Historic Water Recreation at River and Lakefront

Milwaukeeans once enjoyed their “in-town Up North” according to historian John Gurda in his book, Milwaukee: A City Built on Water. Upstream of the former North Avenue Dam, all ages, genders, and classes celebrated their precious Sunday one-day weekends swimming, boating, or just enjoying the warm river waters.

Today’s public lakefront is a legacy of Milwaukee’s Socialists whose campaign of “public enterprise” built Lincoln Memorial Drive in the 1920s. Landfill activities pushed the shoreline eastward. This historic lakebed, subject to the state’s Public Trust Doctrine, was filled for public use and enjoyment.

We invite you to explore the web map below and through the Milwaukee Community Map in Google Earth, where you explore this and other Deeper Dives—like digital museum exhibits on other water themes.