Property Record
300 E COLLEGE AVE
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | General Mitchell Airport, Air Reserve Station -Structure 308 |
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| Other Name: | Jet Fuel Storage Tank |
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| Reference Number: | 144810 |
| Location (Address): | 300 E COLLEGE AVE |
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| County: | Milwaukee |
| City: | Milwaukee |
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| Year Built: | 1956 |
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| Survey Date: | 200920072024 |
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| Wall Material: | Metal |
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| Demolished?: | No |
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| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | A 'site file' titled "General Mitchell Airport, Air Reserve Station" 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, State Historic Preservation Office. Previously surveyed in 2007. 2007- Structure 308 is located at 300 East College Avenue on the south side of East 7th Avenue in the Petroleum, Oil & Lubricants (POL) Area at General Mitchell IAP ARS. The round above-ground steel tank stores 400,000 gallons of jet fuel (Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence [AFCEE], 2007). It is painted white with black lettering that indicates "440th Airlift Wing Air Force Reserve." A spiral staircase wraps around a portion of the tank, and provides access to the tank top. The tank is situated in a concrete dyke. The dyke consists of a flat concrete floor surrounded by four battered concrete walls. A flight of concrete steps breaks the wall on the south side, and provides access to the dyke floor. Structure 308 was initially constructed in 1956 as the Jet Fuel Storage Tank for the US Air Force Reserve (AFRES) installation at General Billy Mitchell Field, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As described in the Historic Building Inventory and Evaluation, General Mitchell International Airport Air Reserve Station prepared for AFCEE in 2007, Structure 308 has played a standard role in the history of the installation which has been home to the 440th Airlift Wing (AW) since 1957, a unit of the AFRES dedicated to providing air transport and airlift for deploying troops, cargo, and humanitarian aid in support of national policy. Structure 308 has fulfilled a fuel storage function in the POL Area for the 440th AW over time. 2024: this astylistic utiltiarian structure has undergone few, if any changes since it was last inventoried. Comparisons to the 1956 aerial photograph, the year it was constructed, show the tank and its concrete footprint remain generally unaltered. Comparison to the 2007 photographs in the AHI show that the text "440TH AIRLIFT WING AIR FORCE RESERVE" on its side has been painted over. The structure continually served as a fuel storage tank throughout the history of the station and retains historic components. Its function and materials are not distinctive or unique to military stations. Specific or significant events associated with the structure have not been identified. |
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| Bibliographic References: | AFCEE. Draft Environmental Baseline Survey, General Mitchell International Airport Air Reserve Station. 2007. AFCEE. Historic Building Inventory and Evaluation, General Mitchell International Airport Air Reserve Station. 2007. USACE Omaha District. "Alter Jet Fuel Storage-Structure 308." Drawing No. 308-001-308-008. 1983. On file at Building 106 (Civil Engineering), General Mitchell IAP ARS, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 440th TAW. "General Plan, Horton Dome Tank." Structure 308. Drawing No. 308-001b. September 15, 1975. On file at Building 106 (Civil Engineering), General Mitchell IAP ARS, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |