Waukesha Unlocked: Andrew Frame House open this weekend

WAUKESHA, Wis. - This weekend is Waukesha Unlocked – a chance to get into businesses, city buildings and historic sites that are otherwise off limits. One must-see stop is the Andrew Frame House.

Andrew Frame House

The backstory:

Karen Frame loves showing off her family home, but beyond secret doors and period furniture, this house is a part of Waukesha history.

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"By the time he was 35, he was the president of the bank," Frame said. She was talking about her great-great grandfather, Andrew Frame.

One of the city’s first prominent citizens, Andrew Frame built the home at the corner of Grand and College in 1879. After his daughter, Mabel, died in 1973, the home was sold and became a lawyer’s office. In 2019, FOX6 was there after Frame repurchased the home and worked to return it to its former glory.

"I just love to give back to the community and share – it’s not often you can see an old house that’s been so beautifully restored," Frame said.

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Years after Frame had the home’s fourth story reconstructed and replaced back on top of the building, FOX6 News got a look at the finished room. It is one of the many sites people can experience during Waukesha Unlocked.

Andrew Frame, of course, is most recognized today because of Frame Park. Frame said her great-great grandfather owned all that land along the Fox River, converted it into a park and donated it to the city.

Why you should care:

The City of Waukesha’s popular Waukesha Unlocked event returns Saturday, Oct. 10 and Sunday, Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. It offers residents and visitors a unique opportunity to explore more than 50 locations throughout the community, many of which are not normally open to the public.

Waukesha Unlocked invites attendees to go behind the scenes with tours and activities at many local businesses, churches, historic sites and city facilities to discover the people, places, and operations that help make Waukesha a vibrant community.

"This is one of our most anticipated community events of the year," said Mayor Alicia Halvensleben. 

What is Waukesha Unlocked?

Local perspective:

Waukesha Unlocked gives residents and visitors a rare opportunity to explore places they may have always been curious about, learn something new, and experience the incredible organizations and businesses that call Waukesha home.

This year's event features a wide variety of experiences, including tours of the historic Andrew Frame House, Aries Industries, Husco International, INNIO, Wildeck, Sky High Marketing, and many other participating locations. Attendees can also enjoy outdoor activities such as historical walking tours of Buchner Park and guided public art tours.

What you can do:

Families will find plenty of hands-on activities throughout the weekend, including a Touch-A-Truck event at the City Garage, open houses at the Waukesha police and fire departments, and hayrides at Prairie Home Cemetery.

Event headquarters will be located at Waukesha City Hall, 201 Delafield Street. Visitors can pick up a Waukesha Unlocked bingo card and complete activities at participating locations for a chance to win prizes. With so much to see and do, attendees are encouraged to visit the Waukesha Unlocked website for a full list of participating sites and to plan their itinerary.

Portions of this article were formatted using A.I. FOX6’s Bret Lemoine and an editor reviewed it for accuracy and tone prior to publishing.

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