Schoonmaker Reef
Fossilized reef in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Added to the National Register in 1997, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
Schoonmaker Reef, also known as Wauwatosa Reef, Schoonmaker Quarry, Raphu Station or Francey Reef is a 425 million year-old fossilized reef in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. It was discovered in 1844 by Increase A. Lapham and Fisk Day on the site of a quarry owned by the Schoonmaker family. Geologist James Hall declared its significance in 1862. It was the first ancient reef described in North America, and among the first described in the world. It is located North of W. State St., between N. 66th St. and N. 64th St. extended, in Wauwatosa. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1997.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Site |
| Address | N of West St., between N. 66th St. and N. 64th St. extended, Milwaukee, WI |
| County | Milwaukee County |
| Listed | Sep 25, 1997 |
| Listed for | Science |
| Level of significance | National |
| Also known as | Wauwatosa Reef; Schoonmaker Quarry; Raphu Station; Francey Reef |
| Reference number | 97001266 |
| Type of place | paleontological site |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 site |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | N of West St., between N. 66th St. and N. 64th St. extended, Milwaukee, WI |
| Coordinates | 43.0471° N, 87.9937° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Milwaukee | 217 listed places in Milwaukee → · walking tours → |
| Nearest national park unit | Pullman National Historical Park · 96 miles · on Park Atlas |
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Schoonmaker Reef listed on the National Register?
Sep 25, 1997. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Where is Schoonmaker Reef?
N of West St., between N. 66th St. and N. 64th St. extended, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The nearest national park unit is Pullman National Historical Park, 96 miles away.
Source: Pullman National Historical Park
Where is the nomination form for Schoonmaker Reef?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Is there cell service at Schoonmaker Reef?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 97001266. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.