Milisen House • Built 1879
Milisen House
Built in 1879 at 508 North Pine Street in Grand Island, this Italianate-style home was constructed for the Milisen family. Though it may appear blue depending on the light, the house is actually painted in three shades of gray to highlight its architectural details.
The home remained closely tied to one family for generations, offering a window into both immigrant life and community leadership in early Grand Island.
The Milisen Family
Charles Milisen was born in Germany in 1842 and immigrated to New York with his mother. During the Civil War, he served in Company I, 1st Pennsylvania Infantry—known as the “Pennsylvania Bucktails.” At the Battle of Cross Keys in 1862, he was wounded by a minié ball that shattered his shoulder, leaving his arm permanently disabled.
In 1866, he married Anna J. Arnd, also a German immigrant, in Allegany, New York. The following year, Charles moved to Grand Island, where he worked for the Union Pacific Railroad. Anna and their growing family soon joined him.
The Milisens raised seven children, though one daughter, Grace, died in childhood. Charles became an active civic leader, serving on the city council and school board and participating in the Grand Army of the Republic, a Union veterans’ organization. He died in 1892 after falling ill while helping organize a holiday fair; his funeral was held on Christmas Day.
After his death, Anna led the household, and the family remained in the home for decades. Their daughter Emma lived there until 1963. In total, the Milisen family was associated with the house for 86 years, until it was donated and moved to Stuhr Museum in 1965.
Did You Know?
Although the house only needed to travel six miles to reach the museum, the move took five days to complete—after seven months of careful planning.