History of Milwaukee

Long before the first settlers came to this area, the Algonkian Indians had a special name for the land: Millioki, which means ‘gathering place by the waters’. The Indians may have picked the name because they used the area for tribal gatherings or because they observed how three rivers - Menomonee, Kinnickinnic and Milwaukee - met before flowing into the waters of Lake Michigan.

The Potawatomi and the Menominee were the largest local tribes in the area, and were both under French control in the 17th century. As white traders moved into the territory, the Native Americans withdrew into the countryside. The Menominee gave up land east and north of the Milwaukee River in 1831, and the United Nation of Chippewa, Ottawa and Potawatomi signed a treaty in Chicago in 1833 that relinquished a large section of land south and west of the Milwaukee River.

White settlers

In 1813, French-Canadian entrepreneur Solomon Juneau arrived in Milwaukee and established the American Fur Company in the heart of downtown. He purchased the land between the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan, and named it Juneautown.

Milwaukee's two other founding fathers arrived in 1834; George Walker settled south of the Menomonee River and Byron Kilbourn settled to the west, naming his tract of land Kilbourntown. Juneau became very wealthy from his business interests. He also acted as a peacemaker between the Native Americans and white settlers. Juneau sold some of his land to other investors, who then established a village called Milwaukee. It was first populated with Irish and New England settlers and then shortly after that, German immigrants arrived.

The three founding fathers did not see eye-to-eye and the results of this rivalry are evident today in downtown streets. Each settler purposely built their streets not to match with the rival's streets across the rivers. Later, when bridges were built, they had to be constructed at oblique angles to connect the roadways.

The notorious Bridge War began in 1840, when the villages disputed payments for the bridges required by the legislature. The feuding continued for five years and eventually ended in violence. It was finally resolved when the legislature ordered that costs be shared equally between the two founding communities. The following year, the three men put aside their differences and joined forces to incorporate the City of Milwaukee, and Solomon Juneau was elected the first mayor.

German immigrants

A large influx of German immigrants helped increase the city's population during the 1840s, many of them intellectuals, forced to flee their homeland following the Revolution of 1848. They were able to buy inexpensive land, establish businesses and retain their freedom. The city's population totalled 10,000 people, half of whom were German and a higher percentage Catholic. John Martin Henni became bishop of the new diocese; the first German Catholic bishop in America.

Industry and business attracted thousands of people from the Eastern seaboard and beyond. Milwaukee became the primary destination of European immigrants until well into the 20th century. The arrival of the Germans and the Irish was followed by the arrival of Poles, Czechs and Italians. The economy prospered during the Civil War and the population increased significantly.

Recent history

During the first half of the 20th century, Milwaukee was the hub of the socialist movement and it was the first major American city with a socialist mayor, Emil Seidel. Although the influence of the socialists began to dwindle in the 1950s, the legacy is still apparent in the city today, as the locals have a reputation for being very pro-union.

Milwaukee saw its population start to decline in the 1960s, as did many other cities in the Great Lakes ‘rust belt’. However, it has made strides to improve its economy and still maintains its status as a leader in manufacturing, while making a transition to a more service-based economy.

The recent redevelopment of neighbourhoods such as Historic Third Ward, East Side and Bay View has helped to improve the city’s image and attract new businesses to its downtown area. The city has also become a cultural leader, with various performing arts groups, many professional sports teams and several major universities.