Saint Vincent's Infant Asylum, Gothic Revival orphanage in Milwaukee, US.
This is a three-story brick building with a mansard roof featuring gables and dormers, sitting on a limestone foundation on West Greenfield Avenue. The structure displays the architectural details typical of buildings from the 1800s designed for institutional use.
The Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul founded the institution in 1877, initially caring for nine infants in a rented house. The permanent building was later constructed to meet the growing demand for child care services as the city expanded.
The institution was created to serve children of Milwaukee's immigrant families who lacked family networks to help care for them. Today it reflects how essential child care was for working families trying to build their lives in the city.
The building now serves as an early education and care center, remaining an active part of the community. Visitors should know the site is currently in use as a childcare facility.
The institution ran an unusual dual program that supported not only children but also mothers without family support networks. This combined focus on both mothers and children was rare for facilities of that era.
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