Kneeland-Walker House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Kneeland-Walker House
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | 7406 Hillcrest Dr. Wauwatosa, Wisconsin |
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| Built | 1890 |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| NRHP reference No. | 88003212 |
| Added to NRHP | January 19, 1989 |
The Kneeland-Walker House is a beautiful old mansion built in 1890. It's located in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. This house is a great example of the Queen Anne building style. It also has some features of the Shingle style. The house is still in great shape today. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. This means it's a very important historical building.
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A Look Back: The Kneeland-Walker House Story
Who Built the House?
The story of the Kneeland-Walker House begins with Norman L. Kneeland. He was born in New York in 1832. After serving in the Civil War, he moved to Wisconsin in 1865. He bought a large farm, about 100 acres, from his family. Norman Kneeland worked hard and became very successful.
In 1889, he sold his farm. This land later became Washington Park. Soon after selling the farm, Mr. Kneeland bought six building lots. These lots were on Hillcrest Drive, which was then called Center Street. He then built this amazing house for his family.
What Does the House Look Like?
The Kneeland-Walker House is quite grand. It has three stories. One corner of the house features a tall, three-story tower. This tower has a unique onion-shaped dome on top. On the west side, there is a covered entrance for carriages. This is called a porte-cochère.
The house sits on a strong limestone foundation. The first floor is covered in brick. The second floor has wooden boards called weatherboard. The third floor uses wooden shingles. A large dormer window with a special gambrel roof sits on the front. A tall, fancy chimney rises behind the tower.
Inside the house, you can find beautiful oak pocket doors. There is also a curved staircase. This staircase leads up to the second floor. Behind the main house, there is a carriage house. This building had stalls for four horses. There was also a small building in the backyard. This was a cider shed when an orchard surrounded the house.
Who Lived Here After?
While living in the house, Norman Kneeland was active in city government. He was the president of the city council when he passed away in 1900. The Kneeland family owned the house until 1917.
In 1917, Emery L. Walker bought the house. He was an engineer for a company that made cardboard boxes. The Walker family lived in the house for many years. They stayed there until 1985.
The House Today
The Wauwatosa Historical Society bought the house in 1987. They bought it from Constance Walker. Today, the Kneeland-Walker House is the society's main office. It also serves as a museum. You can visit it to learn about local history. The house is also recognized as a Wauwatosa Landmark. It is a Milwaukee County Landmark too.
