Waukesha Unlocked, a hit in 2021, returns for second historic tour of places and businesses
WAUKESHA - The city will again unlock access to a variety of historical, public and private places for a second year of a program that proved widely popular in 2021.
Waukesha Unlocked, initially part of the city's 125th anniversary events, will include a few places from last year, including the Andrew Frame House on Grand Avenue and the Ethnos360 Bible Institute (originally the Resthaven resort hotel) off Arcadian Avenue, both stops that drew large crowds because of their place in the city's history.
But the 62-piece event, set for Oct. 8-9, also includes new destinations — in some cases, brand-new and fresh-off-construction projects, such as the Waukesha Water Utility's Lake Michigan system pumping station on Broadway east of Les Paul Parkway. Each site mostly involves tours and presentations, though some are activity oriented.
Before, during and after last year's inaugural version, the city began hearing from other prospective participants interested in any future Unlocked events.
"We had quite a few businesses, properties and organizations that were interested in participating (in 2021) past the deadline," said Mary Berg, the city's recreation services manager in the parks department. "They also saw the success of last year and wanted to participate. Last year, it really showcased (the city), so why not offer it again?"
"And we had so many requests from the community to provide it again," Berg added, noting that people simply didn't have enough time to see all the sites they wanted during the two days last year.
Nearly half of the participants are new compared to last year's equally long list, according to her review of the 2022 list.
The list is long — too long to get into any level of detail in one article. But here are some of the highlights. For more information, visit bit.ly/WaukeshaUnlocked2022 and click on the individual links for sites that interest you.
Something old, something new
Aside from historic sites and schools, each category contains a mix of modern places and old standbys, each with a story to share.
Among local businesses (including nonprofits), the contrast is evident with the Waukesha Civic Theatre, housed in the old Pix Theater, and Ascension Wisconsin Hospital, which opened its Waukesha site in 2021.
The theater, 262 W. Main St., also offers something new: the in-progress renovations of what was previously the site of the Little Swiss Clock Shop next door. Tours, offered every half-hour from 10 a.m. to noon both days, will present both aspects.
Ascension Wisconsin's micro hospital, 2325 Fox Run Blvd., will offer also offer tours both days, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. It will showcase the "neighborhood hospital concept," which Ascension said "has emerged as a growing trend."
Popular spots return for second year
While attendance figures per site were not formally tracked, many among the returnees from 2021 experienced enough crowds to prompt a second run in 2022.
The Andrew Frame House, 507 N. Grand Ave., built for Waukesha's well-known 19th-century banker and his family in 1880, was packed at times as curious residents milled around the historic Italianate building. Karen Frame McDonald, Andrew's great-great granddaughter, presented the history of the house and explained how it ended up back in the family's ownership in recent years.
History buffs will be able to tour the house both days from noon to 4 p.m.
Ethnos360 Bible Institute, 915 N. Hartwell Ave., didn't feel so crowded in 2021, but only because the facility is immense — naturally, since it originally was a luxury hotel that opened at the tail-end of Waukesha's Springs Era more than a century ago.
Tours will again be offered every half-hour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 8. Tour leaders will use photos to aid in their description of the original hotel and its later uses before it became a Bible school.
Prairie Home Cemetery, 605 S. Prairie Ave., will again take participants on wagon rides around the historic burial site, which dates back to at least 1849.
Tours will take place from noon to 4 p.m. both days, with representatives of The Friends of Prairie Home Cemetery dressed in period attire while presenting information about its history.
New stops make up half the list
Again, the overall list is substantial, and so is the list of 29 places and activities that weren't on the schedule in 2021.
Berg said organizers have worked to enhance the website to make it easier to navigate, and also to help people literally navigate to the sites. (The website includes a map overview to help in that respect.)
Some events require preregistration, which closes Oct. 5, so click through the links for complete information on sites of personal interest.
Here's the full list of places and activities, with those new in 2022 marked with an asterisk.
Businesses: AllWriters Workplace and Workshop*, Ascension Wisconsin Hospital*, Bell Ambulance*, Chef Pam's Kitchen, The Clarke Hotel and Five Points Pub*, Club 400*, Divino Gelato Cafe*, Humane Animal Welfare Society*, Orange Hat Publishing, Raised Grain Brewery, Sew Much More, Thrive Architects*, Waukesha Civic Theatre, Waukesha Floral and Greenhouse* and Waukesha Radio*.
Industrial: Aries Industries, Burris Logistics*, Eaton Corp., First Student, Husco International*, Hydro-Thermal Corp.*, Innio Waukesha Gas Engines, Metal-Era*, Metaltek International, Modern Ink Signs and Graphics*, Nev's Ink*, Prolec-GE Waukesha* and Urethane Systems Plus*.
Churches: First Congregational United Church, First United Methodist Church, Grace Lutheran Church, Living Word Lutheran Church*, Salem United Methodist Church*, St. Joseph Catholic Church*, St. Matthias Episcopal Church and Waukesha City Church*.
Historic sites: Andrew Frame House, Bethesda Park*, Hillcrest Park*, Prairie Home Cemetery and Waukesha County Society and Museum.
Schools: Carroll University, Catholic Memorial High School*, Ethnos360 Bible Institute and Waukesha County Technical College dental programs*.
Modern public places: Waukesha City Hall, Waukesha Clean Water Plant, Waukesha Fire Station 1, Waukesha Police Station (recently renovated), Waukesha Water Utility lake water pumping station*, Waukesha Metro and Waukesha Public Library.
Organizations: La Casa de Esperanza (school and community center), Waukesha Farmers Market, Waukesha Masonic Lodge and Waukesha YMCA.
Activities: City walking tour, E.B. Shurts tree walk, public art walking tour, springs historic bus tour*, walking history tour and watercolor crayon drawing.
Contact Jim Riccioli at (262) 446-6635 or james.riccioli@jrn.com. Follow him on Twitter at @jariccioli.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Waukesha Unlocked returns for second year of history-oriented tours
