Riverside University High School

Story

Riverside University High School is a public high school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with a college preparatory curriculum. It is a part of the Milwaukee Public Schools system.HistoryPre-1912Starting in the early 1850s the newly established city of Milwaukee debated establishing a public high school. As early as 1860, Milwaukee had a high school program in the attic of an elementary school in the Brady St. area. The school was at a Jefferson St. location in its founding year of 1868. After several fires and increasing enrollment, East Division High School, also known as East Side High School, opened in the late 1880s. By 1906 ground was broken for a state-of-the-art building at 1615 E. Locust St. (East Locust Street was known at the time as Folsom Place.) Using then modern technology, the architect increased the window size by using a steel frame designed to bear the weight of the building. This also allowed for less restrictive and cheaper construction. This new design attracted local residents as well as residents in surrounding areas. The design was that of a four-story U-shaped building with a three-story square building inside. The buildings were connected via five skywalks on the second, "main", floor for access to the auditorium and two stairwells to access either basement level gym, nicknamed "the dungeon." The dungeon is now home to the liberal arts and theater department. This room is used for rehearsal purposes as well as final dress rehearsals. Many of the buildings around the school were inspired by the English Renaissance, Jacobethan, Collegiate Gothic facade of the school.