Historic cottage gets new life in Sheboygan Falls

Stacey Harrison

Contributor

August 25, 2025

SHEBOYGAN FALLS – A historic cottage in Sheboygan Falls – which has been converted into a short-term rental – is scheduled to open Labor Day weekend.

The property, called The Cole House: A Historic Cottage Built in 1842, has been recently renovated into a four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home.

Owner and Innkeeper Kelly York said the renovation aimed to preserve the home’s historic charm while updating it for guest stays.

York said she and her husband, Ray, also operate the adjacent The Rochester Inn, which is located next door.

“This will be different from the Inn, which is like a true bed and breakfast,” she said. “This will be a full house rental.”

York gave The Business News a look inside the cottage, where the main floor includes a kitchen, a sitting area with a gas fireplace, a powder room and a primary bedroom with its own bathroom.

Upstairs, York described the space as an “open game room or family room,” which includes a seating area, arcade table, kitchenette and sauna.

The upper level, she showed, also features three additional bedrooms and a second full bathroom.

With this cottage, York said they hope to create a space for families and larger groups to stay.

“We don’t have kids at the Inn, so we’re excited to be able to have kids here,” she said. 

York said this newly renovated historic cottage won’t just be for overnight stays, as weekly and monthly rentals will also be available.

“Housing everywhere is such a shortage, so we’re hoping to also offer this as kind of an executive rental for families who are relocating to town and need a place to live, fully furnished, before they find a place to live,” she said. 

York said the nightly rate at The Cole House will generally be around $600, with discounted rates available for longer stays.

She said, like The Rochester Inn, they plan to offer seasonal pricing at the Cole House, too.

The history 

On the plaque outside the home, underneath The Cole House signage, it says “a historic cottage built in 1842.”

York said the whole area was settled by Charles Cole.

“He was kind of like the founder of Sheboygan Falls,” she said. 

York said he built all of the buildings in The Cole Historic District, which, per the Wisconsin Historical Society, is bounded by Water, Monroe, Adams and Michigan streets.  

The Cole House was a home for most of its life, but York said in the last 10-15 years, it was used as an office space with an apartment on the second floor. 

When she and her husband found out the building was going up for sale, she said they knew they wanted it.

“We had our eye on this building for years,” she said. 

But, because the building is located in the Cole Historic District, York said the process for approval took some time.

“We are on the National Register of Historic Places,” she said. “So, in this case, it’s up to the city to decide what is acceptable and not acceptable.”

York said that process included everything from getting approval to change the use of the building from an office into a home, to a committee approving the exterior renderings, sign sketches and materials that would be used.

After the approval process was complete, York said she and her husband closed on the home Memorial Day weekend 2024.

Demolition, she said, started last fall and wrapped up in June of this year. 

York said it was a “full tear-out,” but they preserved what they could of the original structure, and that’s something guests will see when they walk into The Cole House.

“When our contractor started doing all the demolition, we found all these amazing beams,” she said. “All of the original wooden construction is still there.”

Per York, they were going for a “timeless, historical” feel while also including modern amenities and comfort.

“Every detail that we added, we tried to make sure [to ask ourselves], ‘Does it feel time-period appropriate?’” she said. “But at the same time, does it have all the things travelers want nowadays?”

Guests of The Cole House, York said, might also notice some local flair. 

“We tried to use as many local and family-run businesses as possible, as partners, when we were doing renovations,” she said.

York said that includes everything from flooring to cabinetry, the fireplace, decor and landscaping. 

“We really feel like we offer a unique lodging option in Sheboygan County,” she said.

The innkeepers

York said she and Ray – Northeast Wisconsin transplants, originally from the Eau Claire area – have been running The Rochester Inn next door to The Cole House since 2016.

“We always loved the idea of having a family business,” she said. “Our kids have grown up with it… they’re just part of the whole thing.” 

And the community, York said, has turned into a place they call home. 

“We just love the community here, and we love the history of the whole area,” she said. 

York said they hope they can preserve that history for future guests.

“The past is amazing,” she said. “There’s so much history there, and we feel like it’s our job to take care of it, preserve it for the next generations to enjoy it.”

For more information on The Cole House, including booking details, visit rochesterinn.com.