Originally published in the Jonathan Clark House Museum Newsletter – Fall | September 2024
A message from Curt Gielow
Mequon Mayor 2010-2013
Wisconsin State Assemblyman 2003-2007
It’s now been more than a decade since Dr. Sandy Custer called me to tell me about his imminent retirement from dentistry and to inquire about the City of Mequon having any potential interest in his historically significant office building on the corner of Cedarburg and Bonniwell Roads.
Historically significant for sure! Dr. Custer practiced dentistry for 30 years in the original 1848 home of the Jonathan and Mary Clark family, early pioneering settlers of the Mequon-Thiensville area.
Although viewed at the time as impractical for the City of Mequon to acquire the property, we were able to develop interest by some residents in ‘saving the house’ due to its historical and architectural significance to the M-T area. Successfully identifying an interim ‘straw’ buyer for the property and recruiting several key thought leaders led to the creation of the custodial group known as the Friends of the Jonathan Clark House. An important key leader was Cindy Bock who volunteered to chair a task force and later, served as the first President of the Board of Directors.
One of the initial instrumental organizations to support this vision of preserving the history of the Jonathan Clark House was the Mequon-Thiensville Community Foundation.
Now celebrating their 25th anniversary of providing philanthropic support to worthy community needs, the M-T Community Foundation continues to be a supporter and key funder of Jonathan Clark House preservation initiatives.