Bay View Milwaukee

About Milwaukee's Bay View Neighborhood

Milwaukee is an extremely diverse city, and nearly every neighborhood has its own unique atmosphere and look. Bay View is one of the best known neighborhoods in Milwaukee, and its residents are fiercely proud of their piece of the city.

Bay View Statistics

Population: 18,071
Median Age: 38.2
Median Income: $42,954
Average Home Price: $129,415
Parameters: Bay View is roughly bordered by Lake Michigan to the east, Morgan and Oklahoma to the south, I-94 and 1st Street to the west, and Jones Island to the north.

Because its boundaries are quite imprecise, and have changed many times, many south-siders not technically in the neighborhood do still consider themselves as Bay View residents.

In 1855, the first train depot in the area was constructed here on South Bay Street, creating a new link between Milwaukee and the bustling port of Chicago, 100 miles to the south. Then, in 1868 the Milwaukee Iron Co. Was established, and Bay View quickly turned into a thriving village of steel workers. On May 5, 1886, this working class solidarity would result in tragedy when Wisconsin National Guardsmen fired on a crowd of striking workers, killing seven. Known as the Bay View Tragedy, this event was the worst display of government backlash against organized workers in state history.

Today, Bay View maintains its blue-collar feel, although properties along the lake of course run higher than in interior parts of the city. Despite it's working class roots, you'll find that most parts of Bay View retain a high owner occupancy rate, and that the homes and properties are very well kept. Housing stock in the area varies from small cottages built by steel workers in the 1800's to Victorians and Milwaukee bungalows. Bay View's early days as a village helped create a degree of self-sufficiency for residents of today.

The main thoroughfares of Kinnickinnic Avenue, Howell and Oklahoma, among others, are dotted with shops and restaurants, and other entertainment venues -- in fact, over the past decade, the small, independent character of these main streets have attracted a number of young entrepreneurs to the neighborhood, who in turn have opened a number of unique businesses. As a result, Bay View could easily be considered one of the most fashionable neighborhoods in Milwaukee.