Milwaukee, Wisconsin City History and Historical Figures

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Fun City Facts
The largest city in area in the United States is Juneau, Alaska. It covers 3,248 square miles, yet the city population is fewer than 30,000.

Boeing's final assembly plant, the world's largest building, is located in Everett, Washington.

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Milwaukee, Wisconsin

City History
Historic People

City History

The first Europeans to pass through the area were French missionaries and fur traders. In 1818, Frenchman Solomon Juneau settled in the area, and in 1846 Juneau's town combined with two neighboring towns to incorporate as the City of Milwaukee.

Large numbers of German and other immigrants helped increase the city's population during the 1840s and the following decades. During the middle and late 19th century, Wisconsin and the Milwaukee area became the final destination of many German immigrants fleeing the Revolution of 1848. In Wisconsin they found the inexpensive land and the freedoms they sought. The German heritage and influence in the Milwaukee area is widespread. In addition to Germans, Milwaukee saw large influxes of immigrants from Poland, Italy, Ireland as well as many Jews from Central and Eastern Europe. By 1910, Milwaukee shared the distinction of having the largest percentage of foreign-born residents in the United States.

During the first half of the twentieth century, Milwaukee was the hub of the socialist movement in the United States. Milwaukee elected three socialist mayors during this time: Emil Seidel, Daniel Hoan, and Frank Zeidler. It remains the only major city in the country to have done so. Often referred to as "Sewer Socialists," the Milwaukee socialists were characterized by their practical approach to government and labor.

Milwaukee continued to grow tremendously until the late 1950s. Milwaukee was home to immigrants from Ireland, Germany, Hungary, Poland and other central European nations. There was also great northward migration of African-Americans from the Southern United States. With the large influx of immigrants, Milwaukee became one of the 15 largest cities in the nation, and by the mid-1960s, its population reached nearly 750,000. Starting in the late 1960s, like many cities in the "rust belt," Milwaukee saw its population start to decline due to various factors.

However, in recent years the city began to make strides in improving its economy, neighborhoods, and image, resulting in the revitalization of neighborhoods such as the Historic Third Ward, the East Side, and more recently, Bay View, along with attracting new businesses to its downtown area. The city continues to make plans for increasing its future revitalization through various projects. Largely due to its efforts to preserve its history.

In 2006 Milwaukee was named one of the "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Milwaukee's name

The name "Milwaukee" comes from an Algonquian word Millioke, meaning either "Good/Beautiful/Pleasant Land" or "Gathering place by the water". Early explorers called the Milwaukee River and surrounding lands various names: Melleorki, Milwacky, Mahn-a-waukie, Milwarck, and Milwaucki. For many years, printed records gave the name as "Milwaukie". One day during the thirties of the last century 1800's a newspaper calmly changed the name to Milwaukee, and Milwaukee it has remained until this day.

Historic Figures

Frederick Miller (1824-1888)

Frederick Miller (1824-1888)
Frederick Edward John Miller was a brewery owner who founded the Miller Brewing Company of Milwaukee, WI in 1855. He was born in Germany, and died of cancer on May 11, 1888. He is buried in the Calvary Cemetery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

April 24, 2024

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