In 1892, the crown jewel of Milwaukee’s famous Grand Avenue was a 20,000-square-foot mansion built for Captain Frederick Pabst. Flemish Renaissance in style, the home featured 37 rooms, 12 baths and 14 fireplaces. It was a testament to the accomplishments and German heritage of this sea captain, beer baron, real estate developer, philanthropist and patron of the arts.
Pabst spared no cost during the two-year construction of his showplace. The handsome house boasted the latest in technological innovations, including an early form of electricity, indoor plumbing and a state-of-the-art central heating system with sixteen independent thermostats.
The interior was unusually aesthetic for the 1890s. Colors, woodwork, furnishings and artwork harmonized from room to room. Most of the rooms featured custom-built furniture. A large glass conservatory housed a fine collection of tropical plants, including a large palm tree moved every summer to a flowerbed on the front lawn.
Soon after the death of Pabst and his wife, the mansion was sold to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in 1908. For 67 years it housed archbishops, priests and nuns. Slated for demolition in 1975, it was saved by the fledgling preservation group Wisconsin Heritages, Inc. Today, thanks in part to a partnership between the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Save America’s Treasures and HGTV, this American icon is being restored as a treasured symbol of Milwaukee’s grand era.
Sites in the 2004-2005 Restore America: A Salute to Preservation campaign.
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