Madison Homes

Just as the lives and fortunes of the Brittingham family are intertwined with UW-Madison history, so too are their homes. Two houses owned by the Brittinghams later became UW-Madison fraternity and boarding houses, and one currently serves as the official residence of the University of Wisconsin System President.

Probably the first house the Brittinghams occupied as a couple in Madison was a small structure at 153 West Gorham Street. They were only there for a few years before moving on. Their next residence was at 211 Langdon Street, where they lived from roughly 1897 to 1901. That building later housed Kappa Phi Gamma, Phi Sigma Kappa, and Kappa Psi before becoming a non-greek boarding house for female students in the 1940s.

The Brittinghams' next home, at 640 North Henry Street, was an impressive structure set on the shore of Lake Mendota with a stone boathouse embedded in the sloping back lawn. It was designed for the Brittinghams by the architectural firm Porter and Small. Senior partner Lew F. Porter contributed heavily to Madison's architectural heritage. He was involved with the design or construction supervision of many city landmarks, including the Armory & Gymnasium (Red Gym), the Dane County Courthouse, the Capitol building, Randall School, Science Hall, and the Agricultural Dean's residence.⁸

The Brittinghams were a lively component of the Madison social scene, and the home on Henry Street was the "scene of many of the city's brilliant social gatherings".⁹ The Brittinghams entertained frequently, hosting "house parties," as they called them, regardless of whether the event was an afternoon ladies' tea or a summer gathering spanning an entire week.