NO. 234 SEPTEMBER 2016 HISTORIC WAUWATOSA PUBLISHED BY THE WAUWATOSA HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC. KNEELAND-WALKER HOUSE WHS 2016 TOUR OF HOMES Washington Highlands 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1 @ Advance tickets $14 WHS members* 100 $17 non-members Order online *For discount, members must call 414-774-8672 or order on line: WauwatosaHistoricalSociety.org Advance ticket locations (cash or check only) Wisconsin Garden and Pet 8520 W. North Ave. The Little Read Book 7603 W. State St. Tour-day ticket sales 6300 Washington Circle House descriptions begin on page 4 $17 WHS members $20 non-members When the Highlands housed mostly horses An excerpt from John Eastberg’s Pabst Farms, page 8 This painting by Theodore Breidweiser depicts Captain Pabst, his two sons, and the farm manager inspecting their stock. NOTEWORTHY WHS EMMER WAS A DREAM Linda and Jerry Stepaniak for VOLUNTEER, DOCENT overseeing popcorn sales; Phil The non-profit, Warner for maintaining the educational Wau- Any active WHS members in- watosa Historical grounds; Patty Fibich-Warner terested in local history probably for handling financial matters; Society (WHS) knew Dan Emmer even if they was founded to Kathy Causier for overseeing the research the his- didn’t know him by name. silent auction; Chris Vogel for tory of our area Emmer, who died July 28 at age hosting the artist reception; Steve and to collect, pre- 77, frequently portrayed historic Weber and Troop 21 Boy Scouts serve and exhibit figures at special events, most objects from our who helped take down tents and past. WHS is an recently as millionaire Emery put away tables and chairs plus affiliate of the Wis- Walker, one-time owner of the helping artists set up. consin Historical mansion that is WHS headquar- Kudos to James Steeno, whose Society. Member- ters. ships include a 2016 Firefly poster design drew subscription to Emmer also volunteered as a rave reviews. Historic Wauwa- docent at the Kneeland-Walker WHS also is grateful to Firefly tosa, discounts off House, the Pabst Mansion, Real Estate for sponsoring the art registration fees Lowell Damon House, Trim- for adult educa- fair and to supporters Sprecher tion programs and born Farm and at the Milwaukee Brewing Co. and Leff’s Lucky other benefits. County Historical Society. He Town. also sometimes portrayed Capt. MEMBER Frederick Pabst on tours of Forest CATEGORIES TOMCZAK PURSUES DEGREE Home Cemetery in Milwaukee. IN ARCHIVES, RECORDS Platinum Star $1,000 Sharon Braun, a long-time Gold Star $500 Silver Star $150 volunteer at the Pabst Mansion Sharon Braun and Dan Emmer Merisa Tomczak, WHS com- Firefly $75 and mega-volunteer for WHS, portraying Constance and Emery munications specialist since Business $50 said she encouraged Emmer to get Walker in December at a Knee- January 2015, left the office staff Organization $35 land-Walker House party. Household $25 involved about 20 years ago. in August to pursue a two-year Household (Senior*) $15 “He loved greeting visitors to two side porches have been gradu- masters of science degree from Individual $15 the Kneeland-Walker House while the University of North Carolina Individual (Senior*) $10 ally pulling away from the house. dressed as Emery Walker,” Braun at Chapel Hill. Tomczak will *Senior: age 62 and up The back porch is being rebuilt. said. “He even looked a little like In conjunction with masonry specialize in archives and record OFFICERS Emery. “He was so good with work, the new porch should solve management. PRESIDENT walking tours for Historic Mil- the problem of water seeping into Before joining the WHS staff Chris Vogel waukee. “He will be missed.” the basement. in January 2015, she volunteered 257-2982 for a year in the WHS research JERRY SMAGLIK, FIREFLY ART A rotted cornice near the en- VP DEVELOPMENT trance to the coach house also is library. More recently, Tomczak Bill Cummings FAIR FOUNDER, DIES being replaced. also has worked as the research 774-4756 library and collections manager. Jerome “Jerry” Smaglik, a At the Little Red Store, two VP MARKETING, EDUCATION rotted windows facing the Beth Jaworski long-time WHS volunteer who 456-1582 launched the Firefly Art Fair in Menomonee River are being MEMORIALS & TRIBUTES replaced. TREASURER 1987, died May 21 at age 79. He Bryan Stutzki is survived by his wife, Carole, The historical society recognizes 778-0614 and four children. NO GRUMBLES ABOUT THIS gifts made in honor or memory of YEAR’S FIREFLY WEATHER SECRETARY “With the purchase of the the following: Peggy Devitt Katz Kneeland-Walker House that year, This summer’s Firefly Art Fair 771-4666 the historical society needed to may have enjoyed the best week- In Memory of STAFF grow in membership and in in- end of weather in its 30-year run. come,” said Janel Ruzicka, WHS DANIEL EMMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR But it wasn’t just the fine weath- executive director. “Carole was on Janel Ruzicka er that made it a success. Thank James and Janel Ruzicka the board of directors at that time you to all of the more than 100 Rachael Ver Duin HISTORIC WAUWATOSA EDITOR and she and Jerry stepped up and volunteers who contributed to Dave Vogel In Honor of led the way with organizing the the success of this most important EMAIL: first Firefly Art Fair.” JANEL & JIM RUZICKA staff@ WHS fund-raiser of the year. wauwatosahistoricalsociety.org ANOTHER SEASON OF Special thanks to Joan Riggin Chris & Dave Vogel for preparing the artist breakfast; PHONE: REPAIR WORK UNDERWAY In Memory of 414-774-8672 Jim Ruzicka for handling bever- ages; Jocelyn Ruzicka for orga- JEROME SMAGLIK Wauwatosa His- All three entry porches to the nizing the desserts booth; Deb- torical Society Inc. Kneeland-Walker House are Fran Borkowski publishes Historic bie Dubinski and Sue Flatley Wauwatosa [ISSN undergoing an estimated $12,000 for coordinating food operations; Carolyn Dressler 0195-2951] six in repairs. Rachael Ver Duin for preparing James and Janel Ruzicka times a year: Janu- Wood on the front porch, hid- ary, March, May, the photo exhibit; Dean Teofilo Rachael Ver Duin July, September den by shrubs that were removed for coordinating the musicians; and November. two years ago, had rotted. The WWW.WAUWATOSAHISTORICALSOCIETY.ORG HISTORIC WAUWATOSA PAGE 2, SEPTEMBER 2016 Longtime WHS leader Janel Ruzicka retiring the air-conditioning system, At center of success fixing a faucet or bartending for 26 years at one of the Mystery Nights at the mansion. Janel Ruzicka, a leader of Janel Ruzicka also serves on the Wauwatosa Historical So- the city’s Historic Preserva- ciety for more than a quarter tion Commission and will century, has announced she continue in the post. plans to retire before the end Some retirement reactions: of the year. Under her leadership: Kathy Ehley, mayor and former WHS board presi- Janel Ruzicka led refurbishing n WHS restored and now the Kneeland-Walker House staffs the Little Red Store dent: “When the Wauwa- tosa Historical Society first (above), often spoke to various Community and Visitor organizations and appeared on Center in the Village. bought the Kneeland-Walker property in 1987, we were all TV’s “Around the Corner with n WHS led the way in re- John McGivern” (right), and storing New Deal-era murals volunteers. But we quickly saw the need for permanent led the way in saving the Little long buried inside the walls Red Store (below). at Wauwatosa East High staff. It was challenging to School. know what expertise we n WHS took on major needed to run the Histori- repairs, paint jobs and costly cal Society, including caring reroofing of the Kneeland- for and preserving this Walker House. glorious historical home. Ruzicka was named “his- “In my tenure as Presi- toric site administrator” in dent of the WHS board, January 1992. She resigned we hit the jackpot when as WHS president to accept we hired Janel Ruzicka. We that new half-time position. knew Janel as a volunteer Her responsibilities were and a board member and continuing the Firefly Art knew she loved the organiza- Fair and other annual events, tion and loved the property adult education, school pro- as if it were her own. grams, exhibits and special- “Over Janel’s more than 25 use requests. The actual job year tenure, she helped grow went well beyond that and the organization into what it her title was changed in 1998 is today — an organization to executive director. dedicated to preserving the Ruzicka first joined the history of our community board of directors in 1990 and a membership of over watched every penny that’s crumbling walls. and was named president in 500 making WHS one of the spent, gone to Wauwatosa “Her ability to pull together 1994. largest city historical societies businesses and into the com- many threads from many While she’s retiring from in the state. She restored the munity to drum up support, places and work with a large the top job at WHS, don’t house with volunteers who and cultivated a loyal cadre number of interests in all expect her to disappear. She planted flowers, painted and of volunteers. I’ll bet nobody, aspects of local history and said she plans to volunteer wallpapered; and oversaw even Janel, could guess how historic building care made at next year’s Firefly Art Fair, major repairs, such as the much time and energy she her a pleasure to work with.” but in a less demanding new roof and rentals of the has devoted to the historical capacity. house and gardens. society — days, nights and Kathy Causier, alderman “Maybe I’ll sit at the admis- “Janel’s dedication and te- weekends.” and former WHS president nacity has been ongoing, and who followed Ruzicka in sions table and sell tickets,” Jim Vint she said.