Milwaukee River

Milwaukee ca. 1901. "The river from Sycamore Street."

[Photo: Shorpy/Detroit Photographic Co.]

As with many of these old photos of US cities on Shorpy, the place looks so much livelier - and more European - than the modern day view (this, as far as I can tell). Signs all over, for Adolphe Meinecke Toy Co., the Badger State Fur Co., Governor shoes for men, H.H.West Co. bookbinders... No breweries, disappointingly, for the city famous for its breweries [cue What's Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made a Loser Out Of Me)].

Interesting history on the city's German heritage, from this thread:

There were two sets of German immigration in Milwaukee. The first around 1839. The second, and larger one, around 1848 in the wake of the European rebellions of 1848. Most of these "48ers" came to Milwaukee with a good chunk of change in their bank accounts and decided to make a name for themselves in what would soon be referred to as "German Athens".

Prior to 1848 a majority of businesses on 3rd street were Yankee owned, thanks to the establishment of Kilbourntown by Byron Kilbourn. After 1848, 90% of the business on 3rd street were German owned and 3rd became a major retail street in Milwaukee. It was so German in fact, shopkeepers had to put "English spoken here" in order to entice non-German speakers into their businesses. German businesses made up 3rd street as far south as Wisconsin Ave and as far North as North Avenue with a Schuster's Department store capping off the end of the retail district.

That large building in the picture was known as the Pabst Building. Constructed in 1891 it was Milwaukee's first skyscraper. It was the tallest building in Milwaukee until the current city hall was constructed in 1895. It was demolished in 1981 and replaced with the Faison Building that stands there today.

Comments

[Mark]

Nice. The City Hall constructed in 1895 (mentioned in the quote) is the tall building in the background with the clock tower. It's pretty much the only building in the photo still standing today.