2458 N 38th Street
Arijit Sen
The incredible wooden details of the front rooms in this duplex, high attic ceilings, and steep gable, indicate the social significance of this building located on 38th Street. A series of similar duplexes, built in a row next to each other, suggests the work of a speculative builder. We are not entirely sure, but while we continue to search for the builder, the home itself held some clues for us. The block is an interesting one because the 1930 census shows a diverse set of residents— a pharmacist, machinist, skilled workers, and laborers living next to each other. They were mostly German Americans — except one from England and Canada who was married to an Irish woman. The house down the road, 918 38th Street owned by George Muchlbauer, an assembly man in an auto factory, also had a seventeen year old live-in servant named Hilda Fox. The house is a typical duplex apartment with two independent units stacked on top of each other. The entrances to both the units are located on a front porch. There is also a back staircase connecting the two units to the attic and basement. The attic is spacious, well lit, and due to the steep roof, has considerable head space. The building is laid out in a typical tripartite fashion with a front living room and hallway, a middle dining area and room. The back zones include kitchen, pantry, a bedroom, and back stairs. The front area, especially the dining room, is elaborately ornamented with wooded moldings, elaborate picture rails with carved brackets, wooden door casings, pedestals with high wooden dados, sill plates, wainscoting with wooden stiles, boxed window seats, decorative metal hardware, and a very elaborate buffet with sideboards and moldings. An odd detail stumped us: The entrance hallway leading to the living and dining room had two entrance portals. See Ground Level Plan. Currently, a wall that was built later to create a closet hides this detail. But on closer inspection of the flooring and baseboards we were convinced that there were indeed two original openings. Why? Did the builder intend to permit a circuit through the two reception rooms into the entrance hallway? Would the living and dining room be separated off during certain events by two independent entrances? It really didn't add up, though. Maybe that’s all this is — an idiosyncratic decision. The back spaces of domestic work and private living include the kitchen, pantry, and bedrooms. Compared to the living and dining rooms, the back rooms are plain and functional. We found remains of gaslight outlets in the kitchen and back rooms. Some of the bedroom doors show signs of later additions such as deadbolts and latches suggesting that these rooms might have been rented out or secured from the outside. Perhaps these rooms have boarders and lodgers in later years— but we have no record of them. Records of Occupants The duplex on 904/906 N 38th Street, now 2458-2460 N 38th Street, was built in 1912 by Frank Hunholz who requested a permit to build a "two-story flat." The owner of the home transitioned to sixty eight year old Ida Kurth by 1920. Kurth lived in the home with her daughter Elizabeth, who was thirty. Ida was a widowed woman who immigrated from Germany in 1865. She did not pay a mortgage on the home, nor did she work. Her daughter Elizabeth worked as a bookkeeper for a painter company. Elizabeth was born in Wisconsin although Ida and her late husband were born in Germany. Ida rented out the upper level apartment to Robert Wegner, who was forty years old during the 1920 census. Robert was born in Wisconsin, and both his parents were born in Germany. He worked as a tinner in the piano industry and was married to Frieda Wegner who was thirty eight years old. Frieda was born in Germany like her parents, and immigrated to the US in 1885. She worked as a merchant in the dry goods industry. Robert and Frieda had a seventeen year old son named Reginald and a eleven year old daughter named Jean. Reginald worked as a mechanic. In 1922, Henry A Schroeder began renting the lower level apartment. Henry was born in Germany and immigrated to the US in 1884. Both of his parents were born in Germany as well, and he did not work. He was married to Katherine M Schroeder who was sixty-eight years old and was also born in Germany. She immigrated to the US the same year her husband did. By, 1930, the home was owned by Henry, who was seventy-two. He and Katherine shared the ownership of the home although neither of them worked at that time. In 1937, Henry requested a permit to build a 20x20’ garage. He also rented out the upper level apartment to John W Schroeder who was forty-two. John was born in Wisconsin, but both of his parents were from Germany. He worked as a pressman in the Badger Carton industry. He was married to Rose Schroeder, who was thirty-two years old. Rose and her parents were born in Wisconsin, and she did not work while living in the home. John and Rose had a son named Ralph J Schroeder, six years old in 1930, who lived in the home with them. By the 1940s, John and Rose’s income was $1800, and they were paying $30 for their monthly rent. By December 10, 1942, Ralph appeared in the World War II Army Enlistment Records. John too received a World War II draft registration card in 1942. By 1940, and the lower level apartment was being rented by Henry J Braun. Henry worked as a carpenter by the government. He was sixty-six years old and shared the home with his wife Anne C. Braun who was fifty-nine. Anne was born in Germany, and together, they had an income of $660 per month. They paid $35.00 for rent. On September 23, 1948, Augusta Isenring purchased the home from Katherine Jaeger—formally known as Katherine Schroeder. Augusta kept the home until October 21, 1949—after which she sold it to Elmer O. Moran. Elmer lived in the lower level apartment with his wife Evelyn until 1965. He then rented it to E.C Warning, but kept ownership of the property. E.C stayed for one year, then Elmer moved back in and lived with T.J Gancarcik. Elmer applied for an electrical permit to install a gas unit in 1966. The following year, he applied for a plumbing permit to install another gas burner and a heating system. On May 30, 1972, Elmer sold the home to Henry Tarney and Marvin Lechter. Henry was married to Ann at the time and lived in the lower level apartment. Marvin was married to Grace and lived in the upper level apartment. On September 20, 1998, Alexander McGaig from Globe Realty bought the home—which was now in a foreclosed status. On September 24, 1979, Alexander sold the foreclosed home to Jimmie L. Guy. Jimmie was married to Wendell and they originally lived in the lower level apartment. By 1981, Jimmie lived in the upper level apartment and received a code violation due to the need to fix electrical work. On September 11, 1985, the home received a sheriff’s deed for foreclosure by fleet mortgage. HUD confiscated the home on November 5, 1985 due to its foreclosed status. On March 20, 1986, HUD sold the home to LeRoy Hill and Carieta Hill. They shared the lower level apartment with Lawrence and Glenda Thompson. By May 8, 1986, LeRoy shared ownership with Michael and Adrienna Foggs, and the Thompson’s. They kept the ownership of the home until January 26, 1989. On January 26, 1989, they sold the ownership to James E. Adams Jr., who bought the home in a foreclosed status. James lived in the lower level alone for one year, then began living with Andre P. Carter in 1990. On November 15, 1990, Hopkins Saving & Loan owned the property and sold it to Andre P. Carter. By 1992, Andre was renting out the lower level apartment to Deedra Smith. He and James began living in the upper level apartment that year, and Andre applied for a permit to replace the gas fired furnace. In 1994, the home received a code violation for a structural repair that needed to take place on the 2nd floor porch. By that time, owner Andre and James were living in a home located on 4926 N. 49th street. They lived in that home together until 1995 at the very least, but carter kept ownership of the home until September 10, 2000. He applied for two electrical permits in 1995 to have the rear porch removed and the door opened walled over and to replace the gas furnace. He also began renting out the lower level apartment to Ernestine Jones the same year. The following year, Andre requested a permit to raze the garage. When Andre Carter released ownership of the property in 2000, he sold it to Carter Real Estate LLC under a quit claim deed. They sold the home to Larry Flowers on September 3, 2014, under a quit claim deed. Larry lived in the lower level apartment with his wife Ladonna P. On October 31, 2016, the home received a city ordered foreclosure notice, and by 2017, the property was owned by the City of Milwaukee. Permit Records: 1994-2018
Date
Record Number Record Type Project Name 6/30/1994 ENF-1994-004188-H Trades Case Mainframe, 10/6/1994 RES-RPR-94-0252100-H Residential Repair Permit Residential Repair 11/20/1995 ORD-95-00196953-H Order Violation Violation 5/8/1996 MREC-96-028591-H Property Registration Master 5/8/1996 RAZE-96-0301754-H Raze Permit Condemnation 1/30/1997 ORD-97-02056022-H Order Violation Violation 1/30/1997 ORD-97-02056021-H Order Violation Violation 12/23/1998 ORD-98-02547641-H Order Violation Violation 9/13/2001 ORD-01-03409541-H Order Violation Violation 9/13/2001 ORD-01-03409571-H Order Violation Violation 2/11/2003 ORD-03-03967721-H Order Violation Violation 8/18/2003 ORD-03-04202291-H Order Violation Violation 8/18/2003 ORD-03-04202292-H Order Violation Violation 5/30/2007 ORD-07-06243671-H Order Violation Violation 11/29/2007 ORD-07-06549741-H Order Violation Violation 4/1/2008 ORD-08-06724181-H Order Violation Violation 9/24/2008 MREC-08-138366-H Property Registration Master 10/14/2008 ENF-2008-497588-H Residential Case Garbage, 10/15/2008 ORD-08-07049101-H Order Violation Violation 4/29/2009 ORD-09-07361361-H Order Violation Violation 6/2/2009 ORD-09-07480911-H Order Violation Violation 3/9/2010 ORD-10-07936861-H Order Violation Violation 6/23/2010 ORD-10-08136221-H Order Violation Violation 6/25/2010 VAC-10-3270932000-1-H Vacant Building Condemned Building 6/25/2010 ORD-10-08137981-H Order Violation Violation 7/28/2010 ORD-10-08202641-H Order Violation Violation 9/22/2010 ORD-10-08307741-H Order Violation Violation 12/30/2010 ORD-10-08501041-H Order Violation Violation 2/14/2011 ORD-11-08566931-H Order Violation Violation 3/15/2011 ORD-11-08628461-H Order Violation Violation 6/15/2011 ORD-11-08827091-H Order Violation Violation 6/15/2011 ORD-11-08827101-H Order Violation Violation 6/15/2011 ORD-11-08826231-H Order Violation Violation 6/15/2011 ORD-11-08827081-H Order Violation Violation 6/16/2011 ENF-2011-602377-H Special Enforcement Case Interior Maintenance, 7/19/2011 ORD-11-08913941-H Order Violation Violation 8/30/2011 ORD-11-09004801-H Order Violation Violation 10/7/2011 ENF-2011-616959-H Residential Case Tires, 10/13/2011 ORD-11-09085551-H Order Violation Violation 11/1/2011 ORD-11-09128301-H Order Violation Violation 11/4/2011 ENF-2011-620063-H Residential Case Garbage, 11/30/2011 ORD-11-09185661-H Order Violation Violation 12/13/2011 ORD-11-09209921-H Order Violation Violation 2/22/2012 ELEC-12-1026119-H Electrical Permit Electrical 2/23/2012 ELEC-12-0925314-H Electrical Permit Electrical 4/17/2012 ORD-12-09430441-H Order Violation Violation 4/25/2012 ELEC-12-1032207-H Electrical Permit Electrical 6/25/2012 ORD-12-09582901-H Order Violation Violation 8/27/2012 ENF-2012-651593-H Special Enforcement Case Habitability Ordinance, 8/30/2012 ORD-12-09702261-H Order Violation Violation 8/30/2012 ORD-12-09702241-H Order Violation Violation 12/18/2012 ORD-12-09930471-H Order Violation Violation 9/25/2013 ORD-13-10478851-H Order Violation Violation 12/5/2013 ORD-13-10612641-H Order Violation Violation 1/22/2014 ORD-14-10657091-H Order Violation Violation 2/26/2014 ORD-14-10709171-H Order Violation Violation 2/26/2014 ORD-14-10709371-H Order Violation Violation 7/11/2014 ORD-14-10975641-H Order Violation Violation 9/23/2014 ORD-14-11105301-H Order Violation Violation 10/23/2014 SLRNT-14-216612-H Seller Notification Seller Notification 10/23/2014 ORD-14-11158251-H Order Violation Violation 10/30/2014 ENF-2014-740311-H Condemnation Case Condemnation, 11/24/2014 ORD-14-11213501-H Order Violation Violation 11/25/2014 RVIL-14-11209791-H Raze Violation Violation 12/23/2014 RVIL-14-11250641-H Raze Violation Violation 3/19/2015 ORD-15-11379061-H Order Violation Violation 3/26/2015 ORD-15-11399271-H Order Violation Violation 3/27/2015 RAZE-15-1140356-H Raze Permit Condemnation 3/27/2015 MREC-15-222174-H Property Registration Master 5/4/2015 ORD-15-11474091-H Order Violation Violation 8/6/2015 ORD-15-11635591-H Order Violation Violation 9/9/2015 ORD-15-11692541-H Order Violation Violation 1/20/2016 ORD-16-11910721-H Order Violation Violation 3/15/2016 ORD-16-12000651-H Order Violation Violation 5/27/2016 ORD-16-12117851-H Order Violation Violation 7/19/2016 ORD-16-12192641-H Order Violation Violation 10/5/2016 GBG-16-00166 Garbage Violation 11/22/2016 MNIP-16-00391 Miscellaneous Neighborhood Improvement Projects 1/27/2017 SLRNT-17-00094 Seller Notification 2/24/2017 ENF-2017-05462 Residential Case 3/2/2017 ENF-2017-06219 Residential Case 1/23/2018 PWCF-18-00407 Forestry Sidewalk not shoveled |
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