Harold and Josephine Bradley House/Sigma Phi Fraternity

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106 N. Prospect Ave.     Built 1908-09     Madison Landmark (City's First)     National Register     National Historic Landmark     Prairie Style     by Louis H. Sullivan

T-shaped in plan with its main block running along the side of the property. Steel beams encased in wood form the large cantilevers terminated by signature Sullivanesque ornamentation support a balcony.

Sullivan did few residential designs, this may be the last remaing. George Elmslie is credited with much of the interior design and furnishings, Claude & Starck were the supervising architects.

Built for Harold C. & Josephine Bradley, a gift from Josephine's father, plumbing magnate Charles Crane. Originally they owned the entire block. Their daughter, Mary Cornelia, died at the age of 6 and they donated money for the establishment of Mary Cornelia Bradley Memorial Hospital on the UW campus. The Bradley's first sold off lots of land around the house, then the house itself, to Sigma Phi fraternity in 1915.

A 1972 fire destroyed the roof, attic and much of the second floor. The first floor had extensive smoke and water damage. Restoration was based on the original blueprints, with some modern updates such as a sprinkler system & fire escapes.

With no way of estimating what the final costs would be the restoration was made possible by alum A.C. Nielson (who also donated the Nielson Tennis Stadium) vowing to cover all costs not raised by donations or from insurance. In the end Nielsen paid almost $610,000 of the $762,000 cost.

Bradley House II