West Washington-North Hi-Mount Boulevards Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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West Washington-North Hi-Mount Boulevards Historic District
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A portion of the district.
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| Location | 4701-5929 W. Washington Blvd.; 1720-2049 N. Hi-Mount Blvd., Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 29 acres (12 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 94000422 |
| Added to NRHP | May 18, 1994 |
The West Washington-North Hi-Mount Boulevards Historic District is a special neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It features many beautiful homes built along Washington and Hi-Mount Boulevards starting in 1912. These houses were often owned by business people and professionals. In 1994, this area was officially recognized and added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's a really important place with a lot of history!
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A Look Back in Time
The land for Washington Boulevard became part of Milwaukee in 1906. Then, in 1910, the Hi-Mount area was added. Soon after, work began to build streets and sewers.
In 1911, an advertisement in the Milwaukee Sentinel newspaper called Hi-Mount "the beautiful new residence district." It was described as the "most desirable residence property on the West Side." This area was one of Milwaukee's first "automobile suburbs." This meant people could drive from their jobs in the city to a healthy, country-like home.
The district has about 148 properties that help make it a historic place. Let's explore some cool examples of these homes and their interesting first owners!
Early Homes and Their Owners
Many unique houses were built in the district. Here are some of the first ones:
- The Donath/Style house at 1933 N Hi-Mount Blvd was built in 1912. It's a 2½-story house in the Craftsman style. This style uses natural materials like brick and wood shingles. It was the very first home built on Hi-Mount.
- The Arnold Meyer house at 1833 N. Hi-Mount Blvd. was also built in 1912. It's an Arts and Crafts-style home designed by a famous architect, Alexander Eschweiler. Arnold Meyer owned a construction company and built this house for himself!
- The Keller/Brumder house at 1825 N. Hi-Mount Blvd. is another Craftsman-style home from 1912. It has unique Roman brick walls and a wide, flared roof. Its first owner, Edwin G. Keller, worked his way up from a clerk to a company president.
Homes of Famous Milwaukeeans
Some very well-known people from Milwaukee lived in this district:
- The William Davidson house at 5016 W Washington Blvd is a 2½-story home built in 1915. It was designed in the Classical Revival style. William Davidson was a partner in the famous Harley-Davidson Motor Cycle company!
- The Arthur Davidson house at 1809 Hi-Mount Blvd. is a 2½-story brick house from 1915. It was also designed by Alexander Eschweiler. Arthur was the vice-president and sales manager for Harley-Davidson.
- The William Gettelman house at 1759 N. Hi-Mount Blvd is a 2-story home built in 1915. It's in the Prairie Style, known for its flat, wide look and broad roofs. William Gettelman was the president of Gettelman Brewing, a local brewery.
Different Architectural Styles
The district shows off many different house styles:
- The Fiebing house at 1818 N Hi-Mount Blvd. is a grand 2½-story home built in 1914. It's in the Colonial Revival style, with a balanced front and twin columns. John H. Fiebing started a chemical business that still makes leather care products today!
- The Theodore Trecker house at 1735 N. Hi-Mount Blvd. is a 2½-story brick house from 1915. It's designed in the German Renaissance Revival style, with unique gable-fronts. Theodore Trecker was the president of Kearney and Trecker, a company that made important machinery. His family lived there until 1960, then donated it to a religious group.
- The Emma and Alfred Steinman house at 1751 N. Hi-Mount Blvd. was built in 1915. It's an interesting mix of styles, with parts from Renaissance Revival, Mediterranean Revival, and Prairie School. Alfred Steinman worked in his father's lumber business.
- The Gallun house at 1837 N Hi-Mount Blvd is a 2½-story Georgian Revival house built in 1916. It has a slate roof and fancy stone columns at the entrance. Oscar Gallun was a superintendent at a tanning company and lived in this house longer than any other original owner on Hi-Mount!
- The Speich house at 2010 N Hi-Mount Blvd is a 1½-story bungalow from 1920. Even though it's a smaller home, it's dressed up in the Mediterranean Revival style. It has a red tile roof and classical columns, which are usually found on bigger houses!
- The Tausend house at 5044 W Washington Blvd is a 1½-story bungalow built in 1921. It's in the English Cottage style, with a roof that looks like a thatched roof from old English cottages.
- The Theilacker house at 5924 W Washington Blvd is a grand 2½-story Tudor Revival-style home built in 1923. It features mock half-timbering and brick. Julius Theilacker owned a company that built bridges.
Important Buildings in the District
The district also includes some important community buildings:
- The Mount Olive Lutheran Church at 5327 W Washington Blvd was built in 1923. It's designed in the Neo-Gothic style, with a tall, square tower. There's also a school building nearby, built in 1950.
- St. Sebastian Roman Catholic Church at 5400-5422 W Washington Blvd is another Neo-Gothic style church, built in 1929. It has a cross-shaped floor plan and limestone walls. The complex also includes a rectory (a house for priests) built in 1926.
