Greetings Great Beer Now fans and followers! This is the third entry in a multi- part series of blog posts relating to the Great Beer Now No Fibs Allowed Beer Tour 2018: A True Beer City Experience, which took place in the great city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Open up your favorite Midwestern- brewed beer and follow along as I explore Wisconsin’s largest city in search of the best in local suds. Cheers!
When I take beer tours of a city, I try to visit as many breweries as I possible. I do my best to figure out which breweries best represent the craft beer scene and I try to diversify by visiting breweries that specialize in different types of beer. But a Great Beer Now beer tour is also about the history and culture of an area and when you’re visiting a city like Milwaukee, there is no end to the historical sites relating in some way to the beverage we love. And one such place that perfectly represents Milwaukee and its brewing past is The Pabst Mansion, located at 2000 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Fit for a King
The Pabst Mansion, originally occupied by Frederick Pabst of Pabst Brewing fame and his family, dates back to 1890 when construction on the multi- story home began. The site of numerous parties and celebrations, the Pabst Mansion took two years to complete and it served as the primary residence for Frederick, his wife Maria, and their many children.
Frederick Pabst passed away on New Year’s Day, 1904. Maria Pabst died on October 3, 1906. Two years after Maria’s passing, the remaining Pabst family members sold the mansion to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The Archdiocese occupied the Pabst Mansion until they sold it in 1975.
Uncertain Times
With the Pabst Mansion’s prime location, many were rightfully worried about its fate following the sale by the Archdiocese. At one point, a nearby hotel decided it wanted the Mansion torn down to make way for a parking lot. As you might imagine, Milwaukee residents were not happy with this decision, but how does one stop the progress of local business and the decision of the owner? What else- you have the property named to the National Register of Historic Places, which it was name to, in April, 1975. This meant the property would be legally protected from demolition. Three years later, the Pabst Mansion would open itself to visitors and it has been a favorite of Milwaukee tourists ever since.
The Pabst Mansion Today
The Pabst Mansion is an important component of Milwaukee’s brewing history. Majestic in appearance and loaded with elegant furniture and artwork, the Pabst Mansion serves as a reminder to Milwaukee’s brewing ties and highlights the important contributions that the Pabst family made to Milwaukee and its economic and social life.
I visited the Pabst Mansion in the afternoon and I noticed that it took a little longer to find than expected. There is no large sign out front telling you that this is the Pabst Mansion and if you’re driving down Wisconsin Avenue, you might miss it completely, since it is located above road level and isn’t immediately visible from the driver’s side of the car. I drove past it once without seeing it, and then turned around and from the other side of the road, I noticed it right away. The late Victorian architecture and large size of the mansion are striking and once I had my car safely parked on a side street, I made my way to the main entrance, ready to take a tour.
Tours of the Pabst Mansion take place throughout its opening hours and it is strongly recommended that you make an advance reservation AND show up on time because the tour will begin without you. Guided tours start on the hour and the Pabst Mansion is open seven days a week, so there is ample opportunity to pay a visit within the confines of most schedules.
The guided tour walks guests through the three- story mansion, room by room, allowing guests to experience the mansion to the fullest. The beautiful furniture, the textured walls, the fancy antiques, the artistic ceilings, the carved woodwork, and so many other things will capture your imagination as the tour guide fills you in on the history of the Pabst Mansion and the significance of each room. I found myself thinking back to the late 1800’s and imagining what life must of have been like for the Pabst family as they lived in this spacious and beautiful home and hosted so many parties and gatherings.
Milwaukee has a rich and storied past. Beer defined the city and Pabst Brewing was central to Milwaukee’s rise to brewing fame. There is much history to be learned about the Pabst family and its commitment to the community and it is all on display at this historic home. So be sure to brush up on your Milwaukee beer history by paying a visit to the Pabst Mansion the next time you’re in the Milwaukee area. And tell them Great Beer Now sent you.
This is such a cool blog I am a huge beer fan! Let me know if u come to Ireland I will tell you where the best pubs are. I even wrote a blog post on it recently
Thanks for your voice of support! Yes, Ireland is on our short list of foreign countries to visit. We hope to make a trip there next year,
I love beautiful old homes. These walls have plenty of stories to tell, I’m sure. Glad it was saved from demolition!
Yes, according to the tour guide, the situation didn’t look good at one time- it looked like the house would be turned into a parking lot. Only by getting the house added to the National Register of Historic Places were they able to save it. Without that loophole in the law, this important piece of history would have been gone.
I missed this when I was in Milwaukee, but I love historic sites!
Wow! This location seems amazing! Thanks for sharing your visit with us! <3 xx
This ia so awesome! I’ve never thought about doing beer tours, what a great idea! This is going in my bucket list!
Beautiful old house. I love houses like this, very classic.
So true. And there is much history to be learned when you visit. I knew a little about the Pabst family before visiting, but I came away knowing so much more!