By John Eastberg

The point of anniversaries is to provide a moment of reflection and also a moment to look forward and to think about the future.  That was certainly the case during the last weekend in July.  The Pabst Mansion marked the beginning of a year-long series of events to mark the 125th Anniversary of its completion of the Pabst family home.  The stars had aligned perfectly—July 29, 2017, the actual anniversary of the day the Pabst family had moved into the house 125 years earlier, fell on a Saturday, in the middle of summer and we had perfect weather. We were all thankful that they did not move into the house on a Tuesday in February!

A Pabst family reunion was planned to coincide with this auspicious anniversary.  Over 80 Pabst family members traveled to Milwaukee from all over the country and Germany to celebrate the occasion.  We planned a weekend of activities that focused on family connections and great Milwaukee landmarks.  Saturday evening’s event included the family and members of our Grand Circle membership – special patrons who support our mission through their generosity.

We also wanted to included the Milwaukee community in the celebration and a special open house invited the public to be guests of the Pabst family and tour the mansion free of charge.  The turnout was heartwarming—we had over 1550 guests visit the Pabst Mansion on July 29th—the largest one-day attendance in the 39 years the Pabst Mansion has been open to the public. The open house also included a sensational cookout sponsored by the Pabst Brewing Company and Usinger’s Fine Sausage and featured a live polka band.  All in all, it was a great success and illustrated just how much the public is interested in the Pabst Mansion and that it remains an important and relevant part of our community.

So what of the next 125 years? Our organization is committed to making the Pabst Mansion a vital resource for Milwaukee including promoting its history, providing educational and archival resources and continuing to serve as a special destination for joyful celebration of our past and present!  In the next year, we will be announcing our exciting plans to further the Pabst Mansion’s mission to preserve the Pabst Mansion and the Pabst family legacy.  Our plans continue with our award-winning restoration of the Pabst Mansion, but will also enable us to broaden the scope of our interpretation and understanding of the Pabst Mansion within the context of our strong visitorship.  We look forward to including you in the history of the Pabst—here’s to 125 more!