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Property Location
| Location (Address) | 500 W KILBOURN AVE |
|---|---|
| County | Milwaukee |
| City/Village | Milwaukee |
| Township | |
| Unincorporated community | |
| Town | |
| Range | |
| Direction | |
| Section | |
| Quarter Section | |
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Property Features
| Year Built | 1909 |
|---|---|
| Additions | |
| Survey Date | 2004,2025 |
| Historic Use | theater/opera house/concert hall |
| Architectural Style | Neoclassical/Beaux Arts |
| Structural System | |
| Wall Material | Brick |
| Architect | Ferry And Clas |
| Other Buildings On Site | |
| Demolished | No |
| Demolished Date | |
| Additional Comments | 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 State Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation. NORTHERN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY WAS THE BUILDER. This site has long held a place of public importance in Milwaukee. In 1835, Byron Kilbourn reserved the land as a public place, and it became an outdoor market in the early history of the city. Market Hall, a small arcade was built later on the site; by the mid-1860s, it was the scene of many public events. Taking a cue from the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876, Milwaukee built its own grand exposition hall on the site. The Milwaukee Exposition Building was completed in 1881, an elaborate Victorian structure designed by Edward Townsend Mix. According to historian Mary Ellen Young, the hall "had the first electric lights in a public building in Milwaukee and featured a large pipe organ, an art gallery, and the group of artifacts that formed the nucleus of the Milwaukee Public Museum's collection." The building burned in 1905 and was replaced four years later by the more restrained Milwaukee Auditorium, constructed as "an auditorium, market hall, music and convention rooms," Previously surveyed in 1984 with map code of 152/7 on a map numbered 392. "Our present auditorium replaced the sprawling, domed Exposition Building erected in 1881 on land donated by Byron Kilbourn. The elaborate structure was destroyed by fire in 1905. When Milwaukeeans began to discuss a replacement, members of the city's Arion Chorus urged construction of an auditorium suitable for concerts, pageants, and conventions. The Auditorium Company and the city sought to meet such specifications with the building completed in 1909." Pagel, Mary Ellen & Virginia A Palmer, University Extension The University of Wisconsin, Guides to Historic Milwaukee: Kilbourntown Walking Tour, 1967. 2025: Locally landmarked. 2025: Resurveyed – altered appearance; the Auditorium is a restrained example of the Classical Revival style but recent modifications, such as a modern portico, an altered entry, and domed cupolas at the rooflines have altered that original appearance and effect. |
| Bibliographic References | MILWAUKEE HISTORIC BUILDINGS TOUR: KILBOURNTOWN, CITY OF MILWAUKEE DEPARTMENT OF CITY DEVELOPMENT, 1994. Building permit. Latus, Mark and Mary Ellen Young, Downtown Milwaukee, Milwaukee Landmarks Commission, 1978, p. 83. Pagel, Mary Ellen & Virginia A Palmer, University Extension The University of Wisconsin, Guides to Historic Milwaukee: Kilbourntown Walking Tour, 1967. |
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
| National/State Register Listing Name | Not Listed |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date | |
| State Register Listing Date | |
| Contributing |
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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205 W HIGHLAND AVE (ALSO 1044-1054 N 3RD ST)
16160
Located in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County
