The Parker Pen company was once a big deal in the small Wisconsin city of Janesville, the hometown of presumptive Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan. As Parker's fortunes rose, so too did those of Janesville, and the family of company founder George Parker built this large Georgian mansion in the Courthouse Hill neighborhood in 1929. Today it stands as a testament to his success, and a reminder of how far the town has fallen since Parker moved away. In 2010, Ryan and his wife paid $421K for the 5,800-square-foot spread with six bedrooms and seven bathrooms. A deep 0.82-acre lot allows space for a tennis court, though aerial shots reveal it to be in pretty rough shape. Then again, playing tennis in the backyard of your mansion while the town crumbles around you would be terribly bad form for someone seeking higher public office.
· Paul Ryan: Wisconsin roots, Washington clout [Times Online]
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