Milwaukee City Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Milwaukee City Hall |
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| Record height | |
| Tallest in Wisconsin from 1895 to 1973 | |
| Preceded by | Pabst Building |
| Surpassed by | U.S. Bank Center |
| General information | |
| Type | Municipal office |
| Architectural style | Flemish Renaissance Revival |
| Location | 200 E. Wells St. Milwaukee, United States |
| Coordinates | 43°02′30″N 87°54′35″W / 43.0417°N 87.9098°W |
| Completed | 1895 |
| Height | |
| Roof | 353 ft (108 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 15 |
The Milwaukee City Hall is an important building in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It was completed in 1895. For many years, it was the tallest building in Milwaukee. It held this title until 1973, when the First Wisconsin Center was finished. In 1973, the City Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes places important to history.
Building Design and Style
The Milwaukee City Hall was designed by an architect named Henry C. Koch. He used a style called Flemish Renaissance Revival. This style was inspired by buildings in Germany, like the Hamburg City Hall. It also took ideas from local buildings, such as the Pabst Building.
Milwaukee has a long history with German immigrants. Because of this, many buildings around the City Hall look similar. The building stands on 2,584 white pine poles. These poles were driven into the marshy land near the Milwaukee River.
The main part of the building has eight floors. A very tall tower rises to 350 feet (about 107 meters). The tower has clock faces on it. Four small turrets, shaped like beer steins, are next to the clocks. A copper spire sits on top of the tower. The upper part of the tower was rebuilt after a fire in 1929.
The large bell inside City Hall is named after Solomon Juneau. He was Milwaukee's first mayor. The Campbells designed and made the bell. They were known for creating diving chambers and suits in the Great Lakes area.
History of Milwaukee City Hall
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Milwaukee City Hall
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City Hall in 1901
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| Location | 200 E. Wells St. Milwaukee, United States |
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| NRHP reference No. | 73000085 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | March 14, 1973 |
| Designated NHL | April 5, 2005 |
For many years, City Hall was a symbol of Milwaukee. This was true until the Calatrava wing of the Milwaukee Art Museum opened in 2001. However, the bell tower is still a city symbol. You can see it on some traffic and parking signs.
In the past, the tower's front three sides had a lighted marquee. This was like a big sign with changing messages. It welcomed visitors and announced events. It also showed messages for holidays or special achievements. An image of the City Hall marquee was in the opening of the TV show Laverne & Shirley. The marquee was taken down in 1988. Its letters were given to the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design in 2012.
From 2006 to 2008, the entire building was updated. This included taking apart and rebuilding the bell tower. This work was done by J. P. Cullen & Sons, Inc. Before this restoration, the bell was rarely rung. This was because of worries about how strong the building was. Scaffolds were put around the building to protect people from falling stone.
City Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 2005. This means it is a place of great national importance.
See also
In Spanish: Ayuntamiento de Milwaukee para niños
