Classroom

The Sam Thompson building was constructed in 1929 by architect S. A. Snyder in the Tudor Revival style, which was prevalent in Waukesha during the 1920s, especially with commercial buildings. The building's appearance suggests a home more than a business, and the sloping gable in the front of the building and arched entrances are indicative of an attempt to blend in with the Gothic architecture of nearby Carroll University.The building was first owned by the eponymous Sam Thompson, but little is known of him and he isn't even listed as the first occupant in city directories. Due to the building being a commercial residence, it was occupied by a number of tenants, including Goerke's Grocery, the National Tea Co. and the Campus Pharmacy to name a few.When the property was owned by Carroll University, it fulfilled a number of roles, such as being used as a campus library(or was that a bookstore? perhaps I'm remembering wrong) as well as housing the campus beauty studio. Even though the building is no longer owned by Carroll, this quaint little building that now houses an antique shop has been connected to Carroll since its conception, both in terms of design, and in the facilities that it housed while owned by Carroll, and showing that this otherwise unassuming building has deep history with Carroll University.

A modern day view of the Sam Thompson Building.

The Sam Thompson Building shortly after its construction.

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The Sam Thompson Building, built in 1929, has long had a connection to Carroll University.  This is of no surprise given the location of the building and that it was also owned for a time by the university.  Though the property is no longer owned by Carroll, the shared history still connects the two locations.  With a storied history as both a local business, hosting a variety of stores such as a grocery store and a pharmacy, to being a campus library and a beauty school, the Sam Thompson Building has had a storied history in the Carroll University neighborhood.

Sam Thompson Building

Stroll through nearly 175 years of local history at Wisconsin's first 4-year institution of higher education! This tour draws attention to the people & stories hidden in the brick-and-mortar structures on and around campus.  

Carroll University Historic District Walking Tour

College president William Ganfield's decision to construct a new athletics facility was a response to both growing enrollment after the Great War and a nationwide interest in physical fitness--or the lack thereof--among children and youth. Fundraisers claimed that the $80,000 building would seat 3,500 spectators, and raise the profile of college athletics. It also included a basement apartment for a resident custodian, which would be convenient for stoking the coal-fired furnace. Construction began in 1923, and took longer than anticipated due to structural miscalculations, but the building finally opened in June of 1924. The first event held in the facility was the “New Gym Shaker”-a dance for students, alumni, faculty, trustees, and friends, held in September 1924; it drew over 400 people.  The first full time custodial employee--and his two daughters--probably moved in about the same time. “The Gymnasium,” was renamed in honour of William Ganfield in 1966, after more than forty years of active use. Following a major winter storm in 1978-1979 and the passage of time, repeated ad hoc repairs struggled to keep rain and bats out of the building. Structural renovations cost upwards of $275,000, but did effectively modernize the facility.  Today, Ganfield's role as Carroll's main gymnasium has been superseded by the much larger Van Male Gymnasium and Aquatics Centers. Students still use for intramural sports, individiual fitness, and academic classes; a third floor dance studio is used for yoga, Zumba, and dance team rehearsals. In short, Ganfield continues in its role as a vital athletic facility for Carroll University. Nearly a hundred years of continuous use demonstrates the University's support for student athletes.

Constructed in 1923, Ganfield Gymnasium replaced Carroll's original athletic facility, which had been in the basement of Main Hall. The new Ganfield gym quickly became both a social and academic hub, hosting sporting events, dances and even academic classes. Although small compared to the more modern sports complexes on today's campus, Ganfield still represents Carroll University's commitment to developing the whole student--and the growth of NCAA athletics on campus.


Ganfield Gymnasium

Voorhees Hall is named for New Jersey philanthropists Ralph and Elizabeth Voorhees. The couple was committed to increasing opportunities women in higher education, and had endowed Rutgers, Coe College and several other institutions. They probably learned about Carroll from their Basking Ridge NJ pastor, who was Walter Rankin's father. Over a number of years, the Voorhees family donated nearly $200,000 (over $5.3 million in 2019 dollars) to Carroll, including $100,000 for the construction of Elizabeth Voorhees Dormitory for Women, which was constructed in 1906. Unfortunately, the Voorhees family never came to Waukesha to see the impact of their generosity As a women's dormitory, Voorhees Hall was for many years a meeting ground for couples at Carroll. Men gave their fraternity pins to their sweethearts on the front porch, a rite many students considered as almost as meaningful as a marriage proposal. The young woman stood on the porch, her sorority sisters lined up behind her, while the suitor's fraternity gathered on the lawn. Everyone sang love songs for the couple. Then the man finished the ceremony by giving his amoure a bouquet of roses and a kiss. These rose petals were then spread on the girl’s bed. Sleeping on them that night, she presumably dreamed of romantic occasions to come. The tradition persisted for more than half a century, until in 1966, Voorhees was converted for adminstrative use. To the despair of students, this meant moving the pinning ceremony to Bergstrom Hall, which lacked both the front porch and the lawn. Pinning at Carroll would never be the same.

Recognizing two of Carroll University's greatest--if little known--financial supporters, Voorhees Hall certainly lives up to the Voorhees' commitment to the education of women. Originally a women's dorm, this building quickly became premier destination for a long-time courting tradition among student couples. Today, other important, albeit less romantic rituals are performed at Voorhees Hall. Visiting high schoolers shake hands with admission counselors while parents wait nervously in the lobby. Students stop by to request graduation audits, pay tuition bills, and--if they're lucky--pet the Gnadingers' puppy.


Voorhees Hall

In 1933, Frank and Dora Wolfe began construction of the home at 117 Wright Street. Using limestone from the Waukesha Lime and Stone Company, where Fred was an executive, the couple decided to match the Tudor Revival style that neighboring Carroll College had used for several campus buildings. The couple moved out in the 1960s, leaving the home to their daughter, Estella Wolfe. She lived in the house until 1994, when it was bought by the college. Soon thereafter, the Wolfe House became home to the Walter Young Center for Counseling and Career Development.  It has also housed the chaplain's office and Academic Support Services.		Sadly, the Center’s name does not celebrate a donor, alum or accomplishment of the Carroll community. Instead, it commemorates a tragedy. Walter Young was a member of Carroll’s freshman class in the fall of 1976. Sadly, Young struggled with depression and the pressures of college, and took his own life. Grandparents Helen and Edward Young donated the endowment funds for the center to honor his memory. It was their hope that the Walter Young Center would help students get the kind of support that might have saved their grandson's life. Since the doors opened, the Walter Young Center, and the amazing people who staff if, continue to do exactly that.

117 Wright Street started as the simple family home of Fred and Dora Wolfe. However, when Carroll bought the house in 1994, it became home to one of the school’s most unique programs, the Walter Young Center for Counseling and Career Development. Unfortunately, this extraordinarily helpful program found its origin in a tragic event for the Carroll community.  


The Walter Young Center

The young Carroll College built Main Hall in 1852, but thirty-three years later, a chimney fire spread through the rafters, burning the building to the ground. From the ashes rose a new building that opened to students in the year 1887. This “modern” structure included a gymnasium, theater, library, chapel, faculty offices, classrooms, and science labs. However, Main wasn’t always just Main. Look closely at the front of the building; do you see the “1900” cornerstone? The part of Main Hall to the right of that stone was formerly known as Voorhees Hall. Once the “new” Voorhees was built, both halves of Main could be dedicated to academics and athletics.  	Nearly every member of the campus community has a story to tell about Main Hall. A breathless race up the stairs for an 8am class, creaking floorboards as an excited professor leaps off the table, huddling in the basement during a tornado warning, and the head-scratching problem of getting a cow out of the bell tower. The class of ’93 commemorated their memories by donating a stained-glass window above the main entrance on the east side of the building. And since 2013, the Joyce Paddock Bliss (’48) Gallery has offered a stunning venue for visual and multi-media exhibitions. Come check out the 19th century bones of this 21st century facility!

Main Hall is probably the most recognizable buildings on Carroll's campus, and figures prominently on institutional publications and swag.  Since its $4 million renovation (2001-2), Main has housed classrooms and a gallery space. Earlier generations of students and faculty, however, remember Main as the heart and soul of campus. In all its incarnations, Main Hall is known for the bell tower, stained glass and steep central staircase.

Main Hall

George H. Wilbur built this building in 1895. Wilbur was the president of the Wilbur Lumber Co. and was married to Harriet J. They had two children, son Hawley and a daughter Edith. He was also President of the Waukesha Springs Sanitarium. Carroll purchased the house in 1927 with funds donated by Mrs. Lydia Morgan of Oshkosh.  Named Morgan Manor in her honor, the building was put to use as the Lydia Morgan Library. According to student legend, after Mrs. Morgan donated the money, she committed suicide in the building. From that moment on she has haunted MacAllister. One such student was Malena Koplin, who was a Junior in the summer of ‘88, when Morgan Manor was a dormitory. One night, when she was on the third floor, she could not sleep and was scared due to rumors of Mrs. Morgan haunting the building. So, in retaliation, she called out to Mrs. Morgan and told her; “We both have to live here, this is it.” From that moment on, she was left alone. Melena Koplin also discussed how her Resident Assistant, or RA, would talk of the ghost messing with the answering machine.   This legend is false, there is little evidence that Lydia Morgan even came to Carroll. To this day MacAllister is considered haunted, racking up many student newspaper clippings dedicated to ghosts. If Lydia Morgan does not haunt the building, it is also reported that the son of George H. Wilbur has taken up residence.  It housed the Carroll Library until 1942 and was then used as a women’s dormitory until 1979. Pershing MacAllister donated the funds for the building to be renovated in 1998, it was then renamed MacAllister Hall.

MacAllister Hall is characterized by its bright columns, light bricks, and its old world feel. This building has had a long history of Carroll University, housing academic offices and even students. However, this building is home to many of Carroll University’s ghost tales. One such tale involves Lydia Morgan, benefactor and ghoulish resident of the building.


MacAllister Hall

Edmund and Ethel (nee Dillon) Walsh built what will become Sneeden House in 1922. A native of Burlington, Wisconsin Edmund Walsh took a law degree from Notre Dame College. By about 1890, he’d come to Waukesha, where he practiced law from offices on Grand Avenue. In 1896, Walsh became Waukesha's first city attorney; this job provided him the means to build at least two homes during the community's turn-of-the-century boom years. The Walshes' first home, at 507 N. East Ave, was constructed in 1906 (it seems unlikely that Walsh built his prior residence at 303 N. East Avenue). Only a year early, Walsh had served as the Grand Ruler of Waukesha Elks Lodge 400, starting many decades of public service and philanthropy, both of which secured the Walshes as members of Waukesha’s social elite. Edmund Walsh served at least one term on the Waukesha School Board, and was an active member of The Knights of Columbus, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, and the Holy Family Society. By 1921, he’d been elected to membership in the State Historical Society. The demands of entertaining influential Waukesha families likely influenced the design of the couple’s second, more upscale home at 123 East Avenue. In addition to the gracious living and dining rooms typical of the era, the home featured a cozy sunroom and a large butler’s pantry in which sturdy built-in cupboards both provided both provided storage space for crystal, china and silver and shielded guests from the sounds and smells of the kitchen. Outside, the Georgian Revival style featured a columned front porch, tall windows and a symmetrical façade—including twin chimneys. Edmund Walsh died in 1943, and upon Ethel Walsh’s death in 1953, the home was bought by Cecil C. and Flora (nee Eschenburg) Tolg, who owned a sheet metal foundry on Main Street. Carroll University purchased the home after Flora Tolg's death in 1980. The Tolg House, as it was called, functioned as a student dormitory between 1987 and 1989 due to a housing shortage at Carroll University. Soon thereafter, a gift from the Jack and Cherrill Sneeden family in 1990 financed much needed renovations. The Walshes would likely be pleased to know that after nearly a century, the home they built with guests in mind still welcomes dozens of social and professional gatherings each year.

With its pristine siding and columned porch, Sneeden House has long been a beacon of welcome on East Avenue. The nearly hundred year-old home reminds guests of Waukesha's past and Carroll's commitment to hospitality. From students and alumni to faculty, staff and trustees, thousands of Pioneers have enjoyed good food and rich conversation in Sneeden House.


Sneeden House

One of four historic buildings on the Carroll campus, the Rankin Hall of Science was built in 1903. The funding for the building was part of the final gift from Ralph and Elizabeth Voorhees to what was then called Carroll College. The couple's $100,000 donation (roughly $2.6 million today), funded the construction of three buildings: The Rankin Hall of Science, the Elizabeth Voorhees Dormitory for Women, now called Voorhees Hall, and Voorhees Cottage, which was torn down in 1965 to make way for Shattuck Auditorium. Neither Ralph or Elizabeth Voorhees attended Carroll. In fact, there’s no record of them ever visiting Waukesha. However, the two were proud members of the Presbyterian Church, and donated much of their wealth to various church-affiliated schools and programs They also had a particularly close connection to Carroll, which may explain their generosity toward a small Presbyterian college some benefactors once called a "Princeton on the Prairie." In 1860, future college president Walter Rankin, graduated from Princeton University in New Jersey. As a student, he had befriended Ralph Voorhees. By 1866, Rankin was serving as Carroll’s second president and chief fundraiser. Meanwhile, Voorhees had gone blind in both eyes from an eye infection. After losing touch with each other for nearly 30 years, Rankin renewed contact with his old friend in the 1890’s. At the time, Carroll was struggling to keep its doors open. The generous gifts of the Voorhees family between 1896 and 1906, totaling $200,000 at the time, gave the school a strong financial foundation. Rankin Hall has undergone many changes in the last 113 years. Physically, the structure underwent minor renovations in 1975, and major renovations in 2018, where the insides of the hall were completely remodeled to meet the demands of modern learning, including technology changes. Originally, Rankin Hall was home to the Chemistry, Biology, and Physics departments. However, with the additions of the Michael and Mary Jaharis Science Laboratories and Dough and Nancy Hastad Hall, Rankin was no longer needed to house those programs. Instead, Rankin now houses the Environmental Science and Psychology programs, as well as a number of other general education classes. Rankin Hall continues to be beloved fixture on historic Carroll University campus.

In its historic 113 years, Rankin Hall has housed multiple departments and countless general education courses. And all of it is thanks to a massive donation from a friend of Carroll's second president, Walter Rankin. However, Ralph Voorhees, a blind philanthropist from the East Coast who went to school with Walter Rankin, and his wife, Elizabeth, never visited the school. 

Rankin Hall

Milwaukee lumber dealer Walter S. Chandler built the house at 151 W. College Avenue in 1870. Architect Edward Townsend Mix's careful attention to detail makes it one of the best examples of the Victorian Gothic style in southeastern Wisconsin.  Even a casual viewer will notice the clapboard siding, four-story Italianate tower and stained glass cupola. Look a little more closely, and you'll notice a variety of wooden decorations that includes scroll-sawn brackets, bow ribbon pendants and quatrefoils. The wood-trimmed windows are an eclectic mix of rectangular shapes and pointed arches. Also of note is the porte cochere on the east side. Tall enough to accommodate horse-drawn carriages, this feature protected arriving family and guests from the elements; horses and carriage could be serviced in a spacious backyard carriage house. While not of vital importance to Carroll University, the Chandler House has important historical value due to its age and unique architecture. Also on the property was the Eocene Spring. Like many springs in turn-of-the-century Waukesha, Eocene was famed for its healthful water. For all these reasons, the Chandler House was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, and became Waukesha’s first landmarked home in 1978. It was a featured site during Waukesha's 2019 Preservation Days festivities. Clearly, the Chandler House adds to the visual appeal of the College Avenue neighborhood, and offers the Carroll community a unique glimpse of history.

An old building alongside an historic campus, the Walter S. Chandler House is a beautiful example of the architecture both on and around Carroll University.  Though no longer owned by Carroll, the Chandler House, with its state-renowned Victorian Gothic architecture, continues to wow passersby and provide a scenic focal point for students climbing the College Avenue hill to class or the Campus Center.


Walter S. Chandler House

Frank Roberts was born on December 24, 1887, in Kenosha Wisconsin, a town about fifty miles southeast of Waukesha, Although not a lot is known about Roberts' childhood, his parents Louis and Fanny Roberts began their family life as dairy farmers. By 1910, the family had moved to Waukesha, although in a different house. As a young man, Roberts worked as an Assistant Cashier at the Teller National Bank Exchange in Waukesha.In 1914 or 1915, Frank Roberts enrolled at Carroll College (now Carroll University). He, like other students, certainly felt the effects of the war. Historian Ellen Langill notes that Carroll, like most colleges, felt the impact of food and coal rationing; Roberts and his classmates likely shivered in Carroll's drafty buildings during the cold Wisconsin winters. More generally, Wisconsin felt the effects of war due to the state’s large German population; nearly half of Wisconsin’s first- or second-generation immigrants claimed German heritage (1910 census). Although Roberts was not German himself (his paternal grandfather came to the U.S. from Poland), he would likely have noticed anti-German sentiments, both in his own family and among classmates. This, as well as Waukesha's strong historical ties to aviation, may have influenced Roberts' decision to join the Air Service of the U.S. Army.When Roberts left Carroll in the summer of 1917, he was technically under-qualified for the Signal Corps’ officer training school, a prerequisite for flight training. Office candidates were supposed to be college graduates. Roberts, however, cited his mechanical background (likely from his family's dairy farm), and was allowed him to join as a rising junior. Officer training school took place at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Between academic and practical classes, Roberts seemed to have enjoyed a full social life, including parties with G. Hall Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt’s younger brother. Hall was, according to Roberts, quite the drinker; Roberts recalled driving the intoxicated Roosevelt home to the family estate on at least one occasion.After OTS, Roberts pursued flight training in Mt. Clemens, Michigan. Roberts earned his wings under E. Hamilton Lee (one of the first pilots for United Airlines), then served as an aviator instructor at Gerstner Field in Lake Charles, Louisiana. This was not the romantic pilot's life Roberts had dreamed of; he later noted the instructors had neither planes nor level landing fields on which to land them. Another disappointment came when he finally got to France; the war ended before his plane he ever flew in combat.Back in Waukesha, Roberts resumed his job at the bank. By 1935, he had moved into this home, married a local woman named Leola, and had four children—born in 1920, 1923, 1925, and 1927. According to census records and the Waukesha Freeman, the family lived here until at least April 1971. Roberts won significant recognition in the local business community—as a board member of Waukesha State Bank and a charter member of Waukesha’s Rotary Club. He was an active member of the VFW, and probably helped found the Waukesha Aviation Club, of which he was treasurer. In later years, he enter politics, serving on the County Board and as a City Councilman. This beautiful home was undoubtedly the site of fundraisers and fervent discussions of aviation, local politics and even town-gown relations.

This Mediterranean-style home, located just up the hill from Carroll University's softball field, was once the home of Carroll alum and U.S. Army veteran Frank L. Roberts. The Kenosha native--and Christmas baby--left his position as assistant cashier at Waukesha's Teller National Bank Exchange to pursue a Carroll degree in 1915. Less than two years later, Roberts left Carroll to join the U.S. Army Signal Corps, which sent him to France in 1918.

Frank Robert's Home, Waukesha Wisconsin

The Smart house was built in the 1850's. Richard Smart owned the land where the house was located. The house served as a parsonage for the Methodist church which Richard was a part of. A parsonage is a house used for housing the people of the church. Richard was one of the earliest settlers in the Waukesha area. Smart migrated to the United States from England in the year 1835 to the Americas. The land he owned, coming in, covered from College Avenue on the North to Estberg Avenue on the south between East and West Avenue. Imagine standing where you are today, the history that is surrounding you, and the land you’re on-- nothing but farmland. As you look at the building, it’s astonishing to think of the world built around it. Especially, the Carroll University that rose during the years. The house was built of limestone that came from the quarry where Schneider Stadium stands today. Robert Smart, the great grandson of Richard (Carroll Alumni), wished to donate the house to the University once in possession. His widow, Carol Smart, carried out his request after his passing. The house is now home to the Violence Prevention House claiming 239 W College Ave on Carroll University's campus continuing to serve as a part of their legacy.

Richard Smart, one of the earliest settlers to Waukesha, found his calling after immigrating from England. His house was built in 1850, predating the civil war, and served as a parsonage for the Methodist church. However, there weren't full neighborhoods then, in fact, his house stood in the land where he farmed. The Smart family watched the nearby Carroll University campus grow before their eyes and eventually were able to become a part of its history.

The Richard Smart House

Originally designed in the style of Greek Revival, the Bryants' house was built in 1858 by Chautauqua NY native Dr. Calvin C. Barnes, who came to Waukesha in the 1850s, and owned the Waukesha Stone Co. After serving as 2nd Assistant Surgeon of Company S of the 11th Wisconsin Infantry during the Civil War, Dr. Barnes went on to business ventures in Manitowoc and elsewhere. 	The next person to own the house was English immigrant Thomas D. Cook. Cook had developed a reputation in the area through his partnership in the Cook and Hyde Stone Company, and eventually came to own both quarries previously belonging to Barnes. Cook built and owned a house in Milwaukee, but seems to have lived here in Waukesha until his death in 1900. Cook left the house to his widow Harriet Hadfield (a family also known for local business ventures), who then left it to her sister Mrs. Matilda Bryant. The Bryant family has always had a passion for helping the community, which can be seen when Matilda made a sizable donation to the Methodist church in Waukesha. She later sold the house to her son Henry and his wife Margaret Brate. The couple clearly inherited the family’s compassion for the community along with the family home. Margaret was an active member of Carroll's campus community, doing makeup for Carroll plays, holding tea parties for students, and making lilac bouquets for Carroll graduates. The lilac bushes that she used to make these bouquets are still on the property, so if you stop by in late May, you can smell the historic flowers! Henry and Margaret also boarded one of Carroll's librarians for a time, and during the Depression they allowed their house to be used as a woman’s dorm for a year or two. Henry and Margaret sold the house to their son Tony, who recalls childhood adventures exploring Carroll's campus. For the past 50 years, Anthony and his wife Andrea Bryant have supported civic activities in Waukesha County and the greater Milwaukee area through both financial donations and hands-on volunteering. Eventually, with assistance from the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the Anthony and Andrea Bryant Family Fund was established, with 75% of donations go to non-profit organizations recommended by the Bryants. Beyond the Bryants' embodiment of generousity and community spirit their house and its history are a physical reminder of Carroll’s roots, as both the Bryant house and Main Hall were built with Waukesha limestone. The Bryant family also reminds us to remember our communities as we pioneer the future.

If you are looking for an example of Pioneer spirit, look no further than  Andrea and Tony Bryant's home at 108 N. Barstow Street. The building itself is significant to Carroll due to their shared origins--the house was constructed from the same Waukesha limestone as Main Hall. More importantly, the Bryant family’s dedication to serving the community reflects and inspires Carroll’s commitment to helping our community as we pioneer the future.

Bryant House

Just looking around town, it's clear that limestone was a building material of choice in the 19th century. What's less known is that, when burned in a kiln, limestone becomes lime, which is used in fertilizer, glass, mortar, bleach, and many other products. With so many applications limestone and lime were valuable resources that Waukesha had in abundance. This is one of the reasons why several of the buildings on this tour are connected to Waukesha Quarries. The wealth of resources and the willingness to use them started an industry that would have easy access to far off customers, thanks to the railroads, and would provide jobs in Waukesha county throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.  Massachusetts-born abolitionist Lyman Goodnow opened the first known quarry in what would become Waukesha County in the spring of 1840, having leased land from Morris D. Cutler (for more information, see the Cutler House entry in this tour. In 1856 the Barnes brothers bought a nine-acre stone quarry from T.D. Cook. This quarry was located where the Carroll athletic fields currently stand. Calvin C. Barnes built his home, using Waukesha limestone, on the hill nearby to look over the quarry. This house would eventually come to be known as the Bryant house. By the late 1850’s there were two quarries near Carroll College, the Cook and Bacon Quarry to the north, and the Waukesha Stone Co. (Owned by the Barnes) to the immediate west. Most of the early quarries sent their product to Milwaukee which had more trade opportunities due to its proximity to the lake.Waukesha was fortunate to be situated with Milwaukee to the east and Madison to the west. So, when the railroads were established to connect the two, Waukesha gained two customers for their limestone products. The railroads also brought the limestone market to Chicago. In 1871 both quarries in the Village of Waukesha belonged to Hadfield &amp; Co. Following the Great Chicago Fire in October of 1871, Hadfield limestone was in high demand. This made the Hadfields the most prominent lime and limestone producers in Waukesha County. Members of the Carroll community owe a great deal to Hadfield &amp; Co. since it was limestone from the Hadfield quarries that was used to build Main Hall. While its uncertain which quarry supplied most of the stone, it’s probable that it was the Hadfield quarry in the Town of Pewaukee, north of the Village of Waukesha (that area is now the site of Waukesha Lime &amp; Stone Co.).


One of Waukesha County’s oldest industries, limestone mining,  remains active to this day, and colors the cityscape a creamy white. you can still find buildings in Waukesha County that were built from Waukesha limestone. On the Carroll Campus alone you have four buildings, Rankin, Voorhees, Main, and the Ganfield gymnasium. If you go into downtown Waukesha, you’ll find the intersection of Clinton and Main which has several buildings showcasing Waukesha Limestone. Another impressive example is the old courthouse on East and Main which now is home to the Waukesha County Historical Museum.

Waukesha Quarries

The building that is now Education Hall (and its now demolished sister building) was originally built in 1924 by the Otis E. Glidden, a producer of pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food products. One product invented by this company was Jiffy Jell, which had been a major success until Prohibition. Alcohol had been used to preserve the fruit flavoring, but when Glidden couldn't find a suitable substitute, he sold the recipe and rights to the Genesee Pure Food Company in 1921. Generations of Americans would come to know the product as Jell-O.Glidden, meanwhile, turned his skills in chemistry to the world of cosmetics &amp; pharmaceuticals, using this well-lit building as laboratory space for research and development. He formed a partnership with San Francisco born actress Edna Wallace Hopper, and "scientific advertising" pioneer Claude C. Hopkins. The actress had made a name for apparently ageless beauty, even claiming to have reversed (with the help of plastic surgery) the aging process. Hopkins, Wallace-Hopper and Glidden founded a cosmetics company, using the aging actress's fame to promote the products as beauty aids for other women. Glidden, and later his son Roy, led the company, but Edna's ongoing fame was key. A series of direct advertising campaigns promising eternal youth kept the various creams and powders profitable well after both Gliddens died in the mid 1930s.On May 9 1960, Madison's Capital Times reported that Glidden Laboratories, Inc., was bought by a subsidiary of Nicholas International Limited, which had its headquarters in Toronto. While it's not clear what that company used the property, a second building had been demolished soil remediation completed by 1989. What was then Carroll College bought the property, and the "Barstow Building" housed faculty offices, classrooms and storage space for theater and homecoming props. A 2016 renovation brought the interior spaces into the 21st century and replaced parts of the red brick façade with the cream-colored brick associated with SE Wisconsin. In April of 2017, the building was renamed Education Hall.On June 27, 2019, a thunderstorm with straight-line winds topping 70mph hit Waukesha, downing trees and power lines, and damaging buildings in a straight line about a block wide stretching from Grand Avenue eastward to McCall Street. Thankfully no one was injured, but the storm wrought considerable damage to the roof and back of Education Hall; yet another renovation was required, so Education faculty moved their damp books and materials to the lower level of North Bergstrom for the 2019-2020 school year. If nothing else, the year without Education Hall probably served as a helpful reminder that good teachers must adapt to unexpected circumstances--just like Otis Glidden nearly a hundred years ago.

Carroll University is committed to pioneering the future, and a part of this commitment is ensuring the next generation is prepared to do the same. Graduates from Carroll’s Education program have dedicated themselves to guiding future generations. Training future educators that are versatile and resourceful requires a unique space that exhibits that level of flexibility. This is why Carroll is excited to welcome students back to the newly renovated Education Hall.

Education Hall

The College of Health Sciences building is housed in a historic building located at 310 N East Avenue. This property was originally owned by the Hadfields,who owned the local quarry that produced the limestone used in the construction of Main Hall. Sometime in the mid to late 1870s, the Hadfields sold the 310 N East Avenue property was to well-known Waukesha grocer Thomas Ryall and his wife Elizabeth Frances Ryall. The Ryalls built the home that stands on the property today. So, the story of the house itself begins with a businessman (coincidentally, business is also one of Carroll’s top majors). The next occupants were Ira and Alma Pool, who bought the house about 1889. This family reflects the innovative spirit that Carroll encourages in their community. Ira was a Civil War veteran who owned the first cider mill in Waukesha; he also operated saloons with his two sons. Alma was something of an entrepreneur/inventor, and obtained two patents in the 1890s: one was an improvement to the ironing board, and the other a skirt and waist holder. This was a particular accomplishment since the patents are listed directly under her name, rather than that of a male relative, which was common at the time. After Alma died of cancer in 1903, Ira sold the house and built a (still-standing) log home on N. West Ave. He later explained that he preferred to die in a log home similar to the one he was born in. The East Avenue house was rented out by a real estate manager John Peterson until 1914, when Frank J Boehmke and his wife Mary bought the home. Frank was a painter and decorator, and his family owned the house until 1991. The Boehmke family albums were invaluable in Carroll’s efforts to renovate and restore the house.The final owner of the property before it was sold to Carroll was Joyce Bussian, who operated a hair salon out of the house. The house saw many occupants and many purposes before it became home to Carroll's College of Health and Sciences, just as Carroll students explore several different avenues during their time on campus. When the foundation is strong, many pioneering paths are possible.

Anyone who researches Carroll today will undoubtedly hear about our many successful health science majors. This makes sense as Nursing and Exercise Science are among the largest programs offered by the university. But there's much more to a Carroll education; the University guides students through over 95 areas of study. In fact, the building that now serves as the administrative offices for the College of Health Sciences is a wonderful example of the variety of educational experiences offered by Carroll University.

Boehmke House

The Sam Thompson building was constructed in 1929 by architect S. A. Snyder in the Tudor Revival style, which was prevalent in Waukesha during the 1920s, especially with commercial buildings. The building's appearance suggests a home more than a business, and the sloping gable in the front of the building and arched entrances are indicative of an attempt to blend in with the Gothic architecture of nearby Carroll University. The building was first owned by the eponymous Sam Thompson, but little is known of him and he isn't even listed as the first occupant in city directories. Due to the building being a commercial residence, it was occupied by a number of tenants, including Goerke's Grocery, the National Tea Co. and the Campus Pharmacy to name a few. When the property was owned by Carroll University, it fulfilled a number of roles, such as being used as a campus library(or was that a bookstore? perhaps I'm remembering wrong) as well as housing the campus beauty studio. Even though the building is no longer owned by Carroll, this quaint little building that now houses an antique shop has been connected to Carroll since its conception, both in terms of design, and in the facilities that it housed while owned by Carroll, and showing that this otherwise unassuming building has deep history with Carroll University.

Carroll University Historic District Walking Tour

Sam Thompson Building

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information