Yesterday I visited a friend in Milwaukee and we visited the Pabst Mansion. Captain Frederick Pabst built a fortune brewing beer with his brother-in-law for his father-in-law’s brewery (known at Best Brewing). In the late 19th century he and his wife built a mansion on the premier street of Milwaukee, which at one time had 60 mansions.
We were lucky to be the only two people on the 2pm tour. When you visit, you must take a tour and they begin on the hour. Tickets are $10 with discounts for students, seniors and children.
Out docent was knowledgeable and welcomed questions. I learned a lot from this tour. The exquisite painting on the wall covering was amazing as was the art.
It was interesting to learn that:
- In the late 19th century, people didn’t keep their clothes in wardrobes, most were up in the attic and the servants would bring down whatever was desired.
- Many rooms had wall coverings of painted embossed linen, not wallpaper.
- After the Archdiocese moved in they painted over the original woodwork and decorative painting. To figure out the original colors, experts used samples of linen wall covering found in the basement, the colors behind the mirrors or painting and judgment based on the black and white photos Capt. Pabst commissioned.
- Capt. Pabst’s office was patterned after a castle in Germany.
- 8,000 sq. ft. was for the family and 12,000 sq. ft. was used for the servants’ area.
- Capt. Pabst preferred wine to beer.
- Pabst’s children married into the Schlitz and Miller Brewing families.
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