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Summary
Briggs & Stratton Corporation West Plant
2748 North 32nd Street, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County
Architect: Alexander C. Eschweiler
The Briggs and Stratton Corporation was one of the largest manufacturers of gasoline-powered small engines in the nation, and the primary manufacturing of these engines was carried out at this plant. This enterprise led to the company’s prominence as one of the leading producers of lawn and garden equipment and air-cooled gasoline engines in the world.
Briggs and Stratton purchased the first property at the West Plant in 1936 from the Westinghouse Lamp Company. The building was originally designed in 1906 by Alexander C. Eschweiler and built for the Romadka Brothers Company, one of the city’s largest trunk and luggage companies, in one of the leading trunk manufacturing cities in the country.
The west plant is located in the Sherman Park neighborhood in northwest Milwaukee along the former Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad line (commonly known as the Milwaukee Road). It comprised of five properties acquired by the company between 1936 and 1977: 2748 N 32nd Street, 2727 N 32nd Street, 3212 W Center Street, 2758 N 33rd Street and 2784 N 32nd Street. The company developed the west plant by purchasing existing industrial buildings, all of which were initially constructed during the first half of the twentieth century and modifying those buildings (through both renovation and addition) to suit their company’s needs.
This property is private. Please respect the rights and privacy of the owners.
Property Details
| Criteria | Architecture/Engineering,Event |
|---|---|
| Area Of Significance | Architecture,Industry |
| Period of Significance | 1900-1959,1936-1966 |
| Architectural Style | No Style Listed |
| Architect | Alexander C. Eschweiler |
| Resource Type | District |
| Historic Use | Manufacturing Facility |
Resources Within The Property
| Contributing Buildings | 5 |
|---|---|
| Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Contributing Objects | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Buildings | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Sites | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Structures | 0 |
| Non-Contributing Objects | 0 |
Designations
| Historic Status | Listed in the State Register |
|---|---|
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Aug 16, 2019 |
| Historic Status | Listed in the National Register |
| National Historic Landmark Listing Date | Mar 23, 2020 |
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
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