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Although it was just last month that Gov. Scott Walker’s private residence was beset by protestors in Wauwatosa, some 1,000 of them, he plans to reopen the Governor’s Mansion to public tours in April. The “Executive Residence,” as it’s termed, is a palatial estate on the shores of Lake Mendota. One state senator who says it should be sold has valued it at $2.5 million.

the executive residence (photo by DOA)

The free tours, which begin on April 7 and continue until Aug. 25, will be limited to the first floor and last 20 to 30 minutes. Cameras will be allowed, according to a statement from Walker’s office, but not backpacks or purses. Walker Spokesman Cullen Werwie declined to comment on whether protest signs would be permitted.

The mansion, completed in 1921 for Madison industrialist Carl Johnson, spans 34 rooms, including 13 bathrooms and seven bedrooms. Outside, there are seven gardens (which tours attendees may roam) and paths that meander the lakeshore. The state bought the home in 1947, according to the Department of Administration, for a thrifty $47,500.

“Tonette and I are proud to welcome our fellow Wisconsinites into the residence,” Walker says in the statement. “These tours will provide a unique opportunity for people all across Wisconsin to enjoy and appreciate this historic home.”

In mid-February, about 1,000 people assembled outside the Walker home in Wauwatosa to protest his budget repair bill limiting the collective bargaining rights of public employees.

State Sen. Robert Wirch (D-Pleasant Prairie) has called for selling the Governor’s Mansion since at least 2002. He says it could fetch about $2.5 million, cash that could help fund government services and set a strong example of fiscal responsibility.

“Change should start at the top,” he said in a November statement. “It is hard to set a good example if you are living in a mansion.”

The state spends about $250,000 a year to staff the mansion. Employees include a housekeeper, gardener and wait staff. Maintenance dollars for the residence are supplemented by private fundraising through the Wisconsin Executive Residence Foundation.

The mansion was last open to the public in December, when Gov. Jim Doyle hosted holiday-themed tours featuring six Christmas trees, each decorated with a Wisconsin theme.

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