Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Lloyd R. Smith House
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| Location | 2220 N. Terrace Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
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| Built | 1923 |
| Architect | David Adler, Rose Standish Nichols |
| Architectural style | Renaissance |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000107 |
| Added to NRHP | December 30, 1974 |
Villa Terrace is a beautiful historic house in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was built in 1924 for the Smith family. This amazing home looks like an Italian Renaissance villa. It sits high on a bluff, offering stunning views of Lake Michigan. Since 1966, the house and its gardens have been home to the Villa Terrace Decorative Arts Museum. It is also known as the Lloyd R. Smith House on the National Register of Historic Places.
History of Villa Terrace
Building the Smith Family Home
Lloyd Smith (1883–1944) was the president of a big company called A. O. Smith Corporation. After a trip to Italy, the Smith family wanted a new home. They asked architect David Adler to design it. The house and its special water stairs were inspired by an old Italian villa. This villa, called Villa Cicogna Mozzoni, was built in the 1560s in Italy.
Lloyd Smith named his new home Sopra Mare. This Italian phrase means "above the sea." The house is shaped like a rectangle around an open courtyard. Its walls are red brick, painted white. The roof has special curved tiles.
Inside the Villa
Inside, the house had many beautiful rooms. The dining room had a ceiling made of special wood. The living room featured fireplaces and a unique wooden floor. There was also a cozy library. The amazing metalwork you see in the house was made by Cyril Colnik. He was a blacksmith from Austria who had a studio in Milwaukee.
Gardens and Landscape Design
The land around the house is also very special. It has terraces and formal gardens. There is a "water stairway" and even fishponds. You can also find two secret gardens. A landscape designer named Rose Standish Nichols helped plan these gardens.
From Home to Museum
Lloyd Smith passed away in 1944. In 1966, his family gave their home to Milwaukee County. They wanted it to become a Decorative Arts Museum. Some rooms were changed into offices, but the house and gardens mostly stayed the same. In 1976, new sugar maple trees and hedges were planted.
Museum Collections and Events
Today, the Villa Terrace museum shows beautiful art and decorative items. These pieces date from the 15th to the 19th centuries. You can also see amazing wrought iron pieces by Cyril Colnik. The museum often has new exhibits. It also hosts a Garden Lecture series. Here, people can learn about planning and caring for their own gardens.
Renaissance Garden Restoration
Bringing the Gardens Back to Life
In 1997, a group called the Friends of Villa Terrace decided to restore the gardens. They wanted to bring them back to their original beauty. Volunteers from the Renaissance Garden Club started clearing the site in 1998. This work took two years.
Garden Construction and Opening
Building the new gardens began in 2000. This construction continued for another two years. After four years of hard work, the gardens officially opened to the public. This grand opening happened in September 2002.
Ongoing Care for the Gardens
Since then, the Friends of Villa Terrace have continued to care for the gardens. They make sure the gardens always look beautiful for visitors.
Weddings and Events
Villa Terrace is a very popular place for weddings and parties in Milwaukee. The Italian villa, its lovely gardens, and unique stairways are perfect. The amazing views of Lake Michigan make it feel like you are in Europe.
See also
- Hermes
