Support Historic Preservation
Make your donation go further — $11,000 further!
Thanks to former and current members of the Madison Trust Board of Trustees, your end-of-year donation will be doubled! Donations will be matched dollar-for-dollar for the first $11,000 raised through year-end donations.
This means your $25 is now $50, your $100 is $200!
Guests enjoying the Third Lake Ridge West tour last summer. Here they are learning about the Adolph Wagner House (1884).
Dear Friends of Historic Preservation,
The Madison Trust had another very active year of education and advocacy in 2025, thanks to our community of members and donors who made it all possible!
We hosted our most successful season of historic architecture walking tours yet with 89 tours with 1,345 guests, setting records on both counts.
Our tours are highly visible, introduce us to new audiences, and help us show how preserving Madison’s historic buildings and neighborhoods makes the city a better place to live. Guests shared overwhelmingly positive feedback in post-tour surveys:
“All the tours we have taken have expanded our knowledge of the history of this great city. We look forward to each and every one of them.”
“A remarkable tour! The docent had extraordinary passion, enthusiasm and knowledge. A delightful experience!”
“Docent is an extraordinary docent! He brings you right into the history, time, place and people of each building. Remarkable story teller. ”
“Knowing the past behind the buildings I live among is so enriching. It’s completely changed the way I think about the place I live.”
“I have gone on tours for years and never tire of it. I have learned so much about architecture and about how and why the city developed. I am proud to be a Madison Trust member.”
Our walking tours, along with our many other programs, are growing more popular every year! Thanks to the energy of our amazing volunteers and staff, and the generous support of our members and donors, we’ve seen record attendance and plenty of sold-out events. We’re thrilled by the excitement and hope to expand even more next year to meet the growing demand.
The photo at left features some of our wonderful volunteer docents. Friendly faces you may recognize from this summer’s tours! Many of them also lend their time and talent to committees, the board, and beyond. While financial support is incredibly important and keeps our lights on, it’s our volunteers who truly bring our mission to life. We couldn’t do it without them — thank you!
Volunteer docent gathering in May 2025 at Fabiola’s
In addition to our neighborhood walking tours, your support made possible many inspiring educational and community programs:
Over 140 guests helped us honor our Historic Preservation Award recipients at The Edgewater in May. Photo by Nick Wilkes Photography
Helping our community recognize that preservation means protecting all parts of Madison’s story—from working-class neighborhoods and local business districts to landmark civic buildings.
Presenting a sold-out specialty tour of the Crestwood neighborhood, developed by a cooperative housing association.
Honoring recipients of our annual Historic Preservation Awards at the historic Edgewater Hotel, recognizing exceptional preservation projects and advocates.
Celebrating members at our annual appreciation event, held at Frank Lloyd Wright’s A.D. German Warehouse in Richland Center.
Hosting a four-part Architectural Series highlighting notable Madison architects through both in-person and Zoom programs, helping us stay connected through the winter months.
There are many ongoing advocacy issues to address as Madison continues to grow and develop. We understand the importance of increased, affordable housing, improved transit and good jobs, and at the same time we want to preserve the best of the past in our community.
We focused on many issues this past year through media interviews, contacts with public officials and testimony at City of Madison public hearings. We had some wins, some losses and some mixed outcomes, including:
Benjamin and Amy Butts House, photographed by Elizabeth Miller
Nominating the Benjamin Butts house on East Gorham Street for landmark status, which was approved by the Common Council. Benjamin Butts was an early leader in Madison’s African-American community.
Opposing the demolition of two houses in the Vilas Neighborhood in the Wingra Park Historic District, to preserve the fabric of this historic neighborhood. The demolitions were not approved.
Opposing the initial proposal for a large new apartment building blocking the historic carriage house at 124 E. Gilman St. We argued for a design that would be more compatible with the adjacent historic buildings. The design was somewhat improved, so we had a mixed result in this case.
Amending proposed changes to the city’s demolition ordinances. The stated goal of the proposed changes was to streamline the process, but we were concerned that they weakened protections for historic buildings. We successfully worked with the Common Council to have an improved version adopted.
Investing in Our Shared history
Our Preservation Grant Program continued to play a vital role in 2025, distributing $10,000 in funding to support local restoration and preservation projects as well as local landmark nominations. This important program is made possible thanks to a generous donation from longtime member and preservation advocate Erica Gehrig, whose support ensures the Madison Trust can continue helping others protect our city’s architectural treasures.
These grants empower homeowners, organizations, and neighborhoods to restore and maintain architecturally significant sites. This strengthens community pride, sustaining Madison’s unique character, and ensuring our shared heritage thrives for generations to come.
In 2024, we provided grants to Grace Episcopal Church and the Daniel Campbell House at 125 E. Gilman St. Both historic properties needed significant repairs, and we were thrilled to help them! Our 2025 recipients will be announced in December.
All of us at the Madison Trust for Historic Preservation send our very best wishes to you and your family for a wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year.
Rick Chandler
President, Board of Trustees
Madison Trust for Historic Preservation
For those of you who typically renew your Madison Trust membership at this time, please send those renewals separately. Head over to our Membership page. Our end-of-year donations are designated differently than membership renewals in our accounting records.
Double your donation today!
Make your end-of-year donation by December 31 to qualify for a dollar-for-dollar match of the first $11,000 raised through donations. Together, we can ensure that our treasured historic places are celebrated for generations to come.
Contributions are tax deductible and making a contribution is easy! You can donate by mail or online via credit card, debit card or with a PayPal account.
OR DONATE BY MAIL
Make checks payable to the “Madison Trust for Historic Preservation”
Print & complete the End-of-Year Donation Form
Send the form and check to MTHP at P.O. Box 296, Madison, WI 53701
Donations must be postmarked by December 31 to be considered for the match
Thank you for supporting historic preservation in Madison!
Questions
If you have any questions regarding this campaign or about the Madison Trust, please contact our Program Director Jennifer Gurske, at info@madisonpreservation.org, (608) 441-8864, or Board of Trustees President Rick Chandler at president@madisonpreservation.org.