Statement of Significance (as of designation - August 6, 1998):
This tall hexagonal building, constructed of concrete grout and covered with plaster, is nationally significant not because of its unusual shape and construction, but because of its ante-bellum usage. Built as a hotel, it and the nearby log Goodrich Cabin served as stops on the Underground Railroad. Fugitive slaves could enter the cabin, open a trapdoor, and make their way through a tunnel to the Milton House, where the Goodrich family provided food, shelter, and assistance to reach their next stop on their way to Canada and freedom. This property illustrates the westward spread of aboltion and its transformation from a moral to a political issue. Joseph Goodrich, who moved from New York state to Wisconsin, founded Milton and was proprietor of the hotel, was one of many who brought the reform movement and its ideals westward.

Condition:
The city plans to build a sidewalk and carryout road improvements near the historic tunnel connecting the Milton House with its cabin. The owners paid for a structural engineering study, completed the Historic Structures Report and restored 45 windows.

A large addition is being built atop the footprint of the historic wing. The repair of the historic exterior continues.

Recommendation/Change since last report:
The site needs protection from the impacts of possible highway construction.