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TOPS Club Inc.

Milwaukee, WI. - The Wisconsin Historical Society announces the listing of TOPS Club Inc. of Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, on the State Register of Historic Places.

TOPS Club Inc. (4575 S. 5th St.) has been added to the State Register as one of the most influential weight-loss support organizations in the nation. TOPS pioneered alignment of medical and scientific treatments to help understanding obesity and as an inspiration to other group-supported, self-help organizations.

TOPS was founded by Esther Manz and a few friends in 1948 to support each other’s goals in losing weight. TOPS grew rapidly through the 1950s and 1960s with members in every state and across the world, reaching a peak of more than 300,000 members.

The international non-profit organization’s main building has been occupied solely by the company since its construction in 1965. It is home to TOPS headquarters, offices, publishing and printing departments, and shipping and warehousing of its publications.

The State Register is Wisconsin's official list of state properties determined to be significant to Wisconsin's heritage. The State Historic Preservation Office at the Wisconsin Historical Society administers both the State Register and National Register in Wisconsin.

About the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.