Milwaukee Architecture

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Tour Maps

The East Side of Downtown has many historic and significant buildings. Here's a map of the area (Adobe Acrobat, .pdf format) to help you locate buildings, and perhaps plan a walking tour. You can print it and take it along.

Cream City Brick

Milwaukee is sometimes called the "Cream City." This isn't a reference to the dairy industry, but rather to the color of the brick used to build many early buildings. The particular type of clay found in the area was heavily used in 1800s and early 1900s brickmaking. The creamy color was in big demand, not only in Milwaukee but around the midwest and beyond. Some Cream City brick buildings are now a bit dirty, but many have been cleaned and some painted. As you tour the city you'll see many of them. The Blatz Brewery Residences is one.

Harp Lights

For many years these decorative Harp Lights served as street lights for the City of Milwaukee and some suburbs. Now almost extinct, replicas (shown here, from AmeriLite) now dot various neighborhoods. Some can be seen near the Milwaukee School of Engineering on Kilbourn Avenue near Jefferson Street.

Historic Milwaukee Inc.

Historic Milwaukee Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting interest in Milwaukee buildings and the city's past. They offer guided tours and sell a cassette audio tape for self-directed tours.

Cyril Colnik

Colnik was chosen to do elaborate wrought iron work on many fine Milwaukee homes and commercial buildings. For example, see Villa Terrace.

Prospect Avenue

Prospect Avenue was originally nicknamed Milwaukee's Gold Coast -- a reference to the many stately mansions that once lined its lake front miles. Now it's a collection of structures from many eras. See the following addresses (in chronological order): 1201, 1229-31, 1841, 1584, 1541, 2101, 1930, 2150, 1260, 1609, 1660.

In the Press

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel newspaper has many interesting stories about Milwaukee architecture. Look, particularly, for writings by Whitney Gould. This Milwaukee Architecture site has been featured in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel and also Milwaukee Magazine. Thanks! Glad you like it.

Architects

Certain names keep appearing again and again as one studies Milwaukee buildings. The buildings mentioned below are attributable either to the firm shown or to a derivative organization.

   Eschweiler & Eschweiler

   Ferry & Clas

   Henry Koch

   Edward Townsend Mix

   Martin Tullgren (father) and Herbert Tullgren (son)

   Russell Barr Williamson

   Frank Lloyd Wright