Dr. Fisk Holbrook Day House facts for kids
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Dr. Fisk Holbrook Day House
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | 8000 W. Milwaukee Ave., Wauwatosa, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 1.6 acres (0.65 ha) |
| Architect | James Douglas |
| Architectural style | Second Empire, Italianate, Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 97001268 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 25, 1997 |
| Designated NHL | September 25, 1997 |
The Dr. Fisk Holbrook Day House, also known as Sunnyhill Home, is a special old house in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. It was built in 1874. This house was once the home of Doctor Fisk Holbrook Day (1826-1903). He was an important local doctor and a scientist who studied rocks and fossils.
The house has many different architectural styles mixed together. It was partly built to hold Dr. Day's huge collection of old artifacts. It's the only big mansion from the 1800s in this part of Milwaukee. In 1997, it was named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a really important historical place. The house is privately owned, so you can't visit it inside.
What Does the House Look Like?
The Dr. Fisk Holbrook Day House is on the west side of Wauwatosa. It sits on the north side of West Milwaukee Avenue. The house is set far back from the road. You can reach it by a long driveway from West Milwaukee Avenue.
It's a big brick house with two and a half floors. The main part of the house is rectangular. Other sections stick out from the back and side. The main part has a special roof called a mansard roof. It has cool red and yellow cedar shingles. There's also fancy iron decoration on top. The parts that stick out have steep, pointy roofs (called gables). These look like something from a castle (Gothic style). These gables have fancy wooden decorations.
The front of the house faces south. It has three sections, each one set back a little from the next. The middle section has a three-story tower with a mansard roof. Inside, you can find beautiful original wood and plaster work. There's a fine main staircase and marble around the fireplaces.
Who Was Dr. Fisk Holbrook Day?
The house was built in 1874 for Fisk Holbrook Day. It was designed by an architect named James Douglas. This was the third house Dr. Day owned in Wauwatosa. His other two houses are no longer standing.
Dr. Day designed this house to hold his growing collection of old fossils. These fossils are now kept at the University of Michigan. Dr. Day was a well-known local doctor. He was part of the county hospital commission. There, he helped make important changes to local mental hospitals.
In his free time, he loved collecting fossils. He found many at rock formations in the area, like the Schoonmaker Reef. He also wrote letters to many famous geologists and paleontologists of his time. These were scientists who studied the Earth and ancient life.
Later Years of the House
Dr. Day moved out of this house after his wife passed away in 1893. After he left, the house was divided into several apartments. It started to fall apart over time.
Later, in 1978, the famous piano player Liberace wanted to buy this house. He thought about making it a museum for his collections. But that didn't happen. Since then, the house has been carefully fixed up and restored.
