Building Milwaukee City Hall

Milwaukee’s City Hall on East Wells and North Water streets is a landmark. Not only officially, but as part of Milwaukee’s identity, from the city’s flag to the Laverne and Shirley sit-com in the 1970s. The site for this familiar building was not easily chosen. The final location was not the first choice for most of Milwaukee’s movers and shakers, and after it was finally settled upon, the difficulties only became bigger. Battles over designs and the bidding process became politically heated and personal in nature. Cost overruns in the construction, although common at the time, grew to gigantic proportions. The completed building was, however, structurally sound and pleasing to the eye. Still standing 115 years later, it is a monument to the Milwaukee government officials, architect and builder.

Dennis Pajot is a lifelong resident of Milwaukee. He is an author and researcher. His other books include The Rise of Milwaukee Baseball, for which he was awarded the Sporting News–SABR Baseball Research Award in 2010 and Baseball’s Heartland War, 1902–1903.

Dennis Pajot
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 224
Bibliographic Info: 37 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2013
pISBN: 978-0-7864-7347-2
eISBN: 978-1-4766-0171-7
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents

Introduction 1
One. The Early Movements for a New City Hall 3
Two. The 1889–1890 Territorial Fight for a City Hall Location 12
Three. The Political Battle Over the City Hall Plans 43
Four. Political and Legal Maneuvering in the City Hall Contract Award 81
Five. Cost Overruns and Major Problems in the Construction of City Hall 105
Six. Milwaukee’s City Hall Bell 145
Seven. Henry C. Koch—An Architect of Many Designs and Many Controversies 156
Epilogue. More Than 100 Years of Alterations and Renovations 188
Chapter Notes 201
Bibliography 209
Index 211