The St. Brigid Center for Irish Arts and Culture

 The building was designed by Edward Townsend Mix and opened in 1887 as the Grand Avenue Congregational Church on Grand Avenue, now Wisconsin Ave. A principle feature of the new building was the remarkably large auditorium, which remained Milwaukee’s largest auditorium for public use for over 60 years. The church thrived and in 1910, the magnificent Kimball Pipe Organ, the second-largest organ in the state of Wisconsin, was added to the sanctuary. In 1986, the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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One of its proudest moments came the evening of August 14, 1957. With the help of the local NAACP chapter, the church welcomed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. into the auditorium for what would be his only speaking engagement in Milwaukee. Over 1400 people attended this event.

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On December 2, 1996, the title of the Grand Avenue Congregational Church building was transferred to the newly-formed Irish Cultural and Heritage Center for a cost of one dollar. Board members of the ICHC who were present that day were: Dick Tierney, Mark Connelly, Jean Bills, and Dale Brenon,  who each paid 25 cents for the purchase price. Representing the church were John Simonson, chairman of the board of trustees, Harrison Henry, moderator, and Rev. Keith Farnham.
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It was mutually agreed that the church congregation could continue to hold religious services and maintain office and storage space at the facility. After about one year however, the Grand Avenue Congregational Church dissolved its congregation and its members dispersed to other locations.

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The years have not been kind to the building. Just like the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN or the Stoughton Opera House in Stoughton, WI, the building fell into disrepair. Over the last 10 years, the volunteers and the Irish community have come together to restore the auditorium back to its glory. Now, with the opening of The St. Brigid Center for Irish Arts and Culture, the new owners will invest in bringing the beautiful building into the future and providing a renovated facility for the benefit of the Irish community and others.

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