Our Clubhouse

Dating back to the 1890’s our Clubhouse at 7336 St James Street has housed churches and fraternal groups for the last 100 years.   We’ve traced its history to the site being lot 15, one of five lots sold in 1888 by James Stickney.  George Acker was the buyer and $1,400 the price.  A year later, Acker sold the single lot 15 to August Helm for $600, Louise Acker holding a mortgage for $400.  August and Martha Helm sold the lot in 1892, to the Evagelisch Lutherische Friedens Gemeide.  Then the price was $900.  The E.L.F.G mortgaged and conveyed lot 15 to Katharine Rickert to secure payment of a $1,500 note, and Buchman Builders, reported to be Wauwatosa’s largest building contractors at the time, erected the present building.   In 1904, the E.L.F.G. conveyed lot 15 to Evangelical Lutheran St John’s congregation for $1 and assumption of the $1,500 mortgage.  A year later St John’s congregation sold to Washington Verein Club 19 Gegenseitige Uterstuetzungs Gesellschaft Germania (called GUG, Germania-for apparent reasons) the west half of lot 15 for $700.  The group’s articles of incorporation, dated 1888, describe its purpose as mutual aid, in case of sickness, accident or death of its members or their families. (Its name means German Mutual Aid Society.)   In 1920, another church group, known as St Matthew’s Lutheran Church, met at the Masonic Lodge, but in 1921 moved to the G.U.G. Hall where Rev. William Niebling preached his first sermons to St Matthew’s congregation for about a year, until St Matthew’s built its own church edifice on Wauwatosa and Milwaukee Avenues.   In 1938 our Clubhouse again changed hands.  The Knights of Pythias Lodge 198 became the new owner retaining it until November 28, 1967 when WALICO, Inc. purchased it.  This non-profit corporation, organized and maintained by the Wauwatosa Lions Club, insures our Clubhouse’s continued use to this day for not only Lions but senior and community groups as well.   If you wish to make a contribution to the Wauwatosa Lions or WALICO, Inc. to help maintain our Clubhouse or wish to use our Clubhouse for an organization or family function please contact us for further information.