Doors Open Milwaukee is an annual celebration of Milwaukee's architecture, history and neighborhoods. The FREE event opens 150+ locations throughout the metro area to tour for free! Click here to plan your weekend.
Downtown Milwaukee's narrative has most often focused on the stories of Milwaukee's three founders, omitting the many contributions of women. This walk will explore these stories and connect them to…
The First and Second Street Historic District celebrates the almost continuous development of the area from the 1840s to the 1920s. Added to the register in 1987, the district has transformed…
Welcome to Yankee Hill! The neighborhood is bounded by Wisconsin Avenue on the south, Ogden Street on the north, Water Street on the west and Prospect Avenue on the east. This choice,…
Walking down Old World Third Street today you are not likely to see many German shops advertising “English Spoken Here” as a special or unique service; but as early as…
Milwaukee's buildings feature many "faces" that appear on churches to remind people of another world of monsters, demons and strange beasts waiting for sinners. From monsters to angels these ornaments…
The First and Second Street Historic District celebrates the almost continuous development of the area from the 1840s to the 1920s. Added to the register in 1987, the district has transformed again. The former factories and warehouses are now home to unique dining experiences and places to live, work and play. The district has added connections…
This East Side neighborhood, with its Polish and Italian working class communities, briefly became Milwaukee’s counter-culture stronghold in the 60’s and 70’s.
Walking down Old World Third Street today you are not likely to see many German shops advertising “English Spoken Here” as a special or unique service; but as early as 1848, Germans represented 1/3 of the entire population in Milwaukee and this section of the city was the life’s blood of German immigrants. This tour…
Starting at the iconic North Point Water Tower, we'll head south to learn about some of the earliest homes built on the East Side. Join us for a fresh look at the mansion district!
Interested in discovering more about your house? Learn how to research your home with retired librarian Carolyn Colwell & HMI Staff Member, Julia Griffith. They will review the tools available at the library, City of Milwaukee, and Milwaukee County that will reveal the history of the families and architecture of your home or building. Have…
On Friday, October 28, 1892, the city’s largest and most destructive fire occurred in the Historic Third Ward. It began with spontaneous combustion in the Union Oil and Paint Company building on the Milwaukee River at Water Street, south of St. Paul Avenue. The fire spread east to Lake Michigan and south to Erie Street,…
Milwaukee's buildings feature many "faces" that appear on churches to remind people of another world of monsters, demons and strange beasts waiting for sinners. From monsters to angels these ornaments will delight you. Take a walk with our tour guides and get a closer look at some of the gargoyles, grotesques, and dragons that adorn…
