The Brookfield Scene
Janet, a Town of Brookfield resident, has lived in the Elmbrook area for nearly 40 years and is an avid gardener and volunteer. Her blog focuses on the city and town of Brookfield – past, present and future.
Brookfield in the 1860s
By Janet Wintersberger
Saturday, Mar 3 2007, 05:54 PM
School Referendums. Bluemound Road Traffic. Widening Calhoun Road. Three New Fire Stations. There's enough controversy to make someone want to escape.
When the roads clear, expand your day to include a road trip. In 1993, the city of Brookfield sponsored a historic inventory of homes in the city and town of Brookfield and the village of Elm Grove.
In 1993, there were over 1750 homes over 50 years old.* Thirty-two homes in Brookfield were classified as locally outstanding. Entries rated as "outstanding" were potentially eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. Nineteen others (in the town of Brookfield and the village of Elm Grove) also met these standards.
Nine homes on the "outstanding" list were built about 1860 - prior to the civil war.
Five homes are along Brookfield Road. The Brown Residence (2710 N. Brookfield Road) was built about 1850. One (the Ruby Farm) on Calhoun Road will most likely fall victim to road widening. Others are listed at 154 and Capitol; on Whitemont Drive and on 186th Street.
Take a drive to see these historic homes:
William Blodgett Residence 1455 N. Brookfield Rd. c1860
Charles Eichstaedt Residence 1920 N. Brookfield Rd. c1860
Hiram Showerman House 2635 N. Brookfield Rd. c1860
G.W. Brown Residence 2710 N. Brookfield Rd. c1850
Residence 2760 N. Brookfield Rd. c1860
Jacob Ruby Farm 165 S. Calhoun Rd. c1860
Frederick Neu Residence & Silo 15465 W. Capitol Dr. c1860
Alexander Donaldson Residence 1785 Whitemont Dr. 1860
T.H. Tucker House 3025 N. 186 St. c1860
"c" refers to circa (or about)
*It is possible that some homes have been demolished.
While on Brookfield Road, travel a bit further north to Oak Hill Cemetery. This cemetery was established in 1847 and is the burial place of Revolutionary War soldier Nathan Hatch.
You will also find two historic homes that have been preserved by the Elmbrook Historical Society on the grounds of the Dousman Stagecoach Inn, 1075 Pilgrim Parkway. They are the stagecoach inn, built in 1843, is Brookfield's only home on the National Register of Historic Places and the Bartlett House/Log Cabin circa 1849.
If readers' response is positive, we'll continue this scavenger hunt of our historic past.
