The area of South Milwaukee has been welcoming transients since well before the construction of General Mitchell International Airport in the 1920's . Most recently repurposed as a local tavern, The Landmark 1850 Inn originally served as a stop for stagecoaches arriving to and departing from Milwaukee in the mid to late 19th century.
Today, it sits along a stretch of road that is home to various other bars and restaurants capitalizing on the airport traffic. The building itself is constructed in traditional “Cream City” brick and is located abnormally close to the street. Its most unique feature is the long, arched, draping lintels over the windows. The Inn stands out in stark contrast to the neighboring Airport Lounge and other buildings in the immediate context which appear to be late 20th century developments, a clear response to the success and increased popularity of the airport. |
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A fascinating parallel exists between the Landmark 1850 Inn and the Airport. In some respects, they serve the same purpose and respond to the same needs, the only difference between the two are the drastic differences in scale. The Inn originally served as a stage coach stop in the late nineteenth century. Travelers would stop at the inn to purchase stage coach tickets to cities and towns in the surrounding area of south Milwaukee. The stage coach stop connected remote outposts in the area to the larger rail network that was increasingly popular and effective in the nineteenth century. It was a hub that received and catered to travelers to and from Milwaukee. The connective and social scale of the inn was relatively small because it was limited to the means of travel at the time.
Similarly, the airport on the other hand has a massive scale of connectivity. It is an international airport that connects directly to over 35 cities and just about anywhere in the world from there. Although the scale is vastly different, the general purpose of the airport is exactly the same as that of the Inn. It curates travel; it caters to transients. These travel hubs generate certain demands that haven’t changed since people started traveling. Travelers have the desire to share their stories, they have planes or stage coaches to wait for and they have the need to relax. The obvious response to this demand is to provide food and alcohol. The airport itself has a slew of bars and lounges that are constantly bustling just as the inn had a bar to serve its own weary travelers. |
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Project 1
This area of South Milwaukee has been welcoming transients
since well before the construction of the airport in 1920. Most
recently repurposed as a local tavern, The Landmark 1850 Inn
originally served as a stop for stagecoaches arriving to and
departing from Milwaukee in the mid to late 19th century. Today,
it sits along a stretch of road that is home to various other bars
and restaurants capitalizing on the airport traffic. The building
itself is constructed in traditional “Cream City” brick and is
located abnormally close to the street. Its most unique feature
is the long, arched, draping lintels over the windows. The Inn
stands out in contrast to the neighboring Airport Lounge and
other buildings in the immediate context which appear to be late
20th century developments in response to the popularization of
the airport.
The current owner appears to have a relentless itch for collecting
history. The exterior signage makes every attempt to inform the
visitor about the past and the interior is composed of furniture
and decoration that likely dates back to the 19th and early 20th
century. The original entrance has been converted into a beer
garden patio, enclosed by a stout brick wall attached to the south
of the building and a cast iron fence that runs the perimeter. The
visitor is asked to enter through the south side of the building,
where a threshold takes them alongside the main supports of
the building and into the dining space. The bar is especially
elongated and spans the north wall completely, welcoming the
visitor to explore towards the back. The back area narrows and
the bottom two thirds of an elaborate staircase is visible cutting
back towards the front of the building.
The furniture and decoration is unique, but it is difficult to tell if
any of it is truly original to the building. The first impression of
the place feels like a step back in time. A closer inspection of
the décor makes it less clear as to where in time that step leads.
Regardless of this lack of historical consistency, most items
are unique and warrant a lengthy discussion with the owner.
The feeling that everything in the building has its own individual
story to tell is potent. Certain construction details appear to
be consistent with the original building. These include, most
notably, the stairway, the front door (used to access the beer
garden), and a gated security window that separates two
interior spaces of the building.
The current barkeep and clientele are friendly and local. One
bartender claims that the Inn has the longest running liquor
license in the state of Wisconsin. True or not, this building
further implies that perhaps the best response to the stresses
of travel, be it by plane or by stagecoach, is an ice cold beer.
since well before the construction of the airport in 1920. Most
recently repurposed as a local tavern, The Landmark 1850 Inn
originally served as a stop for stagecoaches arriving to and
departing from Milwaukee in the mid to late 19th century. Today,
it sits along a stretch of road that is home to various other bars
and restaurants capitalizing on the airport traffic. The building
itself is constructed in traditional “Cream City” brick and is
located abnormally close to the street. Its most unique feature
is the long, arched, draping lintels over the windows. The Inn
stands out in contrast to the neighboring Airport Lounge and
other buildings in the immediate context which appear to be late
20th century developments in response to the popularization of
the airport.
The current owner appears to have a relentless itch for collecting
history. The exterior signage makes every attempt to inform the
visitor about the past and the interior is composed of furniture
and decoration that likely dates back to the 19th and early 20th
century. The original entrance has been converted into a beer
garden patio, enclosed by a stout brick wall attached to the south
of the building and a cast iron fence that runs the perimeter. The
visitor is asked to enter through the south side of the building,
where a threshold takes them alongside the main supports of
the building and into the dining space. The bar is especially
elongated and spans the north wall completely, welcoming the
visitor to explore towards the back. The back area narrows and
the bottom two thirds of an elaborate staircase is visible cutting
back towards the front of the building.
The furniture and decoration is unique, but it is difficult to tell if
any of it is truly original to the building. The first impression of
the place feels like a step back in time. A closer inspection of
the décor makes it less clear as to where in time that step leads.
Regardless of this lack of historical consistency, most items
are unique and warrant a lengthy discussion with the owner.
The feeling that everything in the building has its own individual
story to tell is potent. Certain construction details appear to
be consistent with the original building. These include, most
notably, the stairway, the front door (used to access the beer
garden), and a gated security window that separates two
interior spaces of the building.
The current barkeep and clientele are friendly and local. One
bartender claims that the Inn has the longest running liquor
license in the state of Wisconsin. True or not, this building
further implies that perhaps the best response to the stresses
of travel, be it by plane or by stagecoach, is an ice cold beer.
Project 2
General Mitchell International Airport was constructed in 1926
and, since its construction, has dominated the landscape in
this area of South Milwaukee. The airport makes its presence
known at every scale and every type of analysis for nearby
buildings, including the Landmark 1850 Inn.
The most obvious impact the airport has on the urban fabric is
development. The Landmark 1850 Inn, constructed in 1850 is
one of two buildings that were constructed in this area before the
airport that still stand today. They both serve, in some capacity,
as a tavern, which likely helped sustain their existence during the
urban transformation that followed the airport’s construction.
The remaining properties were developed in response to the
construction of the airport. Interestingly, they were developed
in correlation to population boom times for Milwaukee. Most
notably, Milwaukee experienced a population increase between
1950 and 1960 when many of the post airport developments
occurred.
Because most of these developments serve the airport the
automobile is the dominant means of circulation. In our
hierarchy map, we call attention to the vast expanse of parking
which makes up the majority of the land use in this area both at
the urban scale and neighborhood scale.
Although many of the properties are owned by LLCs, there is
a group of properties owned by private owners. One private
owner in particular owns the Landmark 1850 Inn property as
well as the two neighboring properties to the south (one of
which is the other tavern constructed before the airport) and
two residential properties across Howell. In a sea of airport
services, this person, Joseph G. Halser III, has found a way to
maintain his collection of old buildings.
The Landmark Inn is situated just south of a major runway that
stretches across Howell Avenue. Not surprisingly, this runway
is the main sound producer in the area. When an aircraft is not
talking off or landing, the constant noise of traffic from Howell
Avenue takes over. One pleasant respite from the mechanical
deluge on your ears, is the surprising number of birds finding
refuge in just three trees spotting the parking lot.
At a less obvious experiential level, nighttime lighting, the airport
still makes its presence known. There is a brightly lit tunnel that
passes under the runway. This tunnel accounts for the majority
of the nighttime lighting experienced at the urban scale. The
remaining parking lots and streets are gently washed in warm,
dim sodium gas lighting. The overall experience is relatively
dark for an urban setting. This is no doubt purposefully done
to improve the safety of nighttime arrivals and departures from
the airport.
At the building scale, the Landmark Inn’s solid, thick masonry
construction begins to shut out the airport and the surrounding
airport services. It successfully reduces the noise levels from
the airport and nearby traffic to lower frequency hums. The
lighting is still warm and dim, but more consistent and inviting
than the sparse lighting outside. This reduction in sensory
overload creates a warm feeling of escape from the stresses
of traveling. Perhaps this is precisely the feeling that weary
travelers from the late 19th century were seeking. While the
services and means of travel change, the need for a warm
escape from it all stays the same.
and, since its construction, has dominated the landscape in
this area of South Milwaukee. The airport makes its presence
known at every scale and every type of analysis for nearby
buildings, including the Landmark 1850 Inn.
The most obvious impact the airport has on the urban fabric is
development. The Landmark 1850 Inn, constructed in 1850 is
one of two buildings that were constructed in this area before the
airport that still stand today. They both serve, in some capacity,
as a tavern, which likely helped sustain their existence during the
urban transformation that followed the airport’s construction.
The remaining properties were developed in response to the
construction of the airport. Interestingly, they were developed
in correlation to population boom times for Milwaukee. Most
notably, Milwaukee experienced a population increase between
1950 and 1960 when many of the post airport developments
occurred.
Because most of these developments serve the airport the
automobile is the dominant means of circulation. In our
hierarchy map, we call attention to the vast expanse of parking
which makes up the majority of the land use in this area both at
the urban scale and neighborhood scale.
Although many of the properties are owned by LLCs, there is
a group of properties owned by private owners. One private
owner in particular owns the Landmark 1850 Inn property as
well as the two neighboring properties to the south (one of
which is the other tavern constructed before the airport) and
two residential properties across Howell. In a sea of airport
services, this person, Joseph G. Halser III, has found a way to
maintain his collection of old buildings.
The Landmark Inn is situated just south of a major runway that
stretches across Howell Avenue. Not surprisingly, this runway
is the main sound producer in the area. When an aircraft is not
talking off or landing, the constant noise of traffic from Howell
Avenue takes over. One pleasant respite from the mechanical
deluge on your ears, is the surprising number of birds finding
refuge in just three trees spotting the parking lot.
At a less obvious experiential level, nighttime lighting, the airport
still makes its presence known. There is a brightly lit tunnel that
passes under the runway. This tunnel accounts for the majority
of the nighttime lighting experienced at the urban scale. The
remaining parking lots and streets are gently washed in warm,
dim sodium gas lighting. The overall experience is relatively
dark for an urban setting. This is no doubt purposefully done
to improve the safety of nighttime arrivals and departures from
the airport.
At the building scale, the Landmark Inn’s solid, thick masonry
construction begins to shut out the airport and the surrounding
airport services. It successfully reduces the noise levels from
the airport and nearby traffic to lower frequency hums. The
lighting is still warm and dim, but more consistent and inviting
than the sparse lighting outside. This reduction in sensory
overload creates a warm feeling of escape from the stresses
of traveling. Perhaps this is precisely the feeling that weary
travelers from the late 19th century were seeking. While the
services and means of travel change, the need for a warm
escape from it all stays the same.
Project 3
Interview
The owner of the Landmark 1850 Inn was not interested in signing
the release form or consenting to a recorded interview. This led
to the same reaction from the bartenders and other employees at
the bar. Fortunately, after some discussion, they agreed that it
would be fine for us to interview one of the patrons. We eventually
found a patron who was comfortable with the interview and we
proceeded to have a conversation. We found CJ, a musician,
sitting by himself at the bar. He expressed his interest in the bar
because of the familiar faces he sees there and because of the
“old vibe” it gives him. Since it is located in close proximity to the
airport, one might expect that it sees its fair share of strangers.
In fact, it is primarily a local bar where many of the patrons know
each other and the employees. Recently, that has started to
change with the construction of a hotel across the street. It is
starting to see more travelers. CJ mentioned that he enjoys the
mix of patrons that the bar serves.
CJ was inebriated and was not wholly interested in sharing his
opinion on the architectural and urban implications that the bar had
on the inhabitants and the surrounding area. He was, however,
very interested in sharing stories about himself. He is a musician
that is involved and working with the lakeside small stages at
Summerfest. We think that this aspect alone speaks to the greater
story of the Landmark 1850 Inn. It is a place to share stories
and blow off steam. This is a function that parallels the original
intent of the building and in some respects, that of the airport. The
airport and the inn serve as a hub for busy and often stressed
travelers. To respond to this, the airport has its bars and lounges
and the Inn had its bar. These places allow travelers to relax and
share their stories. Although CJ was not a traveler, the urge to
share his own personal stories was that of one.
Summary
Our research to this point has drawn forth a fascinating parallel
between the Landmark 1850 Inn and the nearby airport. In
some respects, they serve the same purpose and respond to
the same needs, just the scale has changed tremendously. The
inn originally served as a stage coach stop in the late nineteenth
century. Travelers would stop at the inn to purchase stage coach
tickets to cities and towns to the south of Milwaukee. It was a
hub that received and catered to travelers to and from Milwaukee.
The connective scale of the inn was not very large because it was
limited to the means of travel at the time.
The airport on the other hand has a massive scale of connectivity.
It is an international airport that connects to over 35 cities nonstop
and just about anywhere in the world from there. Although
the scale is vastly different, the general purpose of the airport is
exactly the same as that of the inn. It curates travel; it caters to
transients. These hubs of travelers generate certain demands that
haven’t changed. Travelers have the desire to share their stories,
they have planes or stage coaches to wait for and they have the
need to relax. The obvious response to this demand is a bar. The
airport has a slew of bars and lounges that are bustling and the inn
itself had a bar to serve its own weary travelers.
The mapping assignment was an attempt to visually manifest
the massive scale shift between the airport and the old stage
coach stop. The inn, as it sits today, is surrounded by large scale
airport services, namely large hotels, rental car lots, and shipping
facilities. Each one of these dwarfs the inn in size and function.
As the scale of overall connectivity and demand has increased, so
has the physical scale of the service and served spaces. The inn
has been relegated to a sea of airport service spaces. Because
of this, the patrons, as we learn in the interviews, are not often
today’s travelers from the airport but are primarily local, working
class individuals.
The place for transients is no longer the inn, it is the airport lounge.
Today, the inn serves the service industry.
The owner of the Landmark 1850 Inn was not interested in signing
the release form or consenting to a recorded interview. This led
to the same reaction from the bartenders and other employees at
the bar. Fortunately, after some discussion, they agreed that it
would be fine for us to interview one of the patrons. We eventually
found a patron who was comfortable with the interview and we
proceeded to have a conversation. We found CJ, a musician,
sitting by himself at the bar. He expressed his interest in the bar
because of the familiar faces he sees there and because of the
“old vibe” it gives him. Since it is located in close proximity to the
airport, one might expect that it sees its fair share of strangers.
In fact, it is primarily a local bar where many of the patrons know
each other and the employees. Recently, that has started to
change with the construction of a hotel across the street. It is
starting to see more travelers. CJ mentioned that he enjoys the
mix of patrons that the bar serves.
CJ was inebriated and was not wholly interested in sharing his
opinion on the architectural and urban implications that the bar had
on the inhabitants and the surrounding area. He was, however,
very interested in sharing stories about himself. He is a musician
that is involved and working with the lakeside small stages at
Summerfest. We think that this aspect alone speaks to the greater
story of the Landmark 1850 Inn. It is a place to share stories
and blow off steam. This is a function that parallels the original
intent of the building and in some respects, that of the airport. The
airport and the inn serve as a hub for busy and often stressed
travelers. To respond to this, the airport has its bars and lounges
and the Inn had its bar. These places allow travelers to relax and
share their stories. Although CJ was not a traveler, the urge to
share his own personal stories was that of one.
Summary
Our research to this point has drawn forth a fascinating parallel
between the Landmark 1850 Inn and the nearby airport. In
some respects, they serve the same purpose and respond to
the same needs, just the scale has changed tremendously. The
inn originally served as a stage coach stop in the late nineteenth
century. Travelers would stop at the inn to purchase stage coach
tickets to cities and towns to the south of Milwaukee. It was a
hub that received and catered to travelers to and from Milwaukee.
The connective scale of the inn was not very large because it was
limited to the means of travel at the time.
The airport on the other hand has a massive scale of connectivity.
It is an international airport that connects to over 35 cities nonstop
and just about anywhere in the world from there. Although
the scale is vastly different, the general purpose of the airport is
exactly the same as that of the inn. It curates travel; it caters to
transients. These hubs of travelers generate certain demands that
haven’t changed. Travelers have the desire to share their stories,
they have planes or stage coaches to wait for and they have the
need to relax. The obvious response to this demand is a bar. The
airport has a slew of bars and lounges that are bustling and the inn
itself had a bar to serve its own weary travelers.
The mapping assignment was an attempt to visually manifest
the massive scale shift between the airport and the old stage
coach stop. The inn, as it sits today, is surrounded by large scale
airport services, namely large hotels, rental car lots, and shipping
facilities. Each one of these dwarfs the inn in size and function.
As the scale of overall connectivity and demand has increased, so
has the physical scale of the service and served spaces. The inn
has been relegated to a sea of airport service spaces. Because
of this, the patrons, as we learn in the interviews, are not often
today’s travelers from the airport but are primarily local, working
class individuals.
The place for transients is no longer the inn, it is the airport lounge.
Today, the inn serves the service industry.
Project 4
This area of South Milwaukee has been welcoming transients
since well before the construction of the airport in 1920. Most
recently repurposed as a local tavern, The Landmark 1850 Inn
originally served as a stop for stagecoaches arriving to and
departing from Milwaukee in the mid to late 19th century. Today,
it sits along a stretch of road that is home to various other bars
and restaurants capitalizing on the airport traffic. The building
itself is constructed in traditional “Cream City” brick and is
located abnormally close to the street. Its most unique feature
is the long, arched, draping lintels over the windows. The Inn
stand out in contrast to the neighboring Airport Lounge and
other buildings in the immediate context which appear to be late
20th century developments in response to the popularization of
the airport.
The current owner appears to have a relentless itch for collecting
history. The exterior signage makes every attempt to inform the
visitor about the past and the interior is composed of furniture
and decoration that likely dates back to the 19th and early 20th
century. The original entrance has been converted into a beer
garden patio, enclosed by a stout brick wall attached to the south
of the building and a cast iron fence that runs the perimeter. The
visitor is asked to enter through the south side of the building,
where a threshold takes them alongside the main supports of
the building and into the dining space. The bar is especially
elongated and spans the north wall completely, welcoming the
visitor to explore towards the back. The back area narrows and
the bottom two thirds of an elaborate staircase is visible cutting
back towards the front of the building.
The furniture and decoration is unique, but it is difficult to tell if
any of it is truly original to the building. The first impression of
the place feels like a step back in time. A closer inspection of
the décor makes it less clear as to where in time that step leads.
Regardless of this lack of historical consistency, most items
are unique and warrant a lengthy discussion with the owner.
The feeling that everything in the building has its own individual
story to tell is potent. Certain construction details appear to
be consistent with the original building. These include, most
notably, the stairway, the front door (used to access the beer
garden), and a gated security window that separates two
interior spaces of the building.
The current barkeep and clientele are friendly and local. One
bartender claims that the Inn has the longest running liquor
license in the state of Wisconsin. True or not, this building
further implies that perhaps the best response to the stresses
of travel, be it by plane or by stagecoach, is an ice cold beer.
Scale Shift
General Mitchell International Airport was constructed in 1926 and, since its construction, has dominated the landscape in this area of South Milwaukee. The airport makes its presence known at every scale and every type of analysis for nearby buildings, including the Landmark 1850 Inn.
The most obvious impact the airport has on the urban fabric is development. The Landmark 1850 Inn, constructed in 1850 is one of two buildings that were constructed in this area before the airport that still stand today. They both serve, in some capacity, as a tavern, which likely helped sustain their existence during the urban transformation that followed the airport’s construction. The remaining properties were developed in response to the construction of the airport. Interestingly, they were developed in correlation to population boom times for Milwaukee. Most notably, Milwaukee experienced a population increase between 1950 and 1960 when many of the post airport developments occurred.
Because most of these developments serve the airport the automobile is the dominant means of circulation. In our hierarchy map, we call attention to the vast expanse of parking which makes up the majority of the land use in this area both at the urban scale and neighborhood scale.
Although many of the properties are owned by LLCs, there is a group of properties owned by private owners. One private owner in particular owns the Landmark 1850 Inn property as well as the two neighboring properties to the south (one of which is the other tavern constructed before the airport) and two residential properties across Howell. In a sea of airport services, this person, Joseph G. Halser III, has found a way to maintain his collection of old buildings.
The Landmark Inn is situated just south of a major runway that stretches across Howell Avenue. Not surprisingly, this runway is the main sound producer in the area. When an aircraft is not talking off or landing, the constant noise of traffic from Howell Avenue takes over. One pleasant respite from the mechanical deluge on your ears, is the surprising number of birds finding refuge in just three trees spotting the parking lot.
At a less obvious experiential level, nighttime lighting, the airport still makes its presence known. There is a brightly lit tunnel that passes under the runway. This tunnel accounts for the majority of the nighttime lighting experienced at the urban scale. The remaining parking lots and streets are gently washed in warm, dim sodium gas lighting. The overall experience is relatively dark for an urban setting. This is no doubt purposefully done to improve the safety of nighttime arrivals and departures from the airport.
At the building scale, the Landmark Inn’s solid, thick masonry construction begins to shut out the airport and the surrounding airport services. It successfully reduces the noise levels from the airport and nearby traffic to lower frequency hums. The lighting is still warm and dim, but more consistent and inviting than the sparse lighting outside. This reduction in sensory overload creates a warm feeling of escape from the stresses of traveling. Perhaps this is precisely the feeling that weary travelers from the late 19th century were seeking. While the services and means of travel change, the need for a warm escape from it all stays the same.
Conclusion
Our research to this point has drawn forth a fascinating parallel between the Landmark 1850 Inn and the nearby airport. In some respects, they serve the same purpose and respond to the same needs, just the scale has changed tremendously. The inn originally served as a stage coach stop in the late nineteenth century. Travelers would stop at the inn to purchase stage coach tickets to cities and towns in the surrounding area of south Milwaukee. The stage coach stop likely connected remote outposts in the area to the larger rail network that was increasingly popular and effective in the ninteenth century. It was a hub that received and catered to travelers to and from Milwaukee. The connective and social scale of the inn was not very large because it was limited to the means of travel at the time.
The airport on the other hand has a massive scale of connectivity. It is an international airport that connects to over 35 cities non-stop and just about anywhere in the world from there. Although the scale is vastly different, the general purpose of the airport is exactly the same as that of the inn. It curates travel; it caters to transients. These travel hubs generate certain demands that haven’t changed since people strated traveling. Travelers have the desire to share their stories, they have planes or stage coaches to wait for and they have the need to relax. The obvious response to this demand is to provide food and alcohol. The airport itself has a slew of bars and lounges that are constantly bustling just as the inn had a bar to serve its own weary travelers.
The mapping assignment was an attempt to visually manifest the massive scale shift between the airport and the old stage coach stop. The inn, as it sits today, is surrounded by large scale airport services, namely large hotels, rental car lots, and shipping facilities. Each one of these dwarfs the inn in size and function. As the scale of overall connectivity and demand has increased, so has the physical scale of the service and served spaces. The inn has been relegated to a sea of airport service spaces. Because of this, the patrons, as we learn in the interviews, are not often today’s travelers from the airport but are primarily local, working class individuals.
This observation speaks to one of the larger consequences of massive scale shift. The inn, as a stage coach stop in the late ninetenth century and as a working class bar today, is on a scale which compliments and cultivates social connectivity. The bartenders know many of the patrons on a personal level. This is only possible due to the smaller scale. Because the stage coach stop serviced smaller scale local towns and outposts, it is likely that the sense of community is original to the inn’s character.
This social fabric is completely lost when the scale is shifted to the size of the modern airport. The airport and its many services is comprised of strangers. The social connectivity is weak. Perhaps this is why airports are considered to be non-places.
since well before the construction of the airport in 1920. Most
recently repurposed as a local tavern, The Landmark 1850 Inn
originally served as a stop for stagecoaches arriving to and
departing from Milwaukee in the mid to late 19th century. Today,
it sits along a stretch of road that is home to various other bars
and restaurants capitalizing on the airport traffic. The building
itself is constructed in traditional “Cream City” brick and is
located abnormally close to the street. Its most unique feature
is the long, arched, draping lintels over the windows. The Inn
stand out in contrast to the neighboring Airport Lounge and
other buildings in the immediate context which appear to be late
20th century developments in response to the popularization of
the airport.
The current owner appears to have a relentless itch for collecting
history. The exterior signage makes every attempt to inform the
visitor about the past and the interior is composed of furniture
and decoration that likely dates back to the 19th and early 20th
century. The original entrance has been converted into a beer
garden patio, enclosed by a stout brick wall attached to the south
of the building and a cast iron fence that runs the perimeter. The
visitor is asked to enter through the south side of the building,
where a threshold takes them alongside the main supports of
the building and into the dining space. The bar is especially
elongated and spans the north wall completely, welcoming the
visitor to explore towards the back. The back area narrows and
the bottom two thirds of an elaborate staircase is visible cutting
back towards the front of the building.
The furniture and decoration is unique, but it is difficult to tell if
any of it is truly original to the building. The first impression of
the place feels like a step back in time. A closer inspection of
the décor makes it less clear as to where in time that step leads.
Regardless of this lack of historical consistency, most items
are unique and warrant a lengthy discussion with the owner.
The feeling that everything in the building has its own individual
story to tell is potent. Certain construction details appear to
be consistent with the original building. These include, most
notably, the stairway, the front door (used to access the beer
garden), and a gated security window that separates two
interior spaces of the building.
The current barkeep and clientele are friendly and local. One
bartender claims that the Inn has the longest running liquor
license in the state of Wisconsin. True or not, this building
further implies that perhaps the best response to the stresses
of travel, be it by plane or by stagecoach, is an ice cold beer.
Scale Shift
General Mitchell International Airport was constructed in 1926 and, since its construction, has dominated the landscape in this area of South Milwaukee. The airport makes its presence known at every scale and every type of analysis for nearby buildings, including the Landmark 1850 Inn.
The most obvious impact the airport has on the urban fabric is development. The Landmark 1850 Inn, constructed in 1850 is one of two buildings that were constructed in this area before the airport that still stand today. They both serve, in some capacity, as a tavern, which likely helped sustain their existence during the urban transformation that followed the airport’s construction. The remaining properties were developed in response to the construction of the airport. Interestingly, they were developed in correlation to population boom times for Milwaukee. Most notably, Milwaukee experienced a population increase between 1950 and 1960 when many of the post airport developments occurred.
Because most of these developments serve the airport the automobile is the dominant means of circulation. In our hierarchy map, we call attention to the vast expanse of parking which makes up the majority of the land use in this area both at the urban scale and neighborhood scale.
Although many of the properties are owned by LLCs, there is a group of properties owned by private owners. One private owner in particular owns the Landmark 1850 Inn property as well as the two neighboring properties to the south (one of which is the other tavern constructed before the airport) and two residential properties across Howell. In a sea of airport services, this person, Joseph G. Halser III, has found a way to maintain his collection of old buildings.
The Landmark Inn is situated just south of a major runway that stretches across Howell Avenue. Not surprisingly, this runway is the main sound producer in the area. When an aircraft is not talking off or landing, the constant noise of traffic from Howell Avenue takes over. One pleasant respite from the mechanical deluge on your ears, is the surprising number of birds finding refuge in just three trees spotting the parking lot.
At a less obvious experiential level, nighttime lighting, the airport still makes its presence known. There is a brightly lit tunnel that passes under the runway. This tunnel accounts for the majority of the nighttime lighting experienced at the urban scale. The remaining parking lots and streets are gently washed in warm, dim sodium gas lighting. The overall experience is relatively dark for an urban setting. This is no doubt purposefully done to improve the safety of nighttime arrivals and departures from the airport.
At the building scale, the Landmark Inn’s solid, thick masonry construction begins to shut out the airport and the surrounding airport services. It successfully reduces the noise levels from the airport and nearby traffic to lower frequency hums. The lighting is still warm and dim, but more consistent and inviting than the sparse lighting outside. This reduction in sensory overload creates a warm feeling of escape from the stresses of traveling. Perhaps this is precisely the feeling that weary travelers from the late 19th century were seeking. While the services and means of travel change, the need for a warm escape from it all stays the same.
Conclusion
Our research to this point has drawn forth a fascinating parallel between the Landmark 1850 Inn and the nearby airport. In some respects, they serve the same purpose and respond to the same needs, just the scale has changed tremendously. The inn originally served as a stage coach stop in the late nineteenth century. Travelers would stop at the inn to purchase stage coach tickets to cities and towns in the surrounding area of south Milwaukee. The stage coach stop likely connected remote outposts in the area to the larger rail network that was increasingly popular and effective in the ninteenth century. It was a hub that received and catered to travelers to and from Milwaukee. The connective and social scale of the inn was not very large because it was limited to the means of travel at the time.
The airport on the other hand has a massive scale of connectivity. It is an international airport that connects to over 35 cities non-stop and just about anywhere in the world from there. Although the scale is vastly different, the general purpose of the airport is exactly the same as that of the inn. It curates travel; it caters to transients. These travel hubs generate certain demands that haven’t changed since people strated traveling. Travelers have the desire to share their stories, they have planes or stage coaches to wait for and they have the need to relax. The obvious response to this demand is to provide food and alcohol. The airport itself has a slew of bars and lounges that are constantly bustling just as the inn had a bar to serve its own weary travelers.
The mapping assignment was an attempt to visually manifest the massive scale shift between the airport and the old stage coach stop. The inn, as it sits today, is surrounded by large scale airport services, namely large hotels, rental car lots, and shipping facilities. Each one of these dwarfs the inn in size and function. As the scale of overall connectivity and demand has increased, so has the physical scale of the service and served spaces. The inn has been relegated to a sea of airport service spaces. Because of this, the patrons, as we learn in the interviews, are not often today’s travelers from the airport but are primarily local, working class individuals.
This observation speaks to one of the larger consequences of massive scale shift. The inn, as a stage coach stop in the late ninetenth century and as a working class bar today, is on a scale which compliments and cultivates social connectivity. The bartenders know many of the patrons on a personal level. This is only possible due to the smaller scale. Because the stage coach stop serviced smaller scale local towns and outposts, it is likely that the sense of community is original to the inn’s character.
This social fabric is completely lost when the scale is shifted to the size of the modern airport. The airport and its many services is comprised of strangers. The social connectivity is weak. Perhaps this is why airports are considered to be non-places.