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Summary
Milwaukee Protestant Home for the Aged
2449 North Downer Avenue, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County
Dates of Construction: 1892, 1897, 1926, 1963, 2000, and 2006
Architects: Henry C. Koch (1892 section); Henry C. Koch and Herman J. Esser Architects (1899 section); Fitzhugh Scott and MacDonald Mayer Architects (1926 addition); and William P. Wenzler (1963 addition)
The Milwaukee Protestant Home for the Aged serves as one of Milwaukee’s oldest continually operating senior housing facility. The organization was originally established in 1884 to provide housing for destitute elderly women that belonged to the various sects of Protestantism in the city. The subject building was originally constructed in 1892 to serve as a permanent home, with men subsequently welcomed. Additions and additional buildings were constructed in 1897, 1926, 1963, 2000, and 2006, all of which effectively highlight the growing field of geriatric care. The home continues to serve its original purpose.
Throughout the Milwaukee Protestant Home for the Aged’s long and complex history, during which it has served as a pioneering and integral institution in the housing and care for the city’s elderly, the building that has served as its home for the past approximately 130 years has grown and adapted to better serve the needs of its constituents. Although constructed in 1892, the Home for the Aged officially opened in 1884 as a “home for aged persons who are unable to care or provide for themselves.”
The home is privately owned; please respect the privacy of the residents.
Property Details
Resources Within The Property
Designations
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
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1238 Geele Ave
100000680
Located in Sheboygan, Sheboygan County
2436 N 50th St
100010931
Located in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County
Protestant Home for the Aged
1911
Four-story extended building. A woman with an umbrella is near the left entrance, and a man is walking across the raised lawn near the center right. Caption reads: "Milwaukee Protestant Home for th...
