click zoom to display a high-res image
Property Location
| Location (Address) | 1220 DEWEY AVE |
|---|---|
| County | Milwaukee |
| City/Village | Wauwatosa |
| Township | |
| Unincorporated community | |
| Town | |
| Range | |
| Direction | |
| Section | |
| Quarter Section | |
| Quarter Quarter Section |
Property Features
| Year Built | 1925 |
|---|---|
| Additions | |
| Survey Date | 1995,2016 |
| Historic Use | live-in care facility/sanitarium |
| Architectural Style | Colonial Revival/Georgian Revival |
| Structural System | Brick |
| Wall Material | Brick |
| Architect | |
| Other Buildings On Site | |
| Demolished | No |
| Demolished Date | |
| Additional Comments |
The Milwaukee Sanitarium was established by Dr. James McBride in Wauwatosa in 1884 as a replacement for the Milwaukee Hospital for the Insane on the county grounds in Wauwatosa. The first site was a non-extant farmhouse on a fifteen-acre site along the south bank of the Menomonee River acquired from Oliver Harwood. In 1895, a non-extant three story building was constructed for the hospital. The same year, the cottage system, developed by Dr. Richard Dewey, was introduced. This system emphasizes self-contained and natural spaces, such as homes and wildlife, as aids to recovery, therapy, and development. The private institution, renamed the Milwaukee Sanitarium, grew to cover a 36-acre site in the same location, and in 1924, a central hall was constructed. During the following five years, a laboratory, an office building, two apartment buildings, a nurses’ house, two cottages, and director’s house were constructed. Three other non-extant buildings were also constructed during the same period. By 1940, a Billings House and Medical Director’s Residence were added to the hospital complex. The cottage system, as well as other innovations in care such as hydro-therapy and training programs for attendants, made the Milwaukee Sanitarium an influential success. In 1954, the Milwaukee Sanitarium Foundation was established as a non-profit enterprise, and the Kradwell School, focused on psychiatric education for patients, was established on the site in 1963. The entire facility changed its name to the Milwaukee Psychiatric Hospital in 1964. The facility was then affiliated with Marquette University School of Medicine and Froedtert Hospital. The Dewey Center, a new building to the east of the central Colonial Hall, was constructed as an addition shortly after. A large inpatient addition was completed in the center of the site in 1984, and three smaller cottages were demolished. There were originally fourteen units in the ‘cottage’ plan of the 1920s, of which eleven remain. The facility became affiliated with Aurora Health Care in 1993, and an addition to the Dewey Center was completed within a few years. Present plans call for another extensive renovation and addition to the complex in the coming years. |
| Bibliographic References | The Wauwatosa Story. Wauwatosa, WI: Wauwatosa Board of Education, 1961. ‘History of Aurora Psychiatric Hospital,’ Aurora Health Care Digital Repository. <digitalrepository.aurorahealthcare.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=aph_books> accessed January 19, 2017. Wauwatosa Historical Society general files. |
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.
Questions?
Wondering about if your property is eligible or notice some information on this property needs to be updated, reach out today!
Email UsAttribution
For a credit line: Wisconsin Historical Society, Creator, Title, Unique Identifier.
The Unique Identifier can be found at the top or bottom of the page for each item. The name of a downloaded file is NOT the unique identifier.
For bibliographic citations please consult the UW-Madison Libraries Citation Research Guide to ensure compliance with appropriate style guidelines.
Access Property Records
Some properties have more materials (correspondence, clippings, historical information, etc.) not in the digital record. If a 'Site File' exists, it's noted in the 'Additional Comments' field. Contact us for an appointment to view these materials.
