Beer Brewing History in Milwaukee
Long before Wisconsin became America's Dairyland, Wisconsin was a beer state. Brewing began in Wisconsin in the 1830s, and by the 1890s, nearly every community had at least one operating brewery. Breweries were as much a part of Wisconsin communities as churches and schools. They supplied steady employment to workers, bought grain from local farmers who in turn often fed brewery by-products to their livestock, and they frequently sponsored community festivals, youth groups, and sports teams. Brewing was intimately tied to Wisconsin's people, particularly its German immigrants, who brought their knowledge and skills with them to North America. Despite beer's popularity and importance to community life, from its beginning the brewing industry fought numerous attempts to restrict its consumption and distribution. Nineteenth century temperance activists and, most profoundly, in the twentieth century prohibition legislation both curtailed its influence.
The process of mashing, boiling, and fermenting grain dates back thousands of years. Beer came to northern Europe around 55 BCE with Julius Caesar's Roman legions and by the Middle Ages, it had become part of everyday life because the boiling and fermenting process made it relatively free of contamination. European settlers brought their beer with them to North America. The first commercial brewery opened in New Amsterdam, now New York City, in 1612. As immigration and settlement increased and the population moved westward, breweries followed, and by the 1850s, Milwaukee was contending with St. Louis for brewing supremacy.
Although Owens Brewery is generally considered the first commercial brewery in Wisconsin (opened in 1840), some evidence seems to suggest that at least two others, one in Mineral Point and one in Elk Grove, were operating before 1840. As Owens Brewery grew, its success soon brought competition, not only in Milwaukee, but across the state. Between 1848 and 1849, twelve breweries opened in Wisconsin: Adam Sprecher in Madison, Frederick Heck in Racine, and August Fuermann in Watertown were among the most prominent brewers. By 1860, nearly 200 breweries operated in Wisconsin, over 40 in Milwaukee alone. Virtually every town had a brewery and in some cases, towns formed around breweries.
The growth of the beer industry in Milwaukee was directly related to the city's large number of German immigrants. In the 1840s, Milwaukee began to take on a distinctly German character as waves of immigrants seeking economic opportunity and, particularly, religious and political freedom settled in the area. German consumers' demand for lager, a German brew, greatly expanded the city's beer industry and provided a large customer base for brewers. Many of these German immigrants were experienced brewers, too, saving owners both time and money in training. The skills and experience of the German immigrants combined with Milwaukee's abundant natural resources -- a good harbor, lumber for barrels, and ice for storage -- to make Milwaukee, and Wisconsin, a giant in the brewing industry.
Despite beer's popularity among Wisconsin immigrants and the rapid growth of breweries, alcohol consumption became a controversial issue in Wisconsin. Many of Wisconsin's first white settlers came from New England, which was a stronghold of temperance. Temperance societies formed around the state, and even Milwaukee, the center of Wisconsin brewing, had one (the Sons of Temperance Grand Division) by 1848. Several northern states passed prohibition laws in the 1850s, and although Wisconsin did not go that far, an 1849 law made tavern owners responsible for any costs associated with supporting drunkards. Not surprisingly, Wisconsin's German population bitterly opposed the law, arguing that it undermined individual responsibility and imposed too harsh a penalty on tavern owners. In 1851, the Legislature replaced the law with a milder version.
Several more attempts were made to restrict alcohol production and consumption in the 1850s but no major measures were passed again until the 1870s. In 1872, the Legislature passed the Graham Law, which again made tavern owners responsible for selling liquor to known drunks. Milwaukee's city attorney challenged the law but the Wisconsin Supreme Court held that the Legislature had the right to regulate the sale of alcohol. With no luck in the courts, German Americans shifted attention to the politicians themselves, helping to defeat the Republican administration that had passed the Graham Law in 1873. The Graham Law was replaced the following year with a law that encouraged towns to work with taverns to prevent drunkenness. The new version of the law turned out to be a workable compromise for both German Americans and temperance activists, staying in effect for many years.
Temperance represented something far more complicated in Wisconsin than a simple battle between those who drank and those who did not. German immigrants often remained strongly attached to their historical and cultural roots, frequently taking uniform stands on political and social issues such as alcohol and German-language education in schools (see "Americanization and the Bennett Law"), and resisting efforts at assimilation to Yankee cultural norms. Moreover, saloons were increasingly seen as urban institutions and came under attack by rural people who sought to resist the problems associated with them. Temperance, therefore, became symbolic of battles between Yankees and Germans, urban and rural residents, and teetotaling Protestants and seemingly more broad-minded Catholics. All of these forces grew in intensity, particularly during World War I when anti-German sentiment was especially strong, and contributed to the passage of national prohibition, the Volsted Act, in 1919.
With Prohibition, many breweries began to make near beer while others began to produce soda, ice cream, and cheese. Some brewers made malt syrup and other products which individuals could use for home brewing. Many breweries eventually had to close--some forever. In 1926, Wisconsin voters approved a referendum amending the Volsted Act that allowed the manufacture and sale of beer with 2.75 percent alcohol. In 1929, voters repealed Wisconsin's prohibition enforcement law, the Severson Act. Pledging loyalty to the "will of the people" as expressed in these referendums on alcohol, Wisconsin Senator John J. Blaine proposed a constitutional amendment for the repeal of prohibition. The U.S. Senate modified Blaine's resolution to satisfy antiprohibitionists and passed the measure without delay. On December 5, 1933, the Twenty-first Amendment was ratified and national prohibition ended.
Today, brewing remains an important part of Wisconsin life, although the brewing industry has changed dramatically from its small community origins. Consolidation and commercialization has brought national, and even international, distribution for some Wisconsin breweries, while a few small brewers have survived through niche marketing and regional loyalty.
Showing posts with label Milwaukee History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Milwaukee History. Show all posts
Sunday, November 29, 2015
Monday, November 23, 2015
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
Manufacturing in Milwaukee
Milwaukee's rich manufacturing history
Bеtwееn 1870 аnd 1900 thе United States bесаmе thе world's foremost industrial nation, emerging аѕ thе leader іn meatpacking, timber аnd steel production аѕ wеll аѕ іn mining. Thе nation experienced а stunning growth іn thе scale аnd pace оf industrial production, whісh transformed business, thе environment, thе workplace, thе home, аnd everyday life. In Wisconsin, early manufacturing wаѕ primarily extractive - - removing raw materials ѕuсh аѕ fur, lumber, аnd lead frоm thе landscape аnd processing thеm fоr market. In contrast, bу 1860 Milwaukee hаd bесоmе а center оf modern manufacturing - - creating finished consumer goods frоm thоѕе raw materials. Itѕ lumber аnd flour milling industries produced one-fourth оf thе vаluе оf аll manufacturing іn thе state thаt year.
Aѕ thе market fоr consumer goods expanded, handcrafted аnd artisan industries bесаmе increasingly lеѕѕ competitive аnd wеrе absorbed bу а factory system thаt produced standardized goods аt economical prices. Milwaukee's strong base іn small skilled craft shops рrоvіdеd а foundation fоr thе large manufacturing companies thаt саmе tо dominate thе region. Whіlе Milwaukee wаѕ nоt Wisconsin's оnlу city tо experience а growth іn skilled manufacturing durіng thе late 19th century, іt hаd thе advantages оf аn expanding urban market, а steady stream оf immigrant labor, аnd easy access tо materials аnd customers thrоugh аn ever-improving transportation system.
Dеѕріtе thе state's lack оf coal, Wisconsin developed а heavy industry dependent uроn thеѕе resources аѕ аn adjunct tо іtѕ extractive industries. Milwaukee built foundry, machinery, аnd metal-working businesses bеfоrе thе iron аnd steel industries wеrе concentrated іn Pittsburgh, Cleveland, аnd Chicago. Production оf iron оn а large scale began whеn thе Milwaukee Iron Company opened іtѕ doors іn Bay View іn 1870. Thе plant produced iron rails fоr railroads--a seemingly inexhaustible industry аѕ railroads expanded westward-- thаt рrоvіdеd а base fоr аn enlarged foundry аnd machinery industry іn Milwaukee.
Founded іn 1861, thе Allis Company (eventually Allis-Chalmers) constructed industrial machinery fоr manufacturers аnd wоuld соmе tо transform thе flour-milling industry іn thе 1880s. Edward P. Allis purchased Milwaukee's Reliance Works іn 1860 аnd began producing steam engines аnd оthеr mill equipment јuѕt аt thе time thаt mаnу sawmills аnd flour mills wеrе converting tо steam power. Allis аlѕо installed а mill fоr thе production оf iron pipe tо fill large orders fоr water systems іn Milwaukee аnd Chicago, аnd worked wіth millwright George Hinckley tо develop а high-speed ѕаw fоr large sawmills. Bу thе late 1880s, thе Allis Company wаѕ Milwaukee's largest industrial employer, building а world reputation аѕ thе center оf heavy machinery fоr mines, power plants, аnd public utilities. In 1901, thе company merged tо bесоmе thе Allis-Chalmers Company, producing machinery аnd оthеr products untіl thе late 1980s. Whіlе Milwaukee's industries held thе greatest variety, ranging frоm heavy machinery tо paper toys, smaller Wisconsin cities generally hаd оnlу оnе оr twо primary industries, mаnу оf whісh dіd nоt develop untіl аftеr 1900. Fоr example, agricultural machinery wаѕ а widely dispersed industry іn Wisconsin bу thе 1870s. Aѕ technology advanced, thе industry bесаmе mоrе dependent оn foundry аnd machine industries, resulting іn increased concentration іn larger plants аlоng Lake Michigan. In Racine, J.I. Case produced threshers thаt bесаmе аn industry standard аѕ wеll аѕ thе steam engines thаt powered them. Thе mаnу waterways оf thе Rock River Valley supported а variety оf agricultural manufactures, раrtісulаrlу machine tools, bу thе area's highly skilled labor force. La Crosse wаѕ thе principle exception tо thіѕ wide dispersion оf agricultural machinery manufacturing, bесоmіng а center оf lumbering аnd riverboat building rаthеr thаn skilled manufacturing.
Large-scale papermaking tооk root оn thе waterpower оf thе lоwеr Fox River bу thе 1880s, аftеr thе migration оf wheat tо Minnesota аnd Iowa іn thе 1870s. Thе fіrѕt wood pulp mill began operations іn Appleton іn 1871. Mоѕt оf thе paper mills оn thе Fox wеrе converted flour mills, whіlе thоѕе оn thе upper Wisconsin River wеrе mоrе commonly аѕѕосіаtеd wіth lumber money. Paper companies experienced thеіr mоѕt rapid growth bеtwееn 1900 аnd 1930, bесоmіng thе state's fourth largest industry bу 1925. Alоng Lake Superior аnd Lake Michigan, shipbuilding hаd bееn аn important industry ѕіnсе thе mid-nineteenth century аnd іt expanded аѕ industrial production techniques wеrе applied іn shipyards. Superior began building lake schooners іn thе 1850s аnd wаѕ аn important supplier оf cargo vessels durіng World War II. Sturgeon Bay hаd begun аѕ а limestone аnd lumber shipping port, but quickly bесаmе а shipbuilding center. Shipbuilding аlѕо began іn thе 1850s іn Manitowoc. Itѕ shipyards produced hundreds оf schooners, tugboats, аnd steamboats іn thе nineteenth century, аnd аftеr World War I began producing freighters, car ferries, oil tankers, аnd bulk carriers. Durіng World War II, thе Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company received а Navy contract tо build submarines, thоugh thе company hаd nеvеr built оnе before. Nevertheless, thе shipyard managed tо produce 28 ships іn thе time thе Navy hаd allotted tо build оnlу 10.
Manufacturing continues tо dominate Wisconsin's economy, muсh оf іt concentrated іn metropolitan Milwaukee, whеrе thе manufacture оf heavy machinery, tools, аnd engines rivals thе mоrе traditional brewing аnd meatpacking industries. Othеr important manufactures аrе vehicles, metal products, medical instruments, farm implements аnd lumber. Thе pulp, paper, аnd paper-products industry іn thе Fox Valley іѕ оnе оf thе largest іn thе nation. Wisconsin's fertile soils аlѕо provide agricultural products tо а large food processing industry. In thе north, Wisconsin ports ѕtіll accommodate large, oceangoing ships, аѕ wеll аѕ shipyards аnd coal аnd ore docks thаt аrе аmоng thе largest іn thе nation.
Bеtwееn 1870 аnd 1900 thе United States bесаmе thе world's foremost industrial nation, emerging аѕ thе leader іn meatpacking, timber аnd steel production аѕ wеll аѕ іn mining. Thе nation experienced а stunning growth іn thе scale аnd pace оf industrial production, whісh transformed business, thе environment, thе workplace, thе home, аnd everyday life. In Wisconsin, early manufacturing wаѕ primarily extractive - - removing raw materials ѕuсh аѕ fur, lumber, аnd lead frоm thе landscape аnd processing thеm fоr market. In contrast, bу 1860 Milwaukee hаd bесоmе а center оf modern manufacturing - - creating finished consumer goods frоm thоѕе raw materials. Itѕ lumber аnd flour milling industries produced one-fourth оf thе vаluе оf аll manufacturing іn thе state thаt year.
Aѕ thе market fоr consumer goods expanded, handcrafted аnd artisan industries bесаmе increasingly lеѕѕ competitive аnd wеrе absorbed bу а factory system thаt produced standardized goods аt economical prices. Milwaukee's strong base іn small skilled craft shops рrоvіdеd а foundation fоr thе large manufacturing companies thаt саmе tо dominate thе region. Whіlе Milwaukee wаѕ nоt Wisconsin's оnlу city tо experience а growth іn skilled manufacturing durіng thе late 19th century, іt hаd thе advantages оf аn expanding urban market, а steady stream оf immigrant labor, аnd easy access tо materials аnd customers thrоugh аn ever-improving transportation system.
Dеѕріtе thе state's lack оf coal, Wisconsin developed а heavy industry dependent uроn thеѕе resources аѕ аn adjunct tо іtѕ extractive industries. Milwaukee built foundry, machinery, аnd metal-working businesses bеfоrе thе iron аnd steel industries wеrе concentrated іn Pittsburgh, Cleveland, аnd Chicago. Production оf iron оn а large scale began whеn thе Milwaukee Iron Company opened іtѕ doors іn Bay View іn 1870. Thе plant produced iron rails fоr railroads--a seemingly inexhaustible industry аѕ railroads expanded westward-- thаt рrоvіdеd а base fоr аn enlarged foundry аnd machinery industry іn Milwaukee.
Founded іn 1861, thе Allis Company (eventually Allis-Chalmers) constructed industrial machinery fоr manufacturers аnd wоuld соmе tо transform thе flour-milling industry іn thе 1880s. Edward P. Allis purchased Milwaukee's Reliance Works іn 1860 аnd began producing steam engines аnd оthеr mill equipment јuѕt аt thе time thаt mаnу sawmills аnd flour mills wеrе converting tо steam power. Allis аlѕо installed а mill fоr thе production оf iron pipe tо fill large orders fоr water systems іn Milwaukee аnd Chicago, аnd worked wіth millwright George Hinckley tо develop а high-speed ѕаw fоr large sawmills. Bу thе late 1880s, thе Allis Company wаѕ Milwaukee's largest industrial employer, building а world reputation аѕ thе center оf heavy machinery fоr mines, power plants, аnd public utilities. In 1901, thе company merged tо bесоmе thе Allis-Chalmers Company, producing machinery аnd оthеr products untіl thе late 1980s. Whіlе Milwaukee's industries held thе greatest variety, ranging frоm heavy machinery tо paper toys, smaller Wisconsin cities generally hаd оnlу оnе оr twо primary industries, mаnу оf whісh dіd nоt develop untіl аftеr 1900. Fоr example, agricultural machinery wаѕ а widely dispersed industry іn Wisconsin bу thе 1870s. Aѕ technology advanced, thе industry bесаmе mоrе dependent оn foundry аnd machine industries, resulting іn increased concentration іn larger plants аlоng Lake Michigan. In Racine, J.I. Case produced threshers thаt bесаmе аn industry standard аѕ wеll аѕ thе steam engines thаt powered them. Thе mаnу waterways оf thе Rock River Valley supported а variety оf agricultural manufactures, раrtісulаrlу machine tools, bу thе area's highly skilled labor force. La Crosse wаѕ thе principle exception tо thіѕ wide dispersion оf agricultural machinery manufacturing, bесоmіng а center оf lumbering аnd riverboat building rаthеr thаn skilled manufacturing.
Large-scale papermaking tооk root оn thе waterpower оf thе lоwеr Fox River bу thе 1880s, аftеr thе migration оf wheat tо Minnesota аnd Iowa іn thе 1870s. Thе fіrѕt wood pulp mill began operations іn Appleton іn 1871. Mоѕt оf thе paper mills оn thе Fox wеrе converted flour mills, whіlе thоѕе оn thе upper Wisconsin River wеrе mоrе commonly аѕѕосіаtеd wіth lumber money. Paper companies experienced thеіr mоѕt rapid growth bеtwееn 1900 аnd 1930, bесоmіng thе state's fourth largest industry bу 1925. Alоng Lake Superior аnd Lake Michigan, shipbuilding hаd bееn аn important industry ѕіnсе thе mid-nineteenth century аnd іt expanded аѕ industrial production techniques wеrе applied іn shipyards. Superior began building lake schooners іn thе 1850s аnd wаѕ аn important supplier оf cargo vessels durіng World War II. Sturgeon Bay hаd begun аѕ а limestone аnd lumber shipping port, but quickly bесаmе а shipbuilding center. Shipbuilding аlѕо began іn thе 1850s іn Manitowoc. Itѕ shipyards produced hundreds оf schooners, tugboats, аnd steamboats іn thе nineteenth century, аnd аftеr World War I began producing freighters, car ferries, oil tankers, аnd bulk carriers. Durіng World War II, thе Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company received а Navy contract tо build submarines, thоugh thе company hаd nеvеr built оnе before. Nevertheless, thе shipyard managed tо produce 28 ships іn thе time thе Navy hаd allotted tо build оnlу 10.
Manufacturing continues tо dominate Wisconsin's economy, muсh оf іt concentrated іn metropolitan Milwaukee, whеrе thе manufacture оf heavy machinery, tools, аnd engines rivals thе mоrе traditional brewing аnd meatpacking industries. Othеr important manufactures аrе vehicles, metal products, medical instruments, farm implements аnd lumber. Thе pulp, paper, аnd paper-products industry іn thе Fox Valley іѕ оnе оf thе largest іn thе nation. Wisconsin's fertile soils аlѕо provide agricultural products tо а large food processing industry. In thе north, Wisconsin ports ѕtіll accommodate large, oceangoing ships, аѕ wеll аѕ shipyards аnd coal аnd ore docks thаt аrе аmоng thе largest іn thе nation.
Monday, October 26, 2015
Bay View Neighborhood Milwaukee
Things to see and do in Bay View
Bay View is a neighborhood right on the shoreline of Lake Michigan that was founded in 1867. It is a beautiful area with great views, and lots to do. 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. Today, Bay View maintains its blue-collar feel, although properties along the lake run higher than in interior parts of the city. Despite its 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 1800s to Victorians and Milwaukee bungalows.
Captain Eber Brock Ward, of Michigan, opened his third rolling mill, The Milwaukee Iron Co., in Bay View in 1868. Within a year the village of Bay View sprung up as a company town around the steel mill. Cottages erected for mill workers became the center of the village. Many of these cottages are still occupied today and are a part of the diverse architecture of the Bay View neighborhood. With village incorporation in 1879, its rapid growth and demands for city services were so great that a vote was taken and the village was annexed to the city of Milwaukee in 1887, but Bay View's early days as a village helped create a degree of self-sufficiency for residents of today.
Bay View has many independently-owned museums, venues and businesses, so you can find a lot of unique culture and activities in the area. From dining to music venues, you can enjoy things in Bay View that you can't find anywhere else. There are plenty of historical sites such as the first Milwaukee-area railroad depot, which was established there. Another site of interest is the 25-story, 275-foot-high Bay View Terrace, which serves as the neighborhood's tallest building.
There are several campsites and fishing areas if you enjoy spending time outdoors. You can even take a guided fishing trip and find some the of best spots on the lake. Bay View also has great dining, and lots of choices for your family. You can choose from great sandwiches, pizza, fish, and coffee shops and get a taste of the local flavor. Bay View is a very friendly neighborhood, and will welcome you with open arms. Bay View boasts a stunning natural environment and rich Victorian history. Each summer, Bay View offers more than 50 concert experiences in a friendly community atmosphere. Also open to the public are recreational and cultural youth programs and water sports, including swimming and sailing instruction.
With the combination of interesting history and continuous cultural growth of Bay View, not to mention the obvious lakeside beauty, it is certainly one of the best days out in the Milwaukee area. You will find plenty to educate, inspire and entertain, whether you are alone, with friends or taking the family.
Bay View is a neighborhood right on the shoreline of Lake Michigan that was founded in 1867. It is a beautiful area with great views, and lots to do. 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. Today, Bay View maintains its blue-collar feel, although properties along the lake run higher than in interior parts of the city. Despite its 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 1800s to Victorians and Milwaukee bungalows.
Captain Eber Brock Ward, of Michigan, opened his third rolling mill, The Milwaukee Iron Co., in Bay View in 1868. Within a year the village of Bay View sprung up as a company town around the steel mill. Cottages erected for mill workers became the center of the village. Many of these cottages are still occupied today and are a part of the diverse architecture of the Bay View neighborhood. With village incorporation in 1879, its rapid growth and demands for city services were so great that a vote was taken and the village was annexed to the city of Milwaukee in 1887, but Bay View's early days as a village helped create a degree of self-sufficiency for residents of today.
Bay View has many independently-owned museums, venues and businesses, so you can find a lot of unique culture and activities in the area. From dining to music venues, you can enjoy things in Bay View that you can't find anywhere else. There are plenty of historical sites such as the first Milwaukee-area railroad depot, which was established there. Another site of interest is the 25-story, 275-foot-high Bay View Terrace, which serves as the neighborhood's tallest building.
There are several campsites and fishing areas if you enjoy spending time outdoors. You can even take a guided fishing trip and find some the of best spots on the lake. Bay View also has great dining, and lots of choices for your family. You can choose from great sandwiches, pizza, fish, and coffee shops and get a taste of the local flavor. Bay View is a very friendly neighborhood, and will welcome you with open arms. Bay View boasts a stunning natural environment and rich Victorian history. Each summer, Bay View offers more than 50 concert experiences in a friendly community atmosphere. Also open to the public are recreational and cultural youth programs and water sports, including swimming and sailing instruction.
With the combination of interesting history and continuous cultural growth of Bay View, not to mention the obvious lakeside beauty, it is certainly one of the best days out in the Milwaukee area. You will find plenty to educate, inspire and entertain, whether you are alone, with friends or taking the family.
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Milwaukee Beer Brewing History
Milwaukee's Rich Beer Brewing History
Around the year 1850 Milwaukee became well-known for brewing beer. German immigrants, with the know-how for brewing, were quick to set up breweries when they arrived here. By 1856 there were more than two dozen breweries in Milwaukee, most of them German owned and operated. By 1880, native Germans made up 27 percent of the city’s population — the highest concentration of a single immigrant group in any American city. Among these immigrants were Frederick Miller, who leased a brewery in town in 1855, Joseph Schlitz, who did the same in 1856 and Frederick Pabst, who followed a decade later. Along with Valentin Blatz, these four men represented the biggest breweries in town. One event in particular helped the rise in success of the Milwaukee breweries: at about noon on October 8, 1871, a fire started near a barn in Chicago — which was in the midst of a severe drought — and spread to over 3 square miles of the city, destroying 11 of the city’s 23 breweries, much of its water works and the housing for a third of the population. In response, many breweries in Milwaukee, following Schlitz’s lead, floated vast shipments of free beer to Chicago through Lake Michigan. Word got out and Schlitz became known as “The beer that made Milwaukee famous.” A year before the fire Schlitz produced around 6,800 barrels of beer. By the end of 1871, Schlitz produced 12,381 barrels.
It wasn’t long before Milwaukee had a national reputation for beer. By the turn of the century, the big breweries of Milwaukee were the country’s leaders in beer production. It wasn't just exporting that the beer was good for. Even before it was officially a city, Milwaukee had one tavern per every forty residents. Pabst was leading the way for many years, but Schlitz once more overtook Pabst to hold the title as the biggest brewer in the biggest beer town in America. In an effort to meet growing demand, the Schlitz brewery introduced the accelerated batch fermentation process in 1967, which allowed for 25 percent more production capacity and shorter fermentation times. This damaged the Schlitz name, as people learned the recipe had changed and this wasn't popular. Then, just a few years later, Schlitz was forced to dump 10 million bottles in Memphis and Tampa due to a haze discovered in the beer. Next there was legal trouble from sketchy ad campaigns which allowed Miller and Pabst to outsell Schlitz. Finally, in 1981, a workers’ strike caused Schlitz’s board of directors to close down their Milwaukee plant. Milwaukee residents coined the slogan, “Schlitz, the beer that made Milwaukee furious.”
Beer halls and taverns are abundant in Milwaukee to this day, although the breweries are fewer in number. Besides Miller and the heavily automated Leinenkugel's brewery in the old Blatz 10th Street plant, the only other currently operating stand-alone breweries in Milwaukee are Milwaukee Brewing Company, a microbrewery in the Walker's Point neighborhood, and Lakefront Brewery, a microbrewery located in Brewers Hill. The suburb of Glendale is home to Sprecher Brewery, another locally popular microbrew. Various brewpubs can be found throughout the Milwaukee area, including Milwaukee Ale House and Water Street Brewery. There has also been recent news that Pabst Brewing Co. will again brew beer in Milwaukee at the site of its historic former brewery, which the company shut down nearly 20 years ago. The company plan to open a microbrewery in 2016, including a tasting room, at the former Pabst Brewing complex on downtown's west side. Stories like this remind us that Milwaukee's rich brewing history is far from over, and it is exciting to consider what other regeneration projects might occur in the future.
Around the year 1850 Milwaukee became well-known for brewing beer. German immigrants, with the know-how for brewing, were quick to set up breweries when they arrived here. By 1856 there were more than two dozen breweries in Milwaukee, most of them German owned and operated. By 1880, native Germans made up 27 percent of the city’s population — the highest concentration of a single immigrant group in any American city. Among these immigrants were Frederick Miller, who leased a brewery in town in 1855, Joseph Schlitz, who did the same in 1856 and Frederick Pabst, who followed a decade later. Along with Valentin Blatz, these four men represented the biggest breweries in town. One event in particular helped the rise in success of the Milwaukee breweries: at about noon on October 8, 1871, a fire started near a barn in Chicago — which was in the midst of a severe drought — and spread to over 3 square miles of the city, destroying 11 of the city’s 23 breweries, much of its water works and the housing for a third of the population. In response, many breweries in Milwaukee, following Schlitz’s lead, floated vast shipments of free beer to Chicago through Lake Michigan. Word got out and Schlitz became known as “The beer that made Milwaukee famous.” A year before the fire Schlitz produced around 6,800 barrels of beer. By the end of 1871, Schlitz produced 12,381 barrels.
It wasn’t long before Milwaukee had a national reputation for beer. By the turn of the century, the big breweries of Milwaukee were the country’s leaders in beer production. It wasn't just exporting that the beer was good for. Even before it was officially a city, Milwaukee had one tavern per every forty residents. Pabst was leading the way for many years, but Schlitz once more overtook Pabst to hold the title as the biggest brewer in the biggest beer town in America. In an effort to meet growing demand, the Schlitz brewery introduced the accelerated batch fermentation process in 1967, which allowed for 25 percent more production capacity and shorter fermentation times. This damaged the Schlitz name, as people learned the recipe had changed and this wasn't popular. Then, just a few years later, Schlitz was forced to dump 10 million bottles in Memphis and Tampa due to a haze discovered in the beer. Next there was legal trouble from sketchy ad campaigns which allowed Miller and Pabst to outsell Schlitz. Finally, in 1981, a workers’ strike caused Schlitz’s board of directors to close down their Milwaukee plant. Milwaukee residents coined the slogan, “Schlitz, the beer that made Milwaukee furious.”
Beer halls and taverns are abundant in Milwaukee to this day, although the breweries are fewer in number. Besides Miller and the heavily automated Leinenkugel's brewery in the old Blatz 10th Street plant, the only other currently operating stand-alone breweries in Milwaukee are Milwaukee Brewing Company, a microbrewery in the Walker's Point neighborhood, and Lakefront Brewery, a microbrewery located in Brewers Hill. The suburb of Glendale is home to Sprecher Brewery, another locally popular microbrew. Various brewpubs can be found throughout the Milwaukee area, including Milwaukee Ale House and Water Street Brewery. There has also been recent news that Pabst Brewing Co. will again brew beer in Milwaukee at the site of its historic former brewery, which the company shut down nearly 20 years ago. The company plan to open a microbrewery in 2016, including a tasting room, at the former Pabst Brewing complex on downtown's west side. Stories like this remind us that Milwaukee's rich brewing history is far from over, and it is exciting to consider what other regeneration projects might occur in the future.
Forest Home Cemetery Milwaukee
Forest Home Cemetery - The Resting Place of Milwaukee's Great Ancestors
If you are interested in local history, then a visit to the well-kept Forest Home Cemetery might be a good idea. Forest Home Cemetery can be found in the Lincoln Village neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is the final resting place of many of the city's famed beer barons, politicians and social elite. Both the cemetery and its Landmark Chapel are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and were declared a Milwaukee Landmark in 1973. The cemetery is run by a non-profit organization held in public trust. Profits from each sale are reinvested to insure continual care of the buildings and land. Its Victorian landscape contains over 300 species of trees, along with many ornate statues, crypts and monuments.
Forest Home Cemetery is the result of a union of two beautiful historic cemeteries: Forest Home and German Waldheim. The site of Forest Home was a graveyard long before the coming of European settlers to Illinois. The Potawatomie People, who originally occupied much of the Chicago area, had established a graveyard here before the land was acquired by Ferdinand Haase (an immigrant from Prussia). Haase purchased the site of Forest Home from trapper Leon Bourassa, whose wife was Potawatomie. He built a house and farm, and then opened a public picnic grounds. By mining the land for gravel, he was able to arrange for a railroad spur line to be built, providing easy public access. Haase's Park was a popular recreational spot during the 1850s. Part of the land continued to be used for its original purpose as a cemetery.
At Forest Home Cemetery, the social elite are buried alongside laborers, radical politicians, beer barons, female anarchists, gangsters, and victims of epidemic and fire. Established in 1850, a church committee situated the cemetery of the original 72 acres on a known former Indian village and sacred effigy and burial mound site. The first burial, a gentleman of the name Orville Cadwell, occurred on August 5 in the same year of the cemetery's founding. In 1854, Ferdinand Haase's 21-year-old brother-in-law Carl Zimmerman was buried on a small mound that had been part of the Potawatomie burial grounds, becoming the first non-Native American buried there.
The evocative monuments and family crypts the beer and wheat barons chose for themselves in death reflect their powerful mark on the city's cultural and political landscape in life. Oppressive, deliberate, imposing, they are a testimony of self-importance and a symbol of the competition among the elite. Construction of the Gothic-style Landmark Chapel, using Lake Superior Sandstone, a dark red sandstone found near the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior, started in 1890 and took two years to complete. The cemetery's area grew to 200 acres by the turn of the century to accommodate the growing demand for bigger and better plots.
Modern improvements within Forest Home Cemetery include two large mausoleums. The Halls of History is an indoor temperature controlled mausoleum and community center. Along with the columbarium and crypts it houses, the center contains a number of permanent and changing exhibits that educate visitors about the history of Milwaukee and over 100 of its people. Adjacent to this is a large terraced outdoor mausoleum called Chapel Gardens. It contains above ground burials in porticos set by ornate colonnades, statues, and rose gardens. Forest Home is split into eastern and western parts by the Des Plaines River. Until recently, due to the deterioration of the bridges over the river, it was impossible to walk from one side to the other without leaving the cemetery. A new bridge was installed in 2003 to remedy this. If you are around the Milwaukee area then the Forest Home Cemetery is certainly worth a visit.
If you are interested in local history, then a visit to the well-kept Forest Home Cemetery might be a good idea. Forest Home Cemetery can be found in the Lincoln Village neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is the final resting place of many of the city's famed beer barons, politicians and social elite. Both the cemetery and its Landmark Chapel are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and were declared a Milwaukee Landmark in 1973. The cemetery is run by a non-profit organization held in public trust. Profits from each sale are reinvested to insure continual care of the buildings and land. Its Victorian landscape contains over 300 species of trees, along with many ornate statues, crypts and monuments.
Forest Home Cemetery is the result of a union of two beautiful historic cemeteries: Forest Home and German Waldheim. The site of Forest Home was a graveyard long before the coming of European settlers to Illinois. The Potawatomie People, who originally occupied much of the Chicago area, had established a graveyard here before the land was acquired by Ferdinand Haase (an immigrant from Prussia). Haase purchased the site of Forest Home from trapper Leon Bourassa, whose wife was Potawatomie. He built a house and farm, and then opened a public picnic grounds. By mining the land for gravel, he was able to arrange for a railroad spur line to be built, providing easy public access. Haase's Park was a popular recreational spot during the 1850s. Part of the land continued to be used for its original purpose as a cemetery.
At Forest Home Cemetery, the social elite are buried alongside laborers, radical politicians, beer barons, female anarchists, gangsters, and victims of epidemic and fire. Established in 1850, a church committee situated the cemetery of the original 72 acres on a known former Indian village and sacred effigy and burial mound site. The first burial, a gentleman of the name Orville Cadwell, occurred on August 5 in the same year of the cemetery's founding. In 1854, Ferdinand Haase's 21-year-old brother-in-law Carl Zimmerman was buried on a small mound that had been part of the Potawatomie burial grounds, becoming the first non-Native American buried there.
The evocative monuments and family crypts the beer and wheat barons chose for themselves in death reflect their powerful mark on the city's cultural and political landscape in life. Oppressive, deliberate, imposing, they are a testimony of self-importance and a symbol of the competition among the elite. Construction of the Gothic-style Landmark Chapel, using Lake Superior Sandstone, a dark red sandstone found near the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior, started in 1890 and took two years to complete. The cemetery's area grew to 200 acres by the turn of the century to accommodate the growing demand for bigger and better plots.
Modern improvements within Forest Home Cemetery include two large mausoleums. The Halls of History is an indoor temperature controlled mausoleum and community center. Along with the columbarium and crypts it houses, the center contains a number of permanent and changing exhibits that educate visitors about the history of Milwaukee and over 100 of its people. Adjacent to this is a large terraced outdoor mausoleum called Chapel Gardens. It contains above ground burials in porticos set by ornate colonnades, statues, and rose gardens. Forest Home is split into eastern and western parts by the Des Plaines River. Until recently, due to the deterioration of the bridges over the river, it was impossible to walk from one side to the other without leaving the cemetery. A new bridge was installed in 2003 to remedy this. If you are around the Milwaukee area then the Forest Home Cemetery is certainly worth a visit.
Friday, October 23, 2015
History of Milwaukee
Milwaukee's Fascinating History
In his book, The Making of Milwaukee, Historian John Gurda describes present-day Milwaukee as a stronghold of industries and immigrants: “By the early 20th century, Milwaukee had developed a national reputation based on three related hallmarks: Germanism, Socialism and beer. Today all three have faded in importance, but, as another century begins, the Milwaukee Idea retains a thoroughly distinctive sense of place. Choice and circumstance have combined to produce a unique community, one whose character reflects influences as diverse as Harley-Davidson and Pabst Blue Ribbon, Golda Meir and Father Groppi, the German revolutionaries of 1848 and the Milwaukee Braves of 1957.”
This gives us an idea of how fascinating and diverse the Milwaukee heritage really is. From obscure beginnings as an Indian settlement and then as a hugely successful Great Lakes port, it has come on a unique journey to become a place well worth exploring today.
Milwaukee had the best natural harbor on the western shore of Lake Michigan. Settlers flocked here and three rival settlements were established by three main founders - Solomon Juneau, Byron Kilbourn and George Walker. Juneau came to Milwaukee from Montreal in 1818 to work with the American Fur Trading Company, but he realized the fur trade was dwindling and became a real estate developer when he partnered with Morgan Martin, a wealthy Green Bay lawyer and businessman. Kilbourn was a ruthless businessman from Ohio who wanted to develop Milwaukee as a port city, although he couldn't touch Juneau's land on the east. He managed to obtain the land on the west with the help of a crooked surveyor, as the land actually belonged to the Potawatomi. The south side of Milwaukee was claimed by Walker, who didn't have the wealth of Juneau and Kilbourn, and remained undeveloped for years as ownership was tied up in legal wrangling.
The three rival settlements - Juneautown, Kilbourntown, and Walker’s Point - fought a small-scale civil war over the issue of bridges, but in 1846 all three sides came together as the City of Milwaukee.
Milwaukee rose to early prominence as a trader of grain, and in the early 1860s it was the largest shipper of wheat on the planet. There were also processing industries - flour-milling, meat-packing, leather-tanning, and brewing. In the later 1800s, manufacturing became the city’s lifeblood, and Milwaukee produced a great variety of steam engines, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, mining shovels, and automobile frames. Jobs in the metal-bending industries attracted tens of thousands of newcomers. German families were the majority of Milwaukee’s population as early as 1860, and they were also joined by Irish, Polish, Italian, Greek, and other immigrants. In the 1920s, continued industrial expansion attracted large numbers of African-Americans and Latinos as well.
Milwaukee became a big city, with big-city problems to prove it. Political corruption was among the worst, and under Mayor David Rose the city became a center of officially sanctioned vice. In 1910, however, Milwaukee became the only major city in America to give power to Socialists, who made Milwaukee one of the best-governed communities in the country. Mayors Daniel Hoan (1916-1940) and Frank Zeidler (1948-1960) were particularly instrumental in cleaning up the city.
Since World War II, Milwaukee has not been immune from urban problems such as racial unrest, poverty, and the loss of family-supporting factory jobs, but there have also been some extremely positive developments: world-class festivals, a downtown renaissance, and the rise of a truly global diversity. Tourism in particular is thriving in Milwaukee today, as there is such a rich variety of culture and natural beauty, which continue to bring people from across the world.
In his book, The Making of Milwaukee, Historian John Gurda describes present-day Milwaukee as a stronghold of industries and immigrants: “By the early 20th century, Milwaukee had developed a national reputation based on three related hallmarks: Germanism, Socialism and beer. Today all three have faded in importance, but, as another century begins, the Milwaukee Idea retains a thoroughly distinctive sense of place. Choice and circumstance have combined to produce a unique community, one whose character reflects influences as diverse as Harley-Davidson and Pabst Blue Ribbon, Golda Meir and Father Groppi, the German revolutionaries of 1848 and the Milwaukee Braves of 1957.”
This gives us an idea of how fascinating and diverse the Milwaukee heritage really is. From obscure beginnings as an Indian settlement and then as a hugely successful Great Lakes port, it has come on a unique journey to become a place well worth exploring today.
Milwaukee had the best natural harbor on the western shore of Lake Michigan. Settlers flocked here and three rival settlements were established by three main founders - Solomon Juneau, Byron Kilbourn and George Walker. Juneau came to Milwaukee from Montreal in 1818 to work with the American Fur Trading Company, but he realized the fur trade was dwindling and became a real estate developer when he partnered with Morgan Martin, a wealthy Green Bay lawyer and businessman. Kilbourn was a ruthless businessman from Ohio who wanted to develop Milwaukee as a port city, although he couldn't touch Juneau's land on the east. He managed to obtain the land on the west with the help of a crooked surveyor, as the land actually belonged to the Potawatomi. The south side of Milwaukee was claimed by Walker, who didn't have the wealth of Juneau and Kilbourn, and remained undeveloped for years as ownership was tied up in legal wrangling.
The three rival settlements - Juneautown, Kilbourntown, and Walker’s Point - fought a small-scale civil war over the issue of bridges, but in 1846 all three sides came together as the City of Milwaukee.
Milwaukee rose to early prominence as a trader of grain, and in the early 1860s it was the largest shipper of wheat on the planet. There were also processing industries - flour-milling, meat-packing, leather-tanning, and brewing. In the later 1800s, manufacturing became the city’s lifeblood, and Milwaukee produced a great variety of steam engines, agricultural machinery, electrical equipment, mining shovels, and automobile frames. Jobs in the metal-bending industries attracted tens of thousands of newcomers. German families were the majority of Milwaukee’s population as early as 1860, and they were also joined by Irish, Polish, Italian, Greek, and other immigrants. In the 1920s, continued industrial expansion attracted large numbers of African-Americans and Latinos as well.
Milwaukee became a big city, with big-city problems to prove it. Political corruption was among the worst, and under Mayor David Rose the city became a center of officially sanctioned vice. In 1910, however, Milwaukee became the only major city in America to give power to Socialists, who made Milwaukee one of the best-governed communities in the country. Mayors Daniel Hoan (1916-1940) and Frank Zeidler (1948-1960) were particularly instrumental in cleaning up the city.
Since World War II, Milwaukee has not been immune from urban problems such as racial unrest, poverty, and the loss of family-supporting factory jobs, but there have also been some extremely positive developments: world-class festivals, a downtown renaissance, and the rise of a truly global diversity. Tourism in particular is thriving in Milwaukee today, as there is such a rich variety of culture and natural beauty, which continue to bring people from across the world.
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