Property Record
6415 W MT VERNON AVE
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Solomon Juneau High School |
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| Other Name: | Edward A. MacDowell Montessori School |
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| Reference Number: | 116419 |
| Location (Address): | 6415 W MT VERNON AVE |
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| County: | Milwaukee |
| City: | Milwaukee |
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| Year Built: | 1931 |
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| Additions: | 1975 |
| Survey Date: | 19792019 |
| Historic Use: | school – elem/middle/jr high/high |
| Architectural Style: | Art Deco |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | Van Ryn & DeGellecke; Darby, Bogner & Irgens (1975 addition) |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation-Public History. ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: This structure is an excellent example of a 1930s high school. Of note is the extensive use of terra-cotta ornamentation. Construction date, 1931. (1) The school is clad in buff brick with stone and terracotta trim. The school displays character-defining elements of the Stripped Classical style such as the monumental door surrounds, simplified pilasters, austere ornamentation, and the overall evocation of classical proportions. The school also incorporates character-defining elements of the Art Deco style including geometric ornamentation in the frieze, piers, and window surrounds, and the stylized pilasters in the door surrounds. The school was designed by Gerrit de Gelleke (of Van Ryn & de Gelleke), and construction was completed in 1932. In 1975, a sympathetic addition designed by Darby, Bogner & Irgens was constructed onto the rear of the original school. This addition contained classroom and athletic spaces. The addition, though clearly distinguishable from the original, continues the composition, rhythm, scale, and materials of the 1933 portion. The Juneau High School complex occupies three large city blocks. The school is located on one block on the south side of W. Mount Vernon Ave.; the other block south of Mount Vernon Ave. is undeveloped. Recreational space occupies the block north of Mount Vernon Ave. There are six tennis courts, several basketball courts, a baseball field, and a fieldhouse. Van Ryn & de Gelleke also designed the fieldhouse located on the opposite side of Mount Vernon Ave. Built in 1929, the fieldhouse is clad in buff brick with stone trim and echoes the Art Deco- and Stripped Classical-style elements of the main school building. Historic aerial photos indicate that most of the original outdoor recreation spaces associated with the high school are still intact, although the pavement of the former running track, located south of the school building, was removed sometime between 2015 and 2018. The school currently serves as a Montessori school. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Building Permit. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |