509 Chestnut Street
This simple Victorian cottage well represents Goosetown’s working-class character. Built between 1891 and 1895, the house sheltered smelter workers and their families. Like many Goosetown homes, the property had a separate residence at the rear. In 1900, James Ryan and his extended family were the tenants in both dwellings. In 1910, William Lindblad, his wife Agnes, and their three children lived in the rear residence while eight members of the Barstad family occupied the cottage. Typical of the Goosetown melting pot, the Ryans were Irish, the Lindblads were Swedish, and the Barstads were Norwegian. William Lindblad died at 47 in 1917, and Agnes took up a boardinghouse nearby to make ends meet. Her daughter Ruth recalled filling smelter workers’ lunch pails. Her mother could throw an orange or an apple and hit the pail every time. Goosetown women had numerous cottage industries. Selling candy from the porch was an enterprise ideal for this home given its proximity to Lincoln School. After 1940, a portion of the rear residence was moved on logs and attached to the main house. Original roofing is visible in the attic.
From the NRHP Plaque