Interview with Kathy Kean, August 24, 2021

Partial Transcript: Kathy, where and when were you born?

Segment Synopsis: Kean talks about her family history largely before she was born, especially about her parents marriage and her father's involvement in World War II.

Keywords: Baby Boomer; Camp Pendleton; Pearl Harbor; World War II

Subjects: 1940s-1950s; Buffalo, NY; World War II

Partial Transcript: The Village I grew up in outside of Buffalo was very interesting.

Segment Synopsis: Kean reflects on her neighborhood changing through the Highway system, as it transitioned from a smaller road to a highway connecting her town to Buffalo.

Keywords: Highway; Suburb

Subjects: 1950s-60s; Williamsville, NY

Partial Transcript: So then, schooling was great.

Segment Synopsis: Kean describes her educational career, from high school to Chatham College (now Chatham University), detailing her college career, especially her senior thesis project on familial Civil War letters.

Keywords: Baby Boomer; Chatham University; College; High School; Thesis

Subjects: 1960s; Civil War; Education

Partial Transcript: I was, ok, so--just--after, after getting out of college I wanted to teach high school history.

Segment Synopsis: Kean describes her life after college prior to coming to Milwaukee, highlighting her philosophical stye to teaching high school history by looking at it through different lenses such as art and architecture.

Keywords: Architecture; Art; High school; History

Subjects: Education

Partial Transcript: But then I married in June of 1974. That was the same day my husband...found out that he was getting his job at UWM (University of Wisconsin Milwaukee).

Segment Synopsis: Kean describes her life in Milwaukee from her Masters work at Marquette, to the beginnings of her work with the Junior League of Milwaukee attempting to save and preserve historical buildings.

Keywords: Marquette University; Marriage; Masters Degree; Teaching

Subjects: 1970s; Education

Partial Transcript: [John]: While you were going to school, and then getting your masters, the Historic Preservation Movement started to take off...

Segment Synopsis: Kean talks about her initial understanding/involvement of Historic Preservation as it became more prevalent through the 1960s, specifically through her learning at Tufts University going to different sites throughout New England.

Keywords: Historic Presrvation; Revolving Fund Idea; Tufts University

Subjects: 1960s; Historic Houses

Partial Transcript: I didn't, I didn't catch on to preservation until, probably, well, going in to Walker's Point.

Segment Synopsis: Kean describes her work in historic preservation beginning in Walker's Point giving walking tours, expanding the operation to give tours of the three original cities of Milwaukee (Juneautown, Kilbourntown, and Walker's Point), forming Historic Milwaukee Inc.

Keywords: Architecture Foundation Program; Bus Tours; Historic Milwaukee Inc.; National Register of Historic Places; Volunteering; Walker's Point; Walking Tours

Subjects: 1970s-1980s; Historic Preservation; Local History; Milwaukee, WI

Partial Transcript: The Third Ward, really, started to be recycled faster than Walker's Point.

Segment Synopsis: Keane reflects on the neighborhoods/wards of Milwaukee that have seen development in the past decades after her work in Walker's Point.

Keywords: City Development; Gentrification

Subjects: Historic Preservation; Milwaukee, WI; Urban

Partial Transcript: [John]: First, do you see, what-what do you think is the most challenging areas of Milwaukee-Historic preservation-wise, today?

Segment Synopsis: Kean talks about current challenges with Historical Preservation in Milwaukee

Keywords: Awareness; Historic Preservation; Inequity; Preservation Advocacy; Preservation Commission; Public History

Subjects: Historic Preservation; Milwaukee, WI

Partial Transcript: [John]: Um, why-why do you think historic preservation is so important?

Segment Synopsis: Kean answers the question of why she believes Historic Preservation is so important, detailing it with a story of her attempt to save the Plankinton Mansion.

Keywords: Architecture; Awareness; City of Milwaukee Historic Preservation Commission; History; Marquette University

Subjects: Historic Preservation

Partial Transcript: [John]: Sure. So, let's kinda bring this up to the present in terms of your life, uh-you're-you're active in Historic Milwaukee. Still are. [Kathy]: Mhm, yeah.

Segment Synopsis: Kean describes her current involvement in Historic Milwaukee, Historic preservation as a whole, and her return to high school teaching.

Keywords: Architecture; High School; Historic Milwaukee Inc.; Milwaukee Preservation Alliance; Nikolai High School; Organization of American Historians; Preservation Advocacy; Shorewood Historical Society; Tours; Veterans

Subjects: Education; Historic Preservation; History

Partial Transcript: [John]: Uh, couple of wrap-up questions...

Segment Synopsis: Kean speaks to what she hopes people looking back on her life understand from it, contextualizing it through the story of Paliafito Park.

Keywords: Awareness; Bradley Center; History; Milwaukee Preservation Alliance; Paliafito Park; Preservation Advocacy; Teaching; Turner Hall

Subjects: Education; Historic Preservation

Partial Transcript: [John]: So, on September 9th you're going to be presented with the Frederick I. Olson Preservation Award, who you knew... [Kathy]: I did know F-, he was wonderful.

Segment Synopsis: Kean speaks to what being awarded the Frederick I. Olson Preservation Award means to her.

Keywords: Architecture; Award; Frederick I Olson Preservation Award; History; Preservation Advocacy; Volunteer

Subjects: Education; Historic Preservation