Historic Architecture Walking Tours
May 29 - September 27, 2024
Tickets open for madison trust members May 1
General public tickets open May 15
*Walking Tour Updates*
Tickets must be purchased online. Reservations are required for all guests as we have limited space on each tour.
Members: starting this season, your tickets are $5 to reserve a place on a tour.
NEW TOUR DATES: Because we had so many tours sell out last year, we added Thursday evenings in September. These tours will start at 5:00 p.m.
Weather: We will be there rain or shine! See Cancellations for exceptions.
Our tours in the news!
Read the Wisconsin State Journal article about the Madison Trust by Gayle Worland, As Madison grows at warp speed, history tours preserve link to its past
Watch Everyday Hero: Madison historical walking tours offer new perspective on city by Kathryn Larson of Spectrum News
General Tour Information
Times: Tours run May through September.
Thursday (May-August) evening tours are at 6:00 p.m.
Thursday (September) evening tours are at 5:00 p.m.
Saturday morning tours are at 10:00 a.m
Cost:
$15.00 for adults
$5.00 for students
$5.00 for Madison Trust members
Free for children 5 and under
*Purchasing tickets online is required. Reservations are required for all guests.
RESERVATIONS/TICKETS ONLINE: Under each tour description, you will see a ticket button. Click and you will be taken to the tour page where you can purchase tickets. You can use a credit card or debit card to purchase tickets.
MTHP Members: You will also need to click the ticket button. You will choose the Member Ticket option.
Please note, you will need to enter your Member ID. If you do not know your Member ID, please contact us at info@madisonpreservation.org.
Historic Milwaukee, Inc. members: Choose an Adult or Student ticket, enter the promo code and at the tour show your HMI membership card to the coordinator and tours are 50% off.
TICKET SALES END 24 hours prior to the tour start time.
Large Groups: If you have a group of 8 or more, please contact us for special arrangements prior to the tour.
Refunds: To receive a refund, you must cancel three (3) days (72 hours) prior to your tour.
Cancellations by The Madison Trust: For the safety of our guests, a tour may be cancelled for extreme weather or lightning. If possible, we will alert guests in advance by email. Purchased tickets will be refunded.
Weather: We will be there rain or shine! See Cancellations above for exceptions.
What to wear: Dress for the weather in comfortable shoes, as tours require standing and walking for up to two hours.
Bathrooms: There are no bathroom facilities on the tours.
We do private tours! See our Private Tours page for more information.
*Certified service dogs are always welcome. Other pets are not permitted on the tours.
Download Tour Calendar
Treats from our tour partners
Treats from our tour partners are back for select tours! We appreciate their participation in our tour program and hope you enjoy your stop after the tour.
Head over to Trip Advisor to give us a review!
Bascom Hill
Learning Matters
Climb the hill to discover the fascinating history and diverse architecture of the UW-Madison campus. From the stately brick and sandstone buildings dating back to the 1850s to “the worst building in the history of American universities,” the campus offers a remarkable mix of architectural styles.
*Please note that this tour involves strenuous uphill walking.
Tour Times & Tickets
Saturday, June 28, at 10 a.m.
Thursday, July 24, at 6 p.m.
Saturday, August 23, at 10 a.m.
Thursday, Sept. 18, at 5 p.m.
Meeting Location
Library Mall entrance to the Wisconsin Historical Society headquarters, 816 State St.
Length
Approximately 1.5 hours
After The Tour
Stop by any MOKA location and receive 50% off any beverage of your choice after the tour!
Greenbush Neighborhood
Spaghetti Joints, Synagogues and Urban Renewal
Mainstream Madison thought of the historic Greenbush neighborhood as spaghetti restaurants, Prohibition speakeasies and organized crime in a blighted neighborhood. Residents of the neighborhood, on the other hand, remember it as a warm home where neighbors looked out for neighbors, whether they were German, Italian, or Russian Jewish immigrants, or African Americans who came in the Great American Migration. Urban renewal efforts in the 1960s tore the heart out of the neighborhood, but many traces remain, and the descendants of the original residents keep memories alive.
*We will be using our headset system on this tour. (this is optional) Each guest will have their own listening device that fits over the ear.
Tour Times & tickets
Saturday, June 14, at 10 a.m.
Thursday, July 10, at 6 p.m.
Saturday, August 2, at 10 a.m.
Saturday, August 30, at 10 a.m.
Thursday, Sept. 25, at 5 p.m.
Meeting Location
At the corner of West Washington Avenue and South Park Street, across West Washington from the historical marker
Length
Approximately 2 hours
After The Tour
Enjoy a complimentary Prosecco on Thursdays or a drip coffee on Saturdays at Leopold’s, Fabiola’s, or the Greenbush Bar after your tour!
Mansion Hill West
Meet Movers and Shakers
Hidden among the student rentals, you’ll see where Madison’s “big bugs” settled. Time-travel with us from the 1850s to the 1940s to discover a variety of architectural styles and hear stories about the people who built our city—the Jackson, Tenney, Quisling, Mautz, Steensland, and Stevens families.
Tour Times & tickets
Saturday, June 7, at 10 a.m.
Thursday, July 3, at 6 p.m.
Saturday, August 16, at 10 a.m.
Thursday, Sept. 11, at 5 p.m.
Meeting Location
In front of the Plaza Tavern, 319 N. Henry St.
Length
Approximately 1 1/4 hours
After The Tour
Head back to the Plaza Tavern, 319 N. Henry St., and grab a refreshing, complimentary pint of beer!
Marquette Bungalows
What’s a Jerkinhead?
In just two city blocks, you’ll learn about these unique Craftsman-style bungalows that are modest yet so appealing. (And you’ll be able to identify a jerkinhead!) They weren’t designed by trained architects, but by craftsmen working for the Karrels Building Company between 1924 and 1929.
Tour Times
Thursday, June 12, at 6 p.m.
Saturday, July 12, at 10 a.m.
Thursday, August 7, at 6 p.m.
Saturday, September 6, at 10 a.m.
Meeting Location
The small parking lot behind Marquette Elementary School, approximately 1480 Spaight St.
Length
Approximately 1 hour
After the Tour
Tour treat partners are paused for this tour. We thank all our partners for their generous support!
Prospect and Castle*
Progressive Era Treasures
Early 20th century, well-to-do Madisonians built comfortable homes along the Lake Mendota shore, many of them designed by preeminent Madison architects Claude and Starck. The designs of these homes encompassed the styles popular in that era: Tudor and Georgian Revival, Craftsman, Prairie and Colonial Revival. Walk with us through this delightful neighborhood as we learn how eminent people lived a century ago and discover more about the architecture and history of this evocative remnant of Madison's earliest years.
*New tour for 2025 season
Tour Times
Saturday, May 31, at 10 a.m.
Thursday, June 26, at 6 p.m.
Saturday, July 26, at 10 a.m.
Thursday, August 28, at 6 p.m.
Saturday Sept. 27, at 10 a.m.
Meeting Location
Outside the main gate of Breese Stevens Field at the corner of North Paterson and East Washington
Length
Approximately 1 1/2 hours
After The Tour
Tour treat partners are paused for this tour. We thank all our partners for their generous support!
Sunset Hills
Mad Mid Mod
These 1950s single-family houses will remind you of cigarettes and cocktails. Platted in 1953, this subdivision of 94 homes on Madison’s west side established deed restrictions that required architect-designed “Modern” homes of high style and high quality. Attached garages only!
Tour Times
Thursday, June 19, at 6 p.m.
Saturday, July 19, at 10 a.m.
Thursday, August 21, at 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 20, at 10 a.m.
Meeting Location
Hoyt Park parking lot, 3902 Regent St.
Length
Approximately 1 hour
After The Tour
Tour treat partners are paused for this tour. We thank all our partners for their generous support!
Third Lake Ridge West
Brewers and Burghers
Wild and woolly Willy Street started as a haven for 19th-century German immigrants. They made their homes, taverns, shops and churches in the unique buildings on Williamson and Jenifer Streets. Learn how this area grew through the decades to become one of Madison’s most distinctive neighborhoods.
Tour Times
Thursday, June 5, at 6 p.m.
Saturday, July 5, at 10 a.m.
Thursday, July 31, at 6 p.m.
Thursday, August 14, at 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 13, at 10 a.m.
Meeting Location
R. Richard Wagner Park, corner of Williamson and Jenifer Streets.
Length
Approximately 1 1/4 hours
After the tour
Head over to local favorite, Willy Street Coop, to receive $5 off a $25 purchase, 1221 Williamson St.
University Heights*
Iconic Architects
Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, Frank Riley, Claude & Starck, Alvan Small—oh my! This distinguished campus-adjacent neighborhood has been home to some of Madison’s most prominent university faculty. As you explore the area, guess (or ask!) what many of the street names have in common.
*Updated tour
Tour Times
Thursday, May 29, at 6 p.m.
Saturday, June 21, at 10 a.m.
Thursday, July 17, at 6 p.m.
Saturday, August 9, at 10 a.m.
Thursday, Sept. 4, at 5 p.m.
Meeting Location
In front of Olin House, 130 N. Prospect Ave.
Length
Approximately 1 1/4 hours.
After The Tour
Tour Treat Partners are paused for this tour. We thank our past partners for their support!
Printing Sponsor
