Property Record
4800 N CUMBERLAND BLVD
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Dar & Jeanne Vriesman House |
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| Other Name: | |
| Contributing: | Yes |
| Reference Number: | 154201 |
| Location (Address): | 4800 N CUMBERLAND BLVD |
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| County: | Milwaukee |
| City: | Whitefish Bay |
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| Year Built: | 1940 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 2011 |
| Historic Use: | house |
| Architectural Style: | Colonial Revival/Georgian Revival |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Concrete |
| Architect: | Frederick Von Grossman (architect) |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | Built for Dar and Jeanne Vriesman and their family in 1940, this house was featured as a Milwaukee #28;model residence#29; of all-concrete construction. It reportedly was the first completely all-concrete house built in the Milwaukee area. The "concrete demonstration house" was constructed with the cooperation of the Portland Cement Association, which also provided engineering services. The residence was open to the public for inspection (September 15-20,1940) following its construction. This two story house has a hipped roof with two courses of dentils, eyebrow dormers, and casement windows. The exterior walls are constructed of light weight concrete blocks, "laid in an Ashlar pattern." Individual blocks were laid with all vertical joints cut flush. The weight of the concrete blocks was reduced by using steel furnace slag as the aggregate. The porous nature of the furnace slag also increased the insulating property of the blocks. The original design called for no exterior coating except for cement paint on the exterior walls. It appears that this was modified somewhat in the final design, since Portland cement was added to the paint for the second coat in order to develop a thicker covering. In a departure from previous concrete house design, pre-cast lintels were specified for installation over the first floor windows. However, the actual construction incorporated steel lintels. The course above the lintels incorporates reinforced steel rods, which apparently span the building. The floors are also concrete, using "a filler block system" along with reinforced, poured concrete. Temporary supporting timbers were used for supporting the floor until the concrete cured. The original window sills were of extruded aluminum with the jambs of the openings made of pre-cast curved blocks. The original windows were recently replaced (2007) by the current owner. Mr. Vriesman was the managing director of the Downtown Association, the Milwaukee business association. He sold the house in 1941 to Leonard and Florence Kuan. They in turn sold the house in 1958 to Lloyd and Marjone Jacobson, who reportedly removed the walnut paneling in the dining room and kitchen. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Building permit records on file at Whitefish Bay Village Hall. "Concrete Home to Feature Innovations", William S. Broker, The Builders Exchange News of Milwaukee, Cover story "Model Home to be Built of Cement: Dar Vriesman to Use Cement in New Home," Milwaukee News-Sentinel, April 7, 1940 "Concrete Industry to Sponsor Model House: New Concrete Ideas in Home," Milwaukee Journal, April 7, 1940 August 8, 1940 News Release to the Milwaukee Journal |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |