Contact: Kara O’Keeffe
608-261-9596
kara.okeeffe@wisconsinhistory.org
Milwaukee, Wis. – The Wisconsin Historical Society placed the Coakley Brothers Warehouse (Milwaukee, Milwaukee County) on the State Register of Historic Places on August 17, 2018.
The Coakley Brothers Warehouse is an excellent example of a fireproof storage warehouse in the city of Milwaukee during a relatively brief period when storage and moving companies built high rise warehouses with interior storage amenities tailored for residential and luxury markets. Designed by the notable Milwaukee architects Eschweiler & Eschweiler in the Mediterranean Revival style, it had been in continuous use as a storage facility for ninety years.
The Coakley Brothers Warehouse was one of two new warehouses for the company designed by Eschweiler & Eschweiler in a two-year period. The warehouses were unique in that they were located away from the bustling commercial river- and rail-fronting warehouse districts downtown and in the Third and Fifth Wards. Coakley Brothers intentionally built this warehouse near a wealthy residential neighborhood, using prominent edifices and a tall clock tower to advertise their business at intersections where clients would be most likely to see them. The warehouse is a fine example of Mediterranean Revival architecture applied to a warehouse building. Sold in 2017, it will continue use as a storage facility under the new owner, preserving its characteristic features.
The State Register is Wisconsin’s official list of state properties determined to be significant to Wisconsin’s heritage. The State Historic Preservation Office at the Wisconsin Historical Society administers both the State Register and National Register in Wisconsin.
To learn more about the State and National Register programs in Wisconsin, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.
