Historic Water in Milwaukee Area

Milwaukee was divided into townships in the 1830s. Surveyors noted where they found rivers, streams, marshes, swamps, ponds, springs, and lakes. Hard surfaces have since replaced acres of wetlands. This map shows an interpretation of surveys conducted from 1835 through 1837. Click on features for details based on the surveyors’ notes. The blue line represents the historic shoreline.

We invite you to explore the web map below and through the Milwaukee Community Map in Google Earth, where you can cross this basemap with other interactive story layers.