stormoen said she sold it shortly before she died in 1959.
Later owners, according to the State Historical Society, included Beverly Wenzel Reddick and Dane Dahl.
The mansion was eventually carved into eight apartments, some grand, Stormoen said, and others, according to her research, quite small.
Stormoen said she set up a Facebook post asking people for their memories of living in the building, with the goal of printing and posting stories throughout the spaces.
Though the grandeur was covered when the building was renovated into apartments, Stormoen said it was not removed.
Wall-to-wall carpeting protected the hardwood floors, the cast iron radiators were painted over but still worked, and the trim and fireplaces remained largely intact.
The place, Stormoen said, seemed poised for a rebirth – a project that began in 1999 when it was purchased by Andrea and Joe Kreeger, who owned the grand mansion, known as the White House, next door (which was constructed in 1902 by Daniel Arpin, John and Clarice’s son).
“The Kreegers purchased the house with an eye on restoring the building for the sake of restoration, not for any monetary gain,” she said. “It’s a testament to the community.”
It was an arduous process, Stormoen said, with more than $2 million spent on the restoration.
The home was later purchased by the Hafenbredls who then sold it to Faye and Bill Collier, who created the bed and breakfast in 2015 and operated it for seven years before listing it for sale in 2022.
“They put their hearts and souls into it,” Stormoen said. “Faye created all of the gardens and did most of the decorating throughout the house.”
Coming home
As a realtor, Stormoen said she was among those tasked with promoting and selling the home.
Instead, she said she was determined to buy it.
Stormoen said her history with the property pointed her toward that decision.
In addition to falling in love with the mansion as a child, she said she had a long-standing interest in the hospitality industry.
After studying abroad, Stormoen said she worked on a five-star cruise ship, honing the skills valuable for running a bed and breakfast.
She said she learned event planning while working at a chocolate company in Madison, developed a business plan as part of an entrepreneur class, runs a real estate team known as Luxe Property Partners-Realty One Group Haven and also has her full-time job as a real estate agent.
And Stormoen said she and Mike had been tentatively exploring opening a bed and breakfast somewhere up north.
Though she may have been convinced, she said her husband was a bit of a harder sell.
“I said ‘honey, we’re going to buy the mansion on First Street,’” she said. “He said he was willing to explore it and talked to his family and friends about the business. Finally, we decided we had to have it. When I told Faye I wanted to buy her home, she had tears in her eyes. She was so happy for us.”
Obstacles are common with such a large purchase, but Stormoen said they were not deterred.
“Every time we had a hurdle, something good would happen,” she said. “Then we would face another hurdle, and something would happen, and it would work out. We just kept trying and trying. The best things come to those who wait.”
A peek inside
Constructed in the Queen Anne style, Stormoen said Le Chateau The Manor Bed & Breakfast features six original fireplaces, hardwood floors, ornate light fixtures, sleigh beds and clawfoot bathtubs.
If Arpin walked in the door today, she said, “he would feel right at home.”
“This is a place to make memories,” she said.
Located at 840 First St. N., with views of the Wisconsin River, Stormoen said Le Chateau offers guests a choice of five suites – Morning Dove, Eastern Bluebird, Song Sparrow, Hummingbird and Chickadee.
If more space is needed, Stormoen said the Manor Retreat is available, which is made up of Song Sparrow and Eastern Bluebird with a shared bath.
Stormoen said large families can also book the entire manor to create a one-of-a-kind vacation.
The rooms have a mix of king and queen-sized beds, with en suite baths.

However, Stormoen said the common areas are key to the Le Chateau experience.
She said she and Mike encourage guests to mingle and share experiences in the ladies parlor, gentlemen’s room, library and dining areas, much like visitors to the Arpin mansion did more than a century ago.
Stormoen said the property’s breakfasts are designed to be a highlight of any visit.
She said Mike oversees the kitchen, with her contributing baked goods.
Together, Stormoen said they serve an ever-changing mix of sweet and savory dishes on the big dining room table.
“Those family-style breakfasts really create camaraderie among our guests,” she said. “They get to hear each other’s stories and really get to know one another.”
The home also hosts a mix of private events, such as murder mystery dinners – details of which Stormoen said are available through Le Chateau’s website (themanorwisconsin.org).
Private parties, such as receptions, baby and wedding showers and reunions, she said, can also be booked through the website or by calling Le Chateau.
“We’re open to whatever people want to use this wonderful space for,” Rachael said.
Stormoen said the family dog, Phoebe, is even available for cuddling.
The past and future
Rachael said Le Chateau represents the history of Wisconsin Rapids but may be a cog in the gears of its future as well.
Committed to adding value wherever she lives, she said she hosts monthly networking events for female entrepreneurs in Central Wisconsin and is devoted to creating a vibrant future for her hometown.
“I have this beautiful house here and we get together and talk business,” she said. “There are people with good ideas to revitalize our community. We all play a role. “
Stormoen said she compared being an entrepreneur to becoming a new mother, always learning new things.
“I love it here, and we are raising our family here,” she said. “If I can get people in to enjoy our town, I have been successful. I want people to see and understand the history of Wisconsin Rapids and what it can become. I am very proud of where I live and want others to enjoy this area as much as I do.”
Communication, Stormoen said, is key to booking a stay at Le Chateau.
There are no online reservations.
Instead, Stormoen said she and Mike rely on the telephone, for a simple reason.
“By actually talking on the phone, we can get to know people’s stories and create customized stays,” she said. “We want to know who you are and why you are coming so we can spoil you.”
To learn more about Le Chateau The Manor Bed & Breakfast, call 715-315-8439.