The Bertelson Building: A Story in Terra Cotta

Author: Ben Tyjeski Publisher: Tyjeski Tile Co. The Bertelson Building in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is one of the state's most impressive and artistic sites with architectural terra cotta. The façade, fully clad in polychromatic terra cotta manufactured by the American Terra Cotta & Ceramic Co. of Crystal Lake, Illinois, was one of the many projects the manufacturers created with Milwaukee architectural firm Martin Tullgren & Sons. Their design for the building brings the imagination to life with relief sculptures of portraits, children at play, and fantastic creatures. Whether it's a fairy tale or a love story, there is a romantic charm to the building that continues to allure those who take notice of it.  This structure would not exist if it were not for the original owners, Helen Bertelson and her son, Ben, who erected this building with the fruits of their labor in the photography field. Their high-quality, artistic photographs allowed them the opportunity to construct a place