Built in 1896 by Dr. A.W. Rice, this quintessential example of a Queen Anne style Victorian residence has stood on Marion’s Cottage Street, preserved and contributing to the town’s rich history. Alger W. Rice (1855-1914) was born in Vermont and moved to Marion after graduating medical school and operated his medical office from his home here and lived with his family until his death. Dr. Rice also raised and bred award-winning Russian Wolfhounds and pigeons. Between 1921 and 1979 the property was owned by two generations of the Petersen family, beginning with Viggo Valdemar Petersen (1869-1941), a native of Bornholm, Denmark, who worked as a chef before entering the ice cream manufacturing business in the early 20th century. Peterson operated a popular ice cream parlor out of the rear carriage house during the 1930s until his death in 1941. When Viggo died in 1941, his son, Viggo C., attempted to carry on, until wartime cream rationing forced him to close for the duration of the conflict. Thereafter, Petersen’s ice cream resumed production and remained a Marion fixture until its final closing in the 1970s. The former residence remains commercial today, but maintains its charm.
Buildings of New England 