"The Eagles Club headquarters is a monumental five-story structure designed by local architect Russell Barr Williamson and completed in 1927. It occupies nearly a quarter block at the southwest corner of the 24th Street and Wisconsin Avenue. Inspired by the Mediterranean Revival that was so popular in the 1920s, the facade features a series of rich decorative elements played against the starkness of the plain stone wall surface. A central projecting pavilion contains three rectangular entrances which are surmounted by three arched windows that rise for two stories...
The clubhouse is planned for multiple functions. There is a 75' x 50' swimming pool, a two-story gym, bowling alleys, lounge and restaurant. The athletic facilities were designed to meet the standards of the Amateur Athletic Union. The building's crowning glory, however, remains the top floor oval ballroom measuring 200'x 130'. It was built with a stage 50' wide by 48' deep and 80' high, large enough to accommodate any New York Theater Group...
The Eagles organization was founded on February 6, 1898, in Seattle by six men who wanted to establish "an order of good things" and to help the underpriveleged. The original name, Order of Goodfellows, was changed in 1899 to the Eagles. Local chapters are called Aeries. The Milwaukee Aerie #137 was organized in 1901 by a group of theater men. Most of the 58 charter members were actors, managers, and other men connected with the stage. The first president was Bart Rudells, press agent for the Bijou Theatre. Meetings were often held after 11:00 p.m. when theatres closed and employees were off work. Early meetings featured vaudeville acts to attract new members. Membership grew quickly and it was not unusual for several hundred men to be initiated to each meeting. When their original headquarters on 2nd Street between Michigan and Wisconsin burned, the Eagles temporarily moved to 6th Street between Michigan and Wisconsin while they looked for a permanent site. In 1924 the Eagles bought the Franz Wollager residence at the southwest corner of 24th and West Wisconsin Avenue at a cost of $100,000. Wollaeger had been an officer of the Pritzlaff Hardware Company. The site was said to be the best of 30 inspected. The original plan called for the handsome 16 room mansion to be used for administrative purposes while a $500,000 clubhouse was to be built elsewhere on the 150' x 374' tract. Unfortunately, this did not happen. Instead, the residence was replaced with a new structure constructed at the staggering cost of $1,250,000. Excavation began April 16, 1925, the cornerstone was laid on July 29, 1926, and dedication made April 26, 1927. At least 25,000 visitors toured the opulent building when it opened. The architect was Russell Barr Williamson and the general contractor was Immel Construction of Fond du Lac and Milwaukee. The U.F. Durner Company was responsible for the mosiac eagle in the entrance lobby. By 1941 Milwaukee's Aerie was the largest in the country with 9200 members in the city and some 29,000 throughout Wisconsin. It was followed in rank by the founder city Seattle, which had approximately 8800 members. By 1948, Milwaukee's membership had grown to 16,000. By 1955, this building housed the national headquarters. The ballroom was dubbed Devine's Million Dollar Ballroom after being leased to George J. Devine in 1939. Devine had prior experience managing the Wisconsin Roof Garden, a ballroom atop the Carpenter Building at the northeast corner of 6th Street and West Wisconsin from 1926 to 1929. Devine continued in this capacity at the Eagles unitl 1962-63 when his son Robert T. Devine took over operations. Beg band dancing had been a favorite through the 1950s after which it declined in popularity. Entertainment oriented from the start, the club sponsored its first big rock concert in 1964 with the appearance of the Dave Clark Five. Other celebrities such as Bob Hope, Red Skelton, and Dinah Shore have performed in the ballroom as well. In 1983, the ballroom hosted local rock groups, periodic big band concerts, and basketball games.
The Milwaukee airie of the Fraternal Order of Eagles has been cited as one of the finest in the United States. When the current clubhouse was finished in 1925, it was the largest in the country and had a membership second only to Seattle. This prompted the National Headquarters to move here in 1955. For thirty-four years (1934-68) Devine's Million Dollar Ballroom entertained hundreds of Milwaukeeans with the nation's top Big Bands." - National Register Nomination
The building is now used as a concert facility with six different venues within with the capability of hosting multiple concerts concurrently. The building is in good condition with multiple event held throughout the year.