MCCALL STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT & NELSON HOUSE

Waukesha, WI

The McCall Street Historic District was listed on the 1995 Ten Most Endangered List, and is relisted because the District continues to struggle with many of the same issues it was confronted with at that time.  Expansion at Carroll College continues to threaten the neighborhood, as does the deterioration of some properties owned by the College within the historic district.  Most recently, plans to demolish some of the houses for a new dormitory were denied by the Landmarks Commission.  A more subtle threat to the neighborhood is that many houses in the neighborhood have had multiple owners, and those who supported the historic nature of the district no longer live there.  This makes is difficult to maintain a neighborhood presence against expansion plans the College may have.

The Nelson House was completed in 1910.  It is designated on the local, state and national levels.  It is of native lime stone, with upper stories of cement, and a heavy pillared verandah extends across the front.  The architecture is known as English gothic and the gothic accent appears in many details as well as in the general design, the windows, the verandah, even the beams of the living room, showing the pointed design.  The house also features beveled glass, beautiful woodwork, the fireplaces, the light fixtures, the five sleeping rooms on the second floor, and the third floor ballroom.

The Nelson family lived in the home until the 1960s when it was purchased by the city.  In 1968 the halfway house, which currently rents the building, moved into the home.  The Waukesha Public Library is currently undergoing expansion.  Removal of the Nelson House would give them approximately six additional parking spaces and room for delivery trucks to turn around.   The mayor supports this plan.  The landmarks commission has turned down a demolition request.  The Common Council is divided.  Currently, Appraisals of the building (both on and off its current location) are being sought.  There has been a lot of community support for both the historic property and the halfway house currently operating there.

WHY ENDANGERED:  Both the McCall Street Historic District and the Nelson House are threatened by expansion plans.  Carroll College continues to try and address its need for additional living space and parking for its students.  The Nelson House is threatened by the expansion of the Public Library, and the City Attorney has issued an opinion that the Landmarks Commission should not make rulings on the Nelson House because it is covered by State law.  Therefore, the Landmarks Commission has been removed from the process.

THE MILWAUKEE SOLDIERS HOME DISTRICT

Milwaukee, WI

Located in the Clement J. Zablocki VA Center, is one of three original National Soldiers Homes authorized by President Lincoln as one of the final acts of his presidency.  The site occupies approximately 90 acres and includes 25 historic buildings that are a mix of colonial, Queen Anne and Victorian Gothic architectural styles that were designed by two leading Milwaukee architects of the period, Edward Townsend Mix and Henry C. Koch  Also on the site is a fossil-laden, 400 million year old former underwater reef.  This complex of buildings is adjacent to the Wood National Cemetery where more than 37,000 veterans are buried.

Citizens and veterans from across the state are organizing in opposition to any development that does not seek to retain and restore the historic resources and maintain the open land.  They oppose any proposed use that does not reflect the mission of the Veterans Administration site.  The Heritage Guard Preservation Society, in collaboration with the Soldiers Home Foundation, the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance, and numerous other local groups are working to find appropriate uses for the properties and developers to bid on the property that will respect the historic significance of the resources.  The Milwaukee Preservation Alliance has added the site to their “Seven To Save” list.

WHY ENDANGERED: The VA Center, under the Enhanced Use Lease process, is offering 6 of the most significant buildings and 37 acres of open land for commercial development.  In the meantime, the vacant historic resources are receiving only minimal maintenance and are rapidly deteriorating.  Expansion of a highway that is adjacent to Wood National Cemetery also threatens an inappropriate cantilever of the freeway over the existing cemetery or movement of hundreds of grave sites.

National Guard Armory

Whitefish Bay, WI

The Whitefish Bay National Guard Armory was previously listed as a Ten Most Endangered Property by the Wisconsin Trust in 1999, and is relisted because it is again slated for demolition.  The Armory is a handsome brick and stone Tudor Revival fortress built in 1928-1929.  When it was completed in 1929 it was called the “finest armory in the state.” The Armory and Grounds were designated a Milwaukee County Landmark in 1987 and were recently included on the National Register of Historic Places.  It is one of only 4 National Register listed armories in Wisconsin, and the only non-residential building in Whitefish Bay that is listed on the National Register.  This is the last public building remaining in Whitefish Bay with a link to its local history. Numerous Milwaukeeans received National Guard training at this site. It is historically significant for its representation of the long tradition of citizen participation and support of Wisconsin military affairs.

The Save the Armory Trust was founded to preserve and reuse the Armory.  They have worked tirelessly over the last 5 years to develop a plan for the use of the Armory.  They have involved citizens and members of local government in the planning process, and provided the funding and resources for studies on the use of the building as a community center.  This plan was rejected by the Village Trustees, who have now voted to raze the building.  In working with the local school board, a plan was developed to use the building for additional space needs of the school district, but this was also rejected by the Village Trustees.  This led the Trust to submit a nomination for the 2004 10 Most Endangered Properties list, as the building is again threatened.

WHY ENDANGERED:  The Armory is again slated for demolition despite numerous attempts to preserve and reuse it. 

North Point North and North Point South Historic Districts

Milwaukee, WI

These two historic districts within the City of Milwaukee are potentially threatened by a planned expansion of the St. Mary’s East Facility on Lake Drive due to the merger of Columbia and St. Mary’s Hospitals.  Initially the hospital indicated plans to demolish the entire complex.  The hospital has expressed willingness to retain the façade of the historic St. Mary’s building, but demolish the remaining buildings.    The hospital site, a Beaux Arts building that wraps around a curve on Lake Drive also includes the historic 1873 North Point Water tower.  The building was given historic designation by the City in 2002 based on the initial plans to demolish the building.  The hospital did not contest the designation.

The new hospital will be a massive expansion, and the neighbors are asking that, as plans are developed, that they be sensitive to the campus edges immediately adjacent to the residential buildings and streets, as well as provide appropriate buffers, setbacks and a residential scale for building in sensitive areas.

The hospital has been meeting with the neighborhood residents to understand their concerns.  However, given the nature and complexity of the project, no decision has been made regarding the impact on the neighborhood.  The overall size and scope of the project will surely impact the historic neighborhood.  It is hoped that the neighborhood’s concerns will be addressed as the project moves forward.

WHY ENDANGERED:  While the hospital has been willing to listen to concerns from the neighborhood residents, no final plans have been proposed.  Until such time as a final development proposal is submitted, the historic districts are threatened by the expansion project.

S.S. Meteor

Superior, WI

The S.S. Meteor, built in Superior, WI and launched in 1896, is the last surviving “whaleback” freighter in the world.  The significance of the Meteor is its revolutionary design and the impact it had on the shipbuilding and shipping industry.  The history of the ship also reflects the development of the Great Lakes region, its boom/bust economies and its changing industries. 

The Meteor was invented by Alexander McDougall, an innovative businessman and respected steamer commander.  In their time, whalebacks cost less to build and operate, and carried significantly more cargo than their massive wooden counterparts.  Their unique design, including a round, cigar-shaped hull and snout-like bow, was built for efficiency and stability.  The Meteor was the 36^th whaleback of a fleet of 39 built.  Launched in 1896 as the Frank Rockefeller, she was originally fitted to carry coal and iron ore.  In 1927, she was sold and refitted to carry bulk sand, renamed the South Park, and used to fill in Chicago lakefront properties.  The Meteor was sold again in 1936 and 1942, and it was this last sale that re-named the ship the Meteor.  The Meteor continued to be used until 1969, when she went aground in Marquette, Michigan and the owner deemed the ship was not worth repairing though damage was minor.

The Meteor returned to Superior in 1971 to be used as a maritime museum, and tens of thousands of visitors have toured the ship.  Extensive alterations were made to the ship at that time to allow for its use as a museum.  Since that time the Meteor has been allowed to deteriorate significantly.  Hazardous materials issues, inappropriate berthing and the harsh climate exacerbate these problems.  Internal damage ranges from peeling paint, corrosion and pitting of the steel, to actual holes rusted through the bulkheads.

WHY ENDANGERED: The Meteor’s situation and physical condition illustrates the effects of 30 years of inadequate maintenance and neglect.  Also, when the Meteor was brought back to Superior to become a walk-through museum, alterations were made to the ship that did not adhere to preservation standards as they existed in 1971.  The lack of public awareness about the Meteor, her significance and current condition limits the ability to build the network of technical and financial support needed to preserve the Meteor.  Unless action is taken to address these issues, this valuable part of Wisconsin’s and the nation’s history will be lost.

STURGEON BAY BRIDGE AND HISTORIC DOWNTOWN

Sturgeon Bay, WI

The Sturgeon Bay Bridge was listed as a Ten Most Endangered Property in 1998, and is relisted as it continues to be threatened.  Built in 1931, the bridge is a rare example of a Scherzer-type, rolling-lift bascule bridge and is the only example of its type in the State.  This bridge is believed to provide the largest clear opening of any draw bridge in the state.  The multiple-span structure was completed in 1931.  It spans 1413 feet crossing over the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal, Lake Michigan, and unites the city’s residential district on the south side of the bay with the commercial downtown area on the north side.   It was designed by Keller and Harrington of Chicago.  The control equipment for the lift machinery is sheltered in a wood framed, hip-roofed “operator’s house,” and cantilevered on metal supports.

The bridge survives in virtually its original condition.  It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.   There does not seem to have been consideration for rehabilitation.   An historic symbol of the city’s maritime past and future appears in danger of being lost.

WHY ENDANGERED: While the decision has been made to keep the bridge, and efforts continue to maintain it, funding needs to be secured for an additional two lane bridge to be built to accommodate the existing and projected traffic flow and ensure consistent access to downtown.  If the new two-lane bridge is not built and the historic bridge does not get repaired, and a lack of maintenance results in having to close the bridge, the historic downtown area would be negatively impacted, and potentially result in further development on the perimeter of Sturgeon Bay and the loss of businesses in downtown Sturgeon Bay.

THE WARD MOUND GROUP

McFarland, WI

More mounds were built by ancient Native American societies in Wisconsin than in any other region of North America—between 15,000 and 20,000 documented mounds, at least 4,000 of are known to survive. Most impressive are the effigy mounds, huge earthworks sculpted into the shapes of birds, animals, and other forms, not found anywhere else in the world in such concentrations.  The archaeological record indicates that most ancient societies in the upper Midwest built mounds of various kinds sometime between about 800 B.C. and A.D. 1200; the effigy mounds were probably built between A.D. 800 and A.D. 1200.

The Ward Mound Group was initially investigated in 1913 by W.G. MacLachlan, and 12 years later by C.E. Brown.  They documented the presence of a number of mounds including a bird effigy, a tailed animal effigy and seven conical and linear mounds. A minimum of two mounds were catalogued.  Decades of cultivation and quarry operations obscured many of the mounds and in 1979 it was erroneously reported that the mounds had been destroyed. However, subsequent archaeological site visits have revealed that remnants of the mound group remain including a large bird which measures 286 ft. at wingspread and another effigy, possible of a canine, measures 140 feet.

WHY ENDANGERED: The remaining mounds sit in the middle of an active stone quarry on what is now a plateau of unexcavated raw material. Over the past ten years, requests to mine the remaining stone have been made by the property owner, Wingra Stone Company and those requests have been directly challenged by the Red Cliff Band of the Lake Superior Indians. By quarrying the stone, the remaining effigy and linear mounds would be destroyed. More immediately, the exposed soil face on the as yet, unexcavated plateau is subject to wind and water erosion that is slowly eroding the margins of the mesa top.

The Ward Mound Group is eligible for listing in the National Reigster of Historic Places. The burial site is protected by Wisconsin Statute 157.70.  The owner has indicated a desire to have the mounds moved so that stone beneath the mounds could be accessed and the entire quarry floor could be leveled.  Indian Mounds need to be preserved as major component of the cultural legacy of Wisconsin heritage.

Women’s Building

Madison, WI

The Women’s Building was built in 1907 on land donated by Madison’s 18^th Mayor, Philip Loring Spooner, Jr.  It was home to the Woman’s Club until 1973.  The Women’s Club played an important role in the cultural, political and civic history of Madison.  This includes: having a key role in establishing kindergarten in the public schools; establishing playgrounds; assisting in the establishment of Associated Charities, the visiting nurse fund and visiting housekeeper; bringing milk inspection to Madison; bringing garbage collection to Madison; and spearheading the start of Madison General Hospital, and providing most of the money for its construction.

The building was purchased by the current owner at approximately three times its assessed value and he initially indicated plans to demolish the building in order to build off campus apartments on that parcel of land.  Neighborhood pressure and involvement by local preservation groups, including the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation and the “Save the Woman’s Building” community group has gotten the attention of the developer whose initial proposal has been revised to preserve the front 40 feet and constructing the apartment building behind it.  A third proposal to utilize the existing building was recently presented, but not really discussed as a viable option by the developer.

WHY ENDANGERED: Madison has lost many of its historic buildings, and continuing to tear down buildings such as the Women’s Building remove our connections to the past and replace them with faceless buildings that forever changes the character of the surrounding area, and city as a whole.  Saving only forty feet of the building is what is called a “facadectomy” and would destroy all but a small fraction of the building.