The Fargo Mansion in 1896, soon after my Great, Great Aunt Addie moved in with her new husband, Enoch Fargo. Enoch was 22 years older than Addie.

Addie in front of the Fargo Mansion.

The fam sits on the front step of the Fargo Mansion. Addie is on the lower left, with Enoch seated above her. Elsie (born 1876) is on the upper right and Mattie (born 1884) is on the lower right. Elsie was a scant four years younger than her new step-mother, Addie.

Contemporary photo of those same steps. The old steps have sunk into the ground a bit. For reasons I don't fully seem able to explain, this photo seems especially haunting. This photo is also courtesy of Brice Anderson (copyright 2011) and can not be reproduced or used without written permission.

Addie should have taken her little traveling suit and bag and made a run for it. In 1901, Enoch shot Addie in the head as she lay sleeping in her bed.

Daughter Elsie beside the stone steps.

The music room inside the Fargo Mansion. I believe this is Mattie (seated with book), Addie at the piano and Elsie standing (far right).

This is a shot from the foyer looking into the music room. If you look closely, you'll see a guitar in the background.

Addie was a beautiful young woman, but this is a not-so-beautiful chair. It has faces on the arms and back.

Addie in her wedding gown.

My favorite photo of all. I love the detail and the beauty and the opulence. This was Addie in her bedroom - where she was shot by her not-so-loving husband.

Close-up of the bed.

Happier times at the Fargo Mansion

Addie stands in a bower of flowers on the grounds of the Fargo Mansion.

The Fargo Mansion today (or yesterday, actually). This photo is courtesy of Brice Anderson (copyright 2011) and can not be reproduced or used without written permission.

Fargo Mansion in Lake Mills. This photo is courtesy of Brice Anderson (copyright 2011) and can not be reproduced or used without written permission.

This grandiose Victorian manse was built in 1881. This photo is courtesy of Brice Anderson (copyright 2011) and can not be reproduced or used without written permission.

View from the street. This photo is courtesy of Brice Anderson (copyright 2011) and can not be reproduced or used without written permission.

The porch of the Fargo Mansion. This photo is courtesy of Brice Anderson (copyright 2011) and can not be reproduced or used without written permission.

Addie sits with someone (Elsie?) on the front porch of the house. The original fretwork and railings are still evident in the contemporary picture (above).

Maddie (shown above) was Enoch's third wife. He married Maddie seven months after Addie Hoyt's death. If I were Maddie, I would have slept with one eye open. Maddie was said to be a frequent overnight guest at the Fargo Mansion.

Addie standing in the home's side yard.

Tall tower of the Fargo Mansion. This photo is courtesy of Brice Anderson (copyright 2011) and can not be reproduced or used without written permission.

Porte Cochere on the Fargo Mansion. This photo is courtesy of Brice Anderson (copyright 2011) and can not be reproduced or used without written permission.

A view of the home's rear. This photo is courtesy of Brice Anderson (copyright 2011) and can not be reproduced or used without written permission.

Addie, the papers dutifully recorded, died within 24 hours of her "sickness." In the end, it was lead poisoning that did in Addie, delivered via a revolver at close range.

Addie Hoyt and Enoch Fargo on their wedding day, 1896.