© Mark Hertzberg (2025)
Bit by bit, parcel by parcel, the American System-Built homes in the 2700 block of W. Burnham Street in Milwaukee are coming together for their parent organization, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Burnham Block. Burnham Block is steward of five of the six structures: the two single family homes, and three of the four duplexes.
On November 3 the City of Milwaukee’s Historic Preservation Committee unanimously approved plans for restoration of the Model C3 at 1835 N. Layton (at the corner with Burnham Street), and demolition of a shed that was built on the property in 1977. Burnham had already received its third (!) Save America’s Treasures (SAT) grant from the National Park Service in the amount of $407,000 for the work. A matching amount has to be raised from donors for the entire amount to be released.
This photograph shows one of the two single family homes (the Model B1) and the four duplexes. The Model C3 single family home, below, sits to the right of the B1.
Docent Bill Schumacher leads a tour of the Burnham Block, including the C3
The C3 is sometimes referred to as the “Pizza Hut” house because of the mansard roof which came from two Pizza Hut restaurants in the 1970s. Its stucco was covered with a “Perma-Stone” veneer in 1958, and the open porch was enclosed.
The Burnham Block adventure started in 2005 with the purchase of the Model B1 at 2714 W. Burnham by the Frank Lloyd Wright in Wisconsin Tourism Heritage organization. A Save America’s Treasures grant and 28 major gifts including support from the Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation enabled its restoration as a house museum.
Wright in Wisconsin board members discuss their purchase of the B1 in April 2005. Mike Lilek, the driving force behind the Burnham projects, is left. Barbara Meyer Elsner is third from right.
There were many difficult discussions at board meetings about what it would mean for the organization to become a steward of a Wright property rather than only fulfilling its founding mission of promoting Wright tourism and awareness and education about Wright’s work in Wisconsin. Then came the purchase of the Two Family Flat C duplex at the end of the block. And then came the purchases of two more of the duplexes (one of which is the world’s only aluminum sided Frank Lloyd Wright structure…the siding was added in 1968). The fourth duplex is independently owned. It was converted into a single family home in the 1980s and is available for overnight rentals through Vrbo.
Lilek reflects on the discussions at board meetings, “The board meetings became increasingly focused on the Burnham Block, to the detriment of the organization. Then-president George Hall likened it to ‘Your teenager growing up and needing their own space.'”
He recalls, “In 2017 Frank Lloyd Wright Wisconsin was reorganized to better support two distinguished missions. Out of the reorganization came Wright in Wisconsin, Inc. to carry forward the original focus on Frank Lloyd Wright tourism and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Burnham Block to focus exclusively on on the Burnham Block historic site in Milwaukee.”
George Hall, left, and Mike Lilek sign the reorganization papers August 3, 2017.
Below are period advertisements of the 1835 N. Layton house and photographs of what the house looks like today:
The next three photos show where some of the original furnishings – seen in the drawing above – were originally placed. It is not known when they were removed, or where they ended up.
The original open porch was enclosed, possibly when then exterior veneer was added:
Bedroom and bathroom photos:
The kitchen:
The ceiling trim:
The Burnham Block is working with Ramlow / Stein Architecture and Interiors on the restoration. The National Park Service and the Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Officer have already signed off on the restoration project. Now that the city has given its approval, contractors are being interviewed, and it is hoped that work will begin “soon,” according to Lilek. Contributions are welcome to match the SAT grant.
Links:
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Burnham Block:
Ramlow / Stein:
Wright in Wisconsin:
Vrbo rental link:
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