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Property Location
Property Features
DESCRIPTION:
The Victor Schlitz House is a two-and-one-half-story, brick multi-gabled, Queen Anne style house built in 1890. The house reflects the complex massing typical of Queen Anne design with turrets, oriels, bay window, porches and varied fenestration articulating the essentially rectangular house. In addition, a variety of materials including brick, rockfaced limestone, terra cotta and wood, as well as various patterns of wood panelling, shingling and sawn ornament add to the building's textural interest. A notable feature is the terra cotta bust of a young man which decorates the building's east elevation. Charles Duchow was the mason of this house.
The building has been somewhat altered on the exterior. The front porch balustrade has been removed, two new dormers have been added, a small second story porch on the northeast corner has been enclosed and various ornamental features and trim have been removed.
ARCHITECUTRAL/ENGINEERING SIGNIFICANCE:
The Victor Schlitz House is architecturally significant as a fine example of a Queen Anne single-family residence. The house is a notable example of picturesque design by noted nineteenth century architect Charles Gombert.
HISTORIC BACKGROUND:
The house was built for wealthy liquor and wine distributor Victor Schlitz. Schlitz had been born in Germnay in 1849 but emigrated to Milwaukee as a young man. By 1869 he was engaged in the wholesale liquor trade. He continued in the business for the rest of his life. After living over his North Third Street shop or in the adjacent Germantown section for many years, the forty-one year old Schlitz built his $6,000 residence on newly fashionable Highland Avenue in 1890 as a reflection of his growing prosperity. He resided in the house until his death in 1928. His heirs sold the house to the St. Vincent de Paul Society in 1929. Later the house was owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee and by the Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross. The Sisters of Mercy sold it to the current owner, Highland Community School, Inc. in 1975. It is used as a private primary school. (B, C).
Charles A. Gombert, the architect of the Victor Schlitz House, was born in Germany in 1833. A resident of Milwaukee for 35 years, Gombert designed several residences along Prospect Avenue, the Seuss House at 1843 North Palmer Street (listed in the National Register as part of the Vine-Reservoir Historic District), the John Baasen House at 1702 North 4th Street (listed in the National Register), and Saint Vincent's Asylum, at Greenfield Avenue and South 8th Street. In addition, he designed residences for clients in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Gombert's most famous Milwaukee design is the North Point Water Tower. (NRHP-1973). He died at age 87 in Neenah, Wisconsin. (D).
National And State Register Of Historic Places Listings
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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2004 W. Highland Ave.
86000145
Located in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County
509 North Main Street
08001329
Located in Lodi, Columbia County
