Milwaukee: Then and Now

Milwaukee's name, meaning "gathering place by the water," comes from the Native Americans who first populated this attractive area located on the shores of Lake Michigan. The town was founded in the 1840s by the merchants Juneau, Kilbourn, and Walker, and it soon became a thriving center for trade. Many of its early settlers were prosperous New England businessmen seeking new opportunities. These entrepreneurs built churches, schools, and parks that really started to put Milwaukee on the map…