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Henry & Marie Harnischfeger House facts for kids

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Henry & Marie Harnischfeger House
Henry & Marie Harnischfeger House.jpg
Henry & Marie Harnischfeger House in 2020
Location 3424 W Wisconsin Avenue Milwaukee, WI 53208
Nearest city Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Built 1905
Built for Wisconsin industrialist Henry Harnischferger
Original use Home
Architect Eugene R. Liebert
Architectural style(s) German Renaissance Revival
Governing body Wisconsin Historical Society
Owner Retrovision LLC

The Henry & Marie Harnischfeger House is a beautiful old mansion built in 1905. It's designed in a special style called German Renaissance Revival. This grand home was built for Henry Harnischfeger, who was an important industrialist in Wisconsin. In 1991, the city of Milwaukee officially recognized it as a historic building.

Discovering the Harnischfeger House

A Look Back: The House's Story

German Renaissance Revival Architecture
This picture shows some cool German Renaissance Revival details on the front of the house.

The famous architect Eugene R. Liebert designed this house. It was finished in 1905. The building is a great example of the German Renaissance Revival style. Strachota Builders were the ones who constructed it.

The city of Milwaukee officially made it a historic building on February 15, 1983. The Harnischfeger House was first built on Grand Avenue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Today, that street is known as Wisconsin Avenue.

Cool Features: What Makes the House Special

This large mansion has two and a half stories and a sloped roof. It was built on a strong limestone foundation. The house has many parts that stick out and go back in, giving it a unique look.

Here are some of its interesting features:

  • Two statues of soldiers holding swords stand on the front of the second-floor balcony. These statues are like Atlases, figures often used in architecture to support structures.
  • An Oriel window that sticks out from the wall, supported by special brackets called corbels.
  • An entrance that is set back into the building, making it feel more private.
  • A loggia (a covered walkway) with a series of arches, known as an arcaded design.

The house is quite large, measuring 8,810 square feet. It has 13 bedrooms, 5.5 bathrooms, and a total of 21 rooms!