The Stewart Inn was designed and built by George Maher, a contemporary of Frank Lloyd Wright’s and one of the founders of the American arts & crafts movement. It was commissioned by Hiram and Irene Stewart and completed in 1906. The Inn was one of six homes Maher constructed in Wausau (along with several others that he renovated) and was Wausau’s first property on the National Register of Historic Places.
George Maher frequently incorporatde both geometric shapes and botanical elements into his designs. In this instance, the geometric shape was the tripartite (or segmental) arch and the botanical element was the tulip. He repeated these elements throughout the house to create what he referred to as the “motif rhythm,” a cohesive architecture that flows prominently throughout a building.
The Stewart Inn is regarded as one of the finest homes in Wausau and considered the most intact example of George Maher’s architecture in the country. The chandeliers, the stained glass windows, the sconces, the fireplace mosaic, the woodwork and so much more are original and in near perfect condition. Even the second floor guest rooms remain largely true to Maher’s brilliant design.