901 W. Juneau Avenue
Architect unknown
Built in 1858, closed in 1889.

The school was bought by the Pabst Brewery and altered (likely by Pabst’s preferred architect, Otto Strack) to match the crenellated, fortress-like Gothic architectural style of the surrounding brewery complex. It currently houses a tavern called Best Place, named for the Best family who originally founded the brewery. I wanted to show the school as it existed before being subsumed by the brewery. Like a hidden objects game, It’s fun to look at the building and find the original features. They are especially apparent on the south facade, which used to be blocked by adjacent structures. I’ve read that you can still find school remnants in the interior, especially in the upper floors of the building. The great hall—a Pabst-era addition—has exquisite murals depicting the history of the brewery.