Forest Home Library

Your favorite lecture series is back! From The Archives presented by Docomomo Wisconsin. Join us at the Milwaukee Public Library in the Rare Books Room on the 2nd floor at 5:30pm to browse plans and archive materials from the addition and branches before the talk or stay after the event for more exploring.

Talk begins at 6pm with Emily Hankins, a researcher and writer of art history. She received her masters from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Art History with an emphasis on prints and curation. Currently she researches for Vogel Design Group Inc., and she is also the registrar of the Warehouse Art Museum.

After World War II, the Milwaukee Public Library (MPL) embarked on an extensive revamp of their library facilities. The Central Library had maxed out on storage space and most of the library branches were housed in small storefront spaces that could not be expanded to meet the rapidly growing population. To address these needs, City Librarian Richard Krug spearheaded a campaign to secure funding for a Central Library Addition and worked on the parameters for new library branch buildings. From 1953-1971, ten new libraries and two additions to existing libraries were constructed. Of these twelve new builds, seven were designed by Grassold & Johnson, three by Von Grossman, Burroughs, & Van Lanen, and two by Darby, Bogner & Associates. All three Milwaukee-based firms created welcoming, modern facilities exemplifying midcentury architecture with large windows, open floor plans, and innovative building materials. In examining these libraries and Krug's parameters for them, the innate connection between midcentury architecture and the aims of the modern library become clear. In addition, this examination highlights MPL's pioneering architectural legacy as one of the earliest proponents of midcentury public buildings in Milwaukee.