Mitchell Building

Mitchell Building

Company type	Office building
Industry	Banking and insurance offices
Founded	1876
Headquarters	Milwaukee , United States
Products	Office space for banking and insurance firms

The Mitchell Building is a five-level structure serving as offices for banking and insurance, designed by E. Townsend Mix in the Second Empire architectural style. Constructed in 1876, it is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

History

Alexander Mitchell, originally from Scotland and having immigrated to the United States in 1839, had become a leading figure in business by 1876. He held leadership roles as president of the Wisconsin Marine and Fire Insurance Company Bank, the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, and the Northwestern National Insurance Company, while also serving as a U.S. Representative for Wisconsin's 4th District. During this period, he commissioned the construction of the Mitchell Building to accommodate his banking and insurance operations. This edifice replaced his former Marine Bank location and is thought to stand on the site where Solomon Juneau, Milwaukee’s founder, once lived.

Mitchell selected Milwaukee architect E. Townsend Mix to create a five-story rectangular building distinguished by gray Minnesota granite on its ground floor and limestone above. The design includes detailed cornices, decorative window hoods, an intricate mansard roof, and a prominent central tower. John Roberts was responsible for masonry work during construction, while interior frescoes were crafted by Francis A. Lydston. Originally, the interior showcased marble flooring, wainscoting, and refined staircases; however, many elements have been modified through subsequent renovations.

Finished in 1878, the building served as headquarters for Mitchell’s banking and insurance firms; the bank operated there until 1930. Next door stands the Mackie Building—also commissioned by Mitchell and designed by Mix—constructed beginning in 1879 and similarly recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

Today, the Mitchell Building’s façade remains remarkably preserved, representing a prime example of Second Empire architecture within Milwaukee.