Meeks, McCarthy: Milwaukee's Soldiers Home will be saved

More than five years ago, after a nomination was submitted by the Milwaukee Preservation Alliance, the National Trust for Historic Preservation announced that the Milwaukee Veterans Administration Soldiers Home Historic District had been named one of “America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.”

Built in 1867 to help wounded veterans recuperate from our nation’s bloodiest conflict, the historic Milwaukee complex is one of three original Civil War Soldiers Homes in the country.

We immediately felt the importance of this historic place, and knew, like so many other old buildings in our midst, it could still be used to provide important services to the community if given a chance. But, at the onset of our work, we were also faced with a challenging question: What will it mean to save the Soldiers Home? The answer was clear but daunting. We knew the Soldiers Home would be saved when veterans once again called Old Main home.