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Cabins, homes, military compounds, and outhouses, oh my! The oldest buildings in Wisconsin date back to the 1700s and run the entire utility gamut.

Wisconsin officially became a U.S. state in 1848, but many of its oldest buildings actually predate its statehood. This goes for many states in the Midwest, the South, and New England, as these were the first areas that Europeans settled on before moving westward. Naturally, this means that Wisconsin and other Eastern states have some of the oldest buildings in the nation, often dating back to the mid-to-late 1700s and early 1800s, while the oldest structures in Western states like Nevada only date back to the mid-nineteenth century and later. 

With Wisc. possessing so much rich history, we knew we had to take a closer look at which buildings across the Badger State have stood the test of time and are still standing nearly two centuries later, in some cases. For instance, one of the most interesting buildings in the state is the St. Joan of Arc Chapel; however, this building was erected in France circa the fifteenth century and didn’t cross the Atlantic to reach New York and later Marquette University in Wisconsin until the 1900s. While it’s certainly a sight to behold, we’ve excluded it from our actual list since it wasn’t originally built in Wisconsin, but if you can go see it in person, we recommend it. It’s the oldest building in the state, and it’s both gorgeous and carries such a storied past. 

With that established, let’s look at 10 of the oldest buildings in Wisconsin, from cabins and hotels to military buildings and even an outhouse (yes, you read that right).

1. Roi-Porlier-Tank Cottage (c. 1776)
Address: 2640 South Webster Ave, Green Bay, WI 54301

The Roi-Porlier-Tank Cottage is the Badger State’s oldest still-standing building, enduring in Wisconsin since the mid-1770s (aka prime Revolutionary War time). It hasn’t always occupied the same space, however..Read More

There’s nothing else like this architect-designed octagonal home, which dates from 1972 and is on the market for the second time ever.

The three-bedroom home is located just north of Milwaukee and was designed by local architect James G. Plunkett for his family. It’s said to be inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright and features a vast open-plan great room housing the living room, kitchen, and dining room. This space has soaring 20-foot-high ceilings with an oculus skylight, timber beams, and a huge brick fireplace.

The seller bought the 4,440 sq ft River Hills home in 2021 and has updated it to keep with its 1970s design. The kitchen has new porcelain counters, an infinity-edge island contrasting the exposed brick walls, and all new appliances. New bookcases have been installed, and the entire space is ringed by windows and sliding glass doors that offer views of the woodland.

Holly Swezey and Aly Swezey of Coldwell Banker Realty/B Real Co Team hold the listing for the Wisconsin property, with an asking price of $1.777m.. See More Photos Here

Frank Lloyd Wright often gets all the credit for being an architect with Wisconsin ties.

But that’s only because he’s the most famous architect from Wisconsin. Wright (1867-1959) was very prolific, designing more than 1,000 structures — of which 449 were realized, according to the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation. In Wisconsin, they include several public sites you can visit, including Taliesin, Monona Terrace, Burnham Block, Wingspread, SC Johnson, and the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church.

However, plenty of other architects were born in Wisconsin and designed projects within the state. For example, Erhard Brielmaier designed more churches and hospitals than any other architect, and dreamy Mediterranean-inspired estates designed by David Adler appear to be plucked out of Europe. Alexander C. Eschweiler’s innovation stretched from a Japanese pagoda-style gas station to a mansion built for Allis-Chalmers’ first president, which is now a Milwaukee art museum. Lastly, Alex Jordan Jr.’s House on the Rock has become one of Wisconsin’s top tourist attractions. 

Thanks to preservation advocates, you can see these architects’ works across Wisconsin.

Erhard Brielmaier (1841-1917)
This emigrant from Germany has an esteemed label: He’s designed more churches and hospitals than any other architect. Notably, he designed the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Erhard Brielmaier moved to Milwaukee with his wife and 13 children in 1873, getting his feet wet by working as a carpenter and sculptor. He also built quite a few altars. Creating an architectural firm with three of his sons, the team designed more than 1,000 Catholic churches across the country, as well as in Canada.

His most well-known project in Wisconsin is the Basilica of St. Josaphat on Milwaukee’s South Side, which was modeled after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Italy.

For another church project, he designed a Gothic-style chapel for the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi in St. Francis, Wis.. Read More and See Photos Here