343150 Greater Together body Rev3.indd 10 12/30/14 2:18 PM CHAPTER 1 WHO WE WERE AT THE BEGINNING The Milwaukee Foundation’s founding fathers were an impressive coterie of city power brokers representing industry, banking and the law. As Milwaukee edged into the 20th century, it was already a bustling community making a definite mark on the world with its broad range of breweries, foundries, factories, packing plants, lending institutions, transportation and related high-power commercial endeavors. There was strength in this town, economic power. Pabst building in downtown Milwaukee Photos courtesy of the Milwaukee County Historical Society GREATER TOGETHER 1915-2015 | 1 343150 Greater Together body Rev3.indd 1 12/30/14 2:18 PM Citizens pointed with pride at Milwaukee City Hall, their civic symbol of CITY HALL AND FIRST power. The structure, completed in 1895, soared 15 stories and reached WISCONSIN BUILDING: 393 feet. It was the tallest habitable building in the world when finished. Both Milwaukee City To the locals, the presence of that massive Flemish-style landmark, Hall and the First with its tower and giant clock high above the streets, said something Wisconsin Bank indeed about Milwaukee’s civic might. However, the new First Wisconsin building have long Building, home of the First Wisconsin Trust, surpassed Milwaukee been symbols of City Hall as both the tallest building in Milwaukee and the state. The Milwaukee’s political structure was topped off Aug. 29, 1972, at 601 feet and 42 stories tall and economic muscle. and finally completed in 1973. Photos courtesy of Milwaukee County Historical Society The greater Milwaukee area also was exploding with an influx of immigrants, many from Eastern Europe eager to fi d stability in the New World. Adding to the city’s vibrant mix of German, Irish, Yankee and French influences were newcomers from Russia, Italy and other countries. By 1899, more than 30,000 Poles had moved to Milwaukee, a figure growing to 100,000 by 1915. This made the city one of the largest Polish communities in the country. Like other earlier arrivals, many took low-paying, entry-level jobs, and in time, all these hard workers and their offspring contributed greatly to Milwaukee’s élan. ITALIAN AND POLISH IMMIGRANTS Proud, hard-working Italian and Polish immigrants were among the many new Milwaukeeans in the early 20th century. Photos courtesy of the Milwaukee County Historical Society 2 | GREATER TOGETHER 1915-2015 343150 Greater Together body Rev3.indd 2 12/30/14 2:19 PM At the end of the 19th century, the fi st suburbs were born, greatly SUBURBAN SCENE (SHOREWOOD) expanding the business clout of the entire area. Bay View was an Empty lots in 1924 Shorewood were independent village from 1879 to 1886. In 1892, Whitefis Bay, South Milwaukee and Wauwatosa were incorporated. Next came Cudahy quickly filling in as hundreds of new in 1895 and the village of North Milwaukee in 1897. East Milwaukee homes were built. (Shorewood) arrived on the scene in 1900. Almost immediately after, West Allis was organized in 1902 and West Milwaukee in 1906. These Photo courtesy of Milwaukee County Historical Society “inner-ring” suburbs provided a newly emerging middle class that was able to move up and out of the rough and tumble Third and Fifth wards where they originated. The upper crust had it even better, with their fi e mansions creeping outward along the northern lake frontage from downtown and west along Grand Avenue (Wisconsin Avenue) and in the Concordia neighborhood. GREATER TOGETHER 1915-2015 | 3 343150 Greater Together body Rev3.indd 3 12/30/14 2:19 PM BIRTH OF THE MILWAUKEE FOUNDATION As greater Milwaukee was growing, it was obvious there were pressing community needs, particularly in the areas of health care, child welfare, education, housing and worker safety. In 1914, Cleveland had launched the nation’s fi st community foundation as a “means of intelligent charity.” Under the plan devised by banker/attorney Frederick Goff, “a competent administration” would ensure perpetual use of donated funds for the good of the community. Goff’s idea was a way to overcome the limitations of charitable trusts and foundations at the time. He wanted to do away with the “dead MAYOR EMIL SEIDEL hand of charity,” whereby the uses of charitable bequests became Milwaukee Mayor Emil Seidel was in office when the first meetings obsolete. His concept pooled together charitable resources of local of the Milwaukee Foundation residents into a single trust, and the distribution of the income was were held. overseen by a committee of community members. That committee Photo courtesy of Milwaukee County had the power and the wisdom to research a community’s needs and Historical Society distribute the money accordingly. The following year, The Chicago Community Trust, California Community Foundation, The Boston Foundation, Greater St. Louis Community Foundation and the Minneapolis Foundation were launched. His administration received national kudos for its concern for public welfare and its efficient management. Milwaukee took notice. Yet even Seidel and his forward-thinking cohorts, nicknamed the “Sewer At this time, the city also was poised to shake off the mayoral scandal Socialists” who sought to improve day-to-day services for the citizenry, and city council corruption of past administrations, as well the memory were hard pressed to keep up with the demand for charitable assistance. of bloody labor unrest in the late 1800s. These challenges, contributing Although the bureaucrats created parks, repaired roads and generally to the growing pains of the burgeoning urban scene, were already being enhanced the quality of life for residents of all income levels, numerous tackled following the 1910 elections in which Mayor Emil Seidel and challenges remained. Subsequently, several of the community’s power many like-minded aldermen and other public officials secured office. elite gathered to seriously discuss how to help. Considering the Cleveland Seidel, the country’s fi st Socialist mayor of a major city, soon raised the model, their evolving thought was to create a Milwaukee Foundation to minimum wage and passed an eight-hour day standard for city workers. channel philanthropic resources. 4May 24, 1915: Led by the efforts of Oliver C. Fuller, WHAT WE DID president of the Wisconsin Trust Company, a Declaration of Trust is signed and adopted to create the Milwaukee GREATER MILWAUKEE FOUNDATION CENTENNIAL MILESTONES Foundation 4 | GREATER TOGETHER 1915-2015 343150 Greater Together body Rev3.indd 4 12/30/14 2:19 PM Leading these captains of commerce was Oliver Clyde Fuller, president Then there was Isaac D. Adler, a director of Wisconsin Trust Company of Wisconsin Trust Company and founder of the First Wisconsin and a noted wholesaler of men’s clothing. His father, David, had National Bank. He knew of the Cleveland plan and was eager to try a founded the David Adler & Sons company, then one of the oldest fi ms similar idea locally. in Milwaukee. Isaac’s son, also named David, would become one of the country’s greatest architects. Among other gracious homes, he Fuller was joined by the Irish-born Patrick Cudahy, whose long list designed Milwaukee’s Villa Terrace, built in 1924 for the Lloyd R. Smith of business accomplishments included being president of Patrick family. Isaac Adler knew Cudahy through their many business dealings. Cudahy Family Company, a real estate powerhouse; president of The entire Adler family was noted for its support of Jewish causes, Cudahy Brothers Company meat packing empire; and director of First particularly in supporting orphanages. Wisconsin National Bank. Fred S. Hunt was secretary for the Milwaukee Dustless Brush Co., which Another friend involved in these early discussions was Adolph Finkler, was founded in 1897 and received a gold medal at the 1904 St. Louis who had been an architect prior to becoming secretary and treasurer of World’s Fair for its versatile products. As of 2013, the fi m was still the Albert Trostel & Sons Company tannery. Called a noted “Wisconsin manufacturing a wide range of brushes. Hunt was a prominent member man of progress” by those with whom he worked, Finkler married Ida of the Merchants and Manufacturers Association of Milwaukee, serving Trostel, Albert Trostel’s daughter. Long active in civic affairs, Finkler would on the organization’s membership committee. Consequently, he knew all go on to become a five-term president of the Milwaukee Art Museum. the players in the city, a handy affi iation when the time would come to seek out big time donors for the cause. A sixth member of the group was distinguished former Judge Paul Trostel Received Frye Award D. Carpenter of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court’s First Division, who was then an assistant U.S. attorney. He was a lecturer at In 1987, Kim Trostel, Marquette University Law School and gave its commencement speech wife of Albert Trostel in 1912. Carpenter also was well known in political circles, being Jr., received the the son of the formidable U.S. Sen. Matthew Hale Carpenter who William C. Frye Award. represented Wisconsin in the late 1860s through the early 1880s. A noted Milwaukee While in the Senate, the elder Hale was president pro tempore during philanthropist and the 43rd Congress and was considered one of the nation’s leading community activist, constitutionalists. With this family background and connections, it was a she died at age 100 in plus to involve such a figure as the younger Carpenter. 2009. The Frye Award was named for the late Ohio-born Clement C. Smith, president of First National Bank Milwaukee William C. Frye, former and head of the Evanston Railway Company, started his career as a civil president of Rex Chainbelt Company and chair of the engineer.