History-Loving Buyer Is Smitten With Wisconsin’s $1.5M Jenkins Austin Day Mansion

A home originally built in 1874 for a prominent doctor just hit the market days ago for $1,495,000 and already has a buyer.

The house is in the Milwaukee suburb of Wauwatosa, WI, and is pending a sale, according to Realtor.com®.

This 3,525-square-foot, three-bedroom, three-bath property sits on just over an acre and is known as the Jenkins Austin Day Mansion.

Despite being the town’s most expensive single-family home by a long shot—second only to a five-bedroom, four-bath home for $849,900—the 19th-century estate still hooked a buyer within a few days.

“We were hoping to get somebody who likes history to keep it this way,” says listing agent Donna Duesing, of Duesing Realty. “The most important part for the family is to make sure the history stayed intact. They are just thrilled.

Home with history

The stately Victorian was built for Fisk Holbrook Day, who arrived from New York and purchased the property for $425.

“He was the only doctor in town,” Duesing says.

He also built a cottage for his parents on the property.

The home is on the National Register of Historic Places. It features moldings, pocket doors, high ceilings, original oak and walnut flooring, and a grand staircase. The dwelling features locally sourced Cream City brick on the exterior, which past owners restored.

The primary suite is pure luxury, with its walk-in closet, double sinks, and soaking tub.

‘Literally in shambles’

The previous owners stewarded the home for 26 years and are largely responsible for its current impeccable state.

“They were the ones who brought it back to life,” Duesing says. “It was literally in shambles.”

They sold it to the current owners for $425,000 in 1997.

The restoration took two years and included a replica of the original front porch. The property boasts two covered porches and three patios.

An attached garage, a “glassway” three-season room, and front and back patios were added by the current owners.

“They tirelessly worked with the design crew, the architect, and the historical society to get (the glassway) right,” Duesing says.

The famed performer Liberace, a Wisconsin native, is reported to have had his eye on the property in the 1970s.

“He wanted to turn it into a museum, but the community fought against him,” Duesing says.

Although the home is move-in ready and thoughtfully preserved, “you can finish the attic if you want—it’s incredible,” she adds.

Along with the historical pedigree, the property’s garage and lot size are other selling points.

“There’s no bigger lot in ‘Tosa than this,” says Duesing, referring to the town by its nickname. It feels like an estate. Every single window you look out is greenery.”

The area is especially appealing for its walkability to the nearby village and 55-acre Menomonee River Parkway.

“This is my 11th year in real estate and I think about eight years ago, ‘Tosa started to get really hot, and it’s been going [strong] ever since,” Duesing says.

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