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2855 S WAUKESHA RD

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Property Record

2855 S WAUKESHA RD

Historic Name:
Baron Ewald Alfred A.F.W. von Cotzhausen House

Other Name:
TALL OAKS RETIREMENT HOME

Reference Number:
9279

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Property Location

Location (Address)

2855 S WAUKESHA RD

County

Milwaukee

City/Village

West Allis

Township

Unincorporated community

Town

Range

Direction

Section

Quarter Section

Quarter Quarter Section

Property Features

Year Built

1876

Additions

Survey Date

1980

Historic Use

house

Architectural Style

Italianate

Structural System

Wall Material

Aluminum/Vinyl Siding

Architect

Other Buildings On Site

Demolished

No

Demolished Date

Additional Comments

A number of outbuildings are still extant: frame ice house (c. 1875), frame shed (c. 1875), and a limestone gate house (c. 1925). Von Cotzhausen was born and educated in Germany, graduating from the University of Cologne in 1855. Turned down for naval service because of poor eyesight, he came to America and settled in Milwaukee. He became a prominent lawyer, establishing the firm of Cotzhausen, Sylvester and Scheiber with close ties to the railroad industry. The firm's offices were in the Metropolitan Block which he had built. He was active in the Milwaukee Volunteer Relief Association for Civil War veterans and served in the State Senate in 1873-1874. He lived in this house from 1875-1924. J. Oscar Greenwald lived here from 1924-1938. He was the manager of the Milwaukee Gimbel Store on Plankinton Ave. Under his ownership the estate developed extensive riding trails, stables, polo field and swimming pool. Howard Bremean operated the property as a nursing home from 1938-1961. Mrs. Lorraine Cogan continued this use from 1961-1973. The property was vacant from 1973-1978. Mrs. Shirley Peterman started operating a nursing home here again in 1978.

Previously surveyed in 1980. The only visible buildings that remain are the house and the barn (AHI# 11885).

Bibliographic References

Watrous, Lt. Col. Jerome A. Memoirs of Milwaukee County, Western Historical Association, Madison 1909, vol. 2, p. 982, 458. Milwaukee County Atlas 1876. Conrad, Howard, History of Milwaukee, 1895. Interview with Mrs. Shirley Peterman by Thomas Holleman in March of 1980.

National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings

National/State Register Listing Name

Not Listed

National Register Listing Date

State Register Listing Date

Contributing

house Italianate

Milwaukee
County

West Allis
Community

1870-1879
Decade

National and State Register Listing

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Architecture & History Inventory

The Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory (AHI) is a digital source of information on historic buildings, structures, and objects that have been surveyed by the State Historic Preservation Office in Wisconsin. Each property has a digital record providing basic information about the property and images.

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Attribution

For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.

The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.

For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.