Property Record
748 W VIRGINIA ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | PHILIP BEST BREWING CO. BOTTLING HOUSE |
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| Other Name: | General Split Corp. |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 42006 |
| Location (Address): | 748 W VIRGINIA ST |
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| County: | Milwaukee |
| City: | Milwaukee |
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| Unincorporated Community: | |
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| Year Built: | 1881 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 1988 |
| Historic Use: | brewery/distillery/winery |
| Architectural Style: | Romanesque Revival |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Walker's Point Historic District |
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| National Register Listing Date: | 12/19/1978 |
| State Register Listing Date: | 1/1/1989 |
| National Register Multiple Property Name: |
| Additional Information: | SEE HAER FORM. M IN THE PHOTO CODES IS SHORT FOR MVIS. "P B Co. " on date stone. This bottling plant was erected in 1881 and had the capacity of 225 barrels per day. shipping and packing was done on the first floor, the bottling was done on the second floor, and the third floor was used for storage. By 1891, the Norberg Manufacturing Company was renting the building. From 1906 to 1920, the W.S. Seaman Company used the building. A furniture manufacturing enterprise established on the south side in the 1870s, the Seaman Company used this building for making telephone booths. After their departure from 748 Virginia, they became well known for the manufacturing of automobile bodies. The three story brick structure has a corbelled cornice and, on the Virginia Street facade, a castellated treatment above this with a decorated emblem at the center. In this emblem the initials "P.B." and the date "1881" and floridly intertwined. Three quarters round window hoods cover the six-over-six paned central windows as well as the four over four paned windows in the slightly-protruding bays at either end. The facade is divided both vertically and horizontally by decorative courses of brick. |
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| Bibliographic References: | DATE STONE. MILWAUKEE HISTORIC BUILDINGS TOUR: WALKER'S POINT (COMMERCIAL), CITY OF MILWAUKEE DEPARTMENT OF CITY DEVELOPMENT, 1994. See HAER form. Historic Walker's Point, Inc., A Guide to Historic Walker's Point, 1978. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |