Look Inside History With These Important Wauwatosa Homes

The Wauwatosa Historical Society will open the doors to five private homes and the historic Wauwatosa Woman’s Club from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 17 for its 37th annual Wandering Wauwatosa Tour of Homes. This event offers guests a rare opportunity to step inside some of the community’s historic properties and discover the stories behind them. 

“This is really framed around how Milwaukee Avenue, Church Street and Wauwatosa Avenue were the heart of where Wauwatosa started and then really branched out from there,” Wauwatosa Historical Society Executive Director Amanda Saso said.

This year’s tour focuses on six stops featuring properties dating from 1860 to 1925. The five residences span years of Wauwatosa’s architectural development and demonstrate how generations of homeowners have adapted historic houses for changing times.

“This is one of my favorite ways to experience Wauwatosa history because you’re actually stepping inside the places where that history happened,” said Saso, whose own Milwaukee Avenue home is part of this year’s tour. “These homes have been standing for well over a century, but they aren’t frozen in time. They’ve been added to, adapted, restored and lived in by generations of Wauwatosa families and the tour gives us an opportunity to tell those stories, while also showing how historic homes can continue to work beautifully for the people who live in them today.”

The Historical Society has significantly reduced the cost of attending the tour, with advance tickets priced at $17, down from $35 in 2025. Day-of tickets are $20.

The change is intended to make one of the society’s signature events more accessible to members of the community and encourage residents to experience Wauwatosa history firsthand, said Sasso.

“We are trying to find where that sweet spot is as far as ticket price goes,” Saso remarked. “We want to make history accessible; our mission is to collect, preserve and share history, if I’m a setting a ticket price of $35 and $40 on the day of, that limits who can come and experience that history.”

Saso’s perspective reflects the success of last year’s tour, with around 300 people attending.

“I would love to see 500 people this year,” Saso said, adding that the success of other Historical Society events such as the Brews & Blooms Summer Beer Garden Series and the Firefly Air Fair allowed for lower ticket prices for the Tour of Homes. “We’ve already seen more ticket sales ahead of time than we did at this point last year. I think it’s going to be a success.” 

This year’s tour stops include: 

• 1608 Wauwatosa Ave. (circa 1860 Greek Revival): One of the oldest homes on this year’s tour, the property is historically associated with George W. Ringrose, an early Wauwatosa resident who operated greenhouses after moving to the community in the 1870s.
  
  

  

• 1504 Church St. (1884–85 Queen Anne): Built as the parsonage for First Congregational Church, the home housed at least nine ministers before becoming a private residence in 1951. Original features include a fireplace, built-in china cabinets, bannisters and railings.
  

  

  
  

• 7029 Milwaukee Ave. (Circa 1885 Queen Anne): The home is connected to several families who played roles in Wauwatosa and Milwaukee-area history, including Addison B. Myers, a Civil War participant, and Robert W. Baird, founder of the Milwaukee-based financial services firm that bears his name. The property’s history reflects Milwaukee Avenue’s transformation from a rural roadway into a residential corridor as Wauwatosa developed into an early streetcar suburb.
  
  

  

• 7006 Milwaukee Ave. (1887 Eastlake-style Queen Anne): Built for Edwin R. Godfrey Jr. and Florence Swan Godfrey, this Victorian home features a wraparound porch, fish-scale shingles, original doors with beveled glass, maple floors, pocket doors and a distinctive Eastlake staircase.
  
  

  

• 1621 Church St. (1914 Colonial Revival): Constructed for August C.O. Peter and his wife, Daisy, the home reflects Peter’s passion for gardening. A founder of the Milwaukee Rose Society, Peter was instrumental in the creation of Boerner Botanical Gardens, and several trees associated with his gardens remain on the property today.
  
  

  

  
  
  
• Wauwatosa Woman’s Club, 1626 N. Wauwatosa Ave. (1925, Georgian Revival): The historic clubhouse will serve as tour headquarters and will be open for guests to explore, including the Pioneer Museum. Home to a largely original kitchen and second-floor ballroom with its barrel-vaulted ceiling, original maple floor and raised stage.