 Attempts to operate a business were made in 1949 when Mrs. Martin Dorst's son, Clare Dorst, announced that he would be operating a restaurant in the house.The first mention of selling the property to the State Historical Society of Wisconsin was in April 1948 when Mrs. Martin Dorst offered it to the society.In December 1949 she announced that she was putting the house up for sale to any buyer because of the large expense that would be required to meet modern health codes for restaurants.