Milwaukee Soldiers Home, known as Old Main, is one of three soldiers homes that have survived in the United States. It was built to help Civil War soldiers recover. It was completed in 1867 and went by several names, including National Asylum for Disabled Soldiers.
There are 24 other buildings on the grounds, and together they form the Northwestern Branch, National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers Historic District. Old Main was unoccupied from 1989, fell into disrepair and was scheduled for demolition.
A 2011 campaign succeeded in getting it designated a National Historic Landmark. In 2019 a company was hired to update the building, and the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority helped finance the restoration.