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Events: Walks in the Park with Virginia! 

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August is Membership Month at MPA, and we’re proud to be partnering with landscape historian and author Virginia Small for two great walks highlighting some of the fascinating history of Milwaukee’s beautiful parks. 

Wednesday, August 17, 5:30pm Washington Park - Join us for a free casual exploration of this Frederick Law Olmsted gem before enjoying some music at the gorgeous 1938 Emil Blatz Temple of Music as part of Washington Park Wednesdays. 
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Saturday, August 27, 1:00pm Mitchell Park - The Domes are an irreplaceable treasure, but the park that it’s embedded within has a fascinating and important history as well. On this tour you will learn more about the significance of this urban oasis on the southside, its connection to Olmsted, and how you can ensure the Domes remain a part of it for years to come. $5 for MPA members, $10 non-members.

Event: Documentation Workshop

The Association for Preservation Technology’s (APT) Technical Committee on Documentation (TC-Doc) in conjunction with the APT Western Great Lakes Chapter (APTWGLC), the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance (MPA) and the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning (UWM SARUP) is pleased to present a Documentation Workshop in Milwaukee. The workshop will be a two day in-person event focused on the hands-on education and demonstration of various documentation technologies used in the architecture, engineering and construction industry, especially in the context of preserving our historic environments. 

The full workshop schedule and speaker bios will be released shortly and registration will open August 15th at the apti.org website. 

Madison Trust blog features MPA Executive Director! 

Our very own Jeremy Ebersole wrote a guest blog for the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation. In "Silver Linings" Jeremy writes about how we are aiming to make preservation mainstream here in Milwaukee. He also acknowledges what we can learn from not only our successes, but also our failures. He discusses the Forest Home Library, the Puddlers Cottages, Columbia Hospital, and of course the Soldiers Home. Check it out! 

MPA's Jeremy Ebersole featured on OnMilwaukee! 

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Look who it is! Our very own Milwaukee Preservation Alliance director, Jeremy Ebersole was featured on OnMilwaukee. 
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Check out this insightful interview between Jeremy and Bobby Tanzilo to hear all about Jeremy’s preservation story, his favorite Milwaukee sites (surprise: it's the Mitchell Park Domes!), MPA’s valuable work, and more! 

Thanks to OnMilwaukee for sharing the power of preservation and the importance of Milwaukee's treasures with the world. 

Historic Columbia Hospital court case decided

Sign on door indicating demolition
After being granted local historic designation earlier this year by the City of Milwaukee, the historic 1919 Columbia Hospital's fate may have been decided in court. The building's current owners - UWM - questioned whether the local preservation ordinance applies to state entities, resulting in litigation with the City of Milwaukee. On June 30, the court decided in favor of the State, paving the way for the possible demolition of this historic treasure. Hope is not lost, however, as there may yet be a preservation solution. Read on for more details!

Soldiers Home Walking Tours 

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We are pleased to now offer free regularly scheduled walking tours of the Soldiers Home campus. 
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​Each tour is 90 minutes long, approximately 1 mile, and will cover a variety of fascinating information including the history, architecture, and preservation stories of these historic buildings. Tours run rain or shine. 

Come see this award-winning National Historic Landmark for yourself! Register today! 

Or download the Soldiers Home Walking Tour app for a self-guided tour around the grounds! 

Interested in a private group tour? Contact mpa@milwaukeepreservation.org to learn more about group tour opportunities! 

Own a Piece of Milwaukee History! 

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We are selling marquee letters from the Warner Theater! We are so lucky to have received these letters after the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra found them during their renovations and are excited to offer them to you! All proceeds from the sale of these unique letters go to further the mission of MPA to advocate for Milwaukee’s historic buildings. 

The marquee letters are now 25% off! Use code MPA2022 at checkout! 
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Milwaukee Preservation Alliance

Milwaukee Preservation Alliance, Inc. is a non-profit organization devoted to promoting stewardship and awareness of the historic, cultural, and economic value of Milwaukee’s built heritage. MPA aims to strengthen Milwaukee’s neighborhoods by advocating for and promoting their unique cultural spaces and architectural assets in order to foster a strong and vibrant community as well as demonstrating the link between historic preservation and viable economic development.
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​Historic preservation is essential to a strong local economy. A large and growing body of research is documenting the positive impact that historic preservation has on the economy in six broad areas: local job growth, property values, increased heritage tourism, smaller environmental impact, greater quality of life, and downtown revitalization. One of MPA’s primary goals is to continue to promote historic preservation as a valuable economic tool to those in a position to make decisions concerning our historic resources: elected officials, property owners, developers, and investors. A number of Milwaukee neighborhoods and buildings have been revitalized by the conservation and restoration of their historic fabric including the Third Ward, Brady Street, and Brewer’s Hill as well as the Iron Horse Hotel, the Pabst Theater, and the Riverside Theater. Milwaukee’s character and charm lie within these areas and would be greatly diminished without them. MPA’s advocacy work makes a difference in Milwaukee but the continued loss of historic buildings demonstrates the urgent need for our organization and our work. Presently, Milwaukee Preservation Alliance is an active participant in a coalition to preserve the National Soldiers Home. In 2011, MPA orchestrated the campaign to have the National Soldiers Home recognized as one of the Nation’s 11 Most Endangered Places. In addition, MPA assisted with the Soldiers’ Home National Historic Landmark status, and is a founding member of the Soldiers Home Community Advisory Council. As Milwaukee’s only organization devoted solely to advocating for historic preservation, MPA’s task is not simply to protect the past; it is also to build public awareness, appreciation and support for the distinctive historic character of the city of Milwaukee in order to foster more livable communities.