Saturday, May 2, 10 am to 4 pm
Explore nine houses on Milwaukee's Upper East Side!
Join Historic Milwaukee for Spaces & Traces, a unique opportunity to explore beautiful homes in Milwaukee’s Upper East Side. Guided by knowledgeable docents, this year’s tours will highlight residences representing a range of architectural styles, including Mediterranean Revival, Tudor Revival, Craftsman, and more.
These stunning homes showcase the rich architectural character of one of Milwaukee’s most historic neighborhoods while offering inspiring examples of how today’s homeowners are thoughtfully preserving and bringing new life to these historic spaces.
What's Included:
Tour ticket purchase includes access to the 9 houses and allows the ticket holder to attend the lecture by historian Brian Fette.
List of tour locations will be available to ticket holders on April 3rd, 2026.
You can begin your tour at any of the tour locations and create your own route. Present this email on your phone or printed from Historic Milwaukee at the first location you visit. You will receive a wrist band to show at all other locations. Shuttle transportation is not provided.
The tour is recommended for ages 12 and up. Tickets are non-refundable.
Tickets available online:
$30 | Historic Milwaukee Members
$40 | Non-Members
Event HQ & Lecture Location
Plymouth Church UCC, 2717 E. Hampshire St., Milwaukee, WI 53211
For questions & restrooms from 10 am to 4 pm.
Lecture: If You Build It - Will They Come?: The Slow Rise of the Prospect Hill Neighborhood
Join local historian Brian Fette at 2 pm on tour day for a lecture about the development of Prospect Hill.
Prospect Hill, a very desirable neighborhood today, bounded by N. Downer Ave. and Lake Drive and running from Kenwood Blvd to E. Park Place, struggled to sell its lots, even within a 35 year span! Meet a cast of characters, including one of America’s wealthiest billionaires, who had a stake in its ownership. Discover many amusing obstacles, including a plague of thistles, to growing a Subdivision and meet those men whose names have today become well known streets.
Call for Volunteers
Historic Milwaukee is seeking 120 volunteers to help guide visitors during the 44th annual Spaces & Traces tour on Milwaukee's Upper East Side.
Volunteers are assigned to a home and given a script to help share the history and stories of the featured properties.
Shifts: 9:45 am - 1:00 pm, 12:45 pm -4 pm
Benefits: Volunteers have the option of purchasing tickets to tour for 50% off.