It's a name deeply rooted in Milwaukee's history -- Brumder -- though it may not be as instantly recognizable as the city's beer barons.
George Brumder was a German-language publisher and printing magnate, based in Milwaukee in the early 1900s. His publications reached a large audience of first-generation German Americans, and his companies quickly grew, along with his fortune.
In fact Brumder's success was so sizable and his wealth so substantial he was able to build his son, George Jr., a mansion of his own in 1910 near 31st and Wisconsin in the Concordia neighborhood.
Leaded glass. Tiffany Tile. High ceilings. The whole deal.
Sounds like your typical "upper crust Milwaukee family builds pretty home story," writes OnMilwaueke's Bobby Tanzilo, who visited the mansion, now a bed and breakfast, for this week's Urban Spelunking.
Turns out, maybe not.
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After the Brumders moved out, a man named Sam Pick moved in, and that's when things reportedly got interesting, Tanzilo writes.
There were rumors of a speakeasy operating in the basement and a brothel upstairs. The notorious mobster Al Capone was acquainted with Pick, too, and perhaps used the mansion to stash his illegal booze during prohibition.
Click the player to hear our interview with Bobby, then find a link to his complete story below.
