Milwaukee is dedicated to keeping our history alive, and there is a lot of it. From our industrial era to our astounding architecture and brewing roots, Milwaukee history is as fascinating as it is beautiful. Thanks to a large catalog of historic photographs, we can view today what our city looked like as far back as the early 1900s. Brew City’s roots run far back into history, but you can still see glimpses of the present beneath the film of these rare photographs from long ago.
- West Michigan Street didn’t look all that different!
Herman J Esser / Library of Congress/Call Number: HABS WIS,40-MILWA,39- This public service building was bustling with workers in 1905. Our industry field might not be what it was then, but our architecture on Michigan Ave. is still just as beautiful.
- The old Gimbels store.
John Vachon/Photogrammar/ LOC ID: LC-USF33-T01-001528 Gimbels was once the most popular department store in Milwaukee and is missed by many. Here’s what it looked like after 97 years in 1939.
- The lake used to be used differently.
John Vachon/Photogrammar/LOC ID: LC-USF33-T01-001915 Back in the day, we used the beach for bathing, as shown in this photo from 1940. Can you imagine bathing in the beautiful—yet mucky—Lake Michigan today?
- New Public Library.
Library of Congress/Detroit Publishing Co./Call Number: LOT 12688, no. 32 [P&P] The Milwaukee Central Library is the oldest library in the city, but it was once named New Public Library. The building is as beautiful as it was in 1901.
- Freight yards in the 1930s.
Carl Mydans/Photogrammar/LOC ID: LC-USF34-006003 These industrial plants stretch as far as the eye can see. Milwaukee used to be much more industrial in 1936 than it is today.
- Wisconsin Avenue viaduct.
Carl Mydans/Photogrammar/LOC ID: LC-USF34-006016 The viaduct is still here, but the residential houses look much different!
- Milwaukeeans!
John Vachon/Photogrammar/LOC ID: LC-USF33-T01-001419 Milwaukeeans sure looked sharp in the ’30s.
- This classy German couple.
John Vachon/Photogrammar/LOC ID: LC-USF33-T01-001430 Our German roots never looked so good.
- Juneau Park.
Library of Congress/Detroit Publishing Co./Call Number: LC-D4-12572 [P&P] Here’s our awesome lakeside park in the very early 1900s! Check out what it looks like today in our previous article here.
- The courthouse.
John Vachon/Photogrammar/LOC ID: LC-USF33-001436 Our courthouse doesn’t look much different than it did in the ’30s!
- The Schlitz Brewery.
Albertype Co./Library of Congress/ID Number: LC-USZ62-15867 Can you believe that breweries used to make deliveries with horse-drawn buggies in 1910?
- The parlor of the Pfister hotel.
Library of Congress/Detroit Publishing Co./Call Number: LC-D4-42558 [P&P] The elegant and famous Pfister never looked as classy as it did in 1900.
- Last but not least, Milwaukee City Hall.
Library of Congress/Detroit Publishing Co./Call Number: LC-D4-13177 [P&P] In 1901, our city hall was the tallest structure in the country. Though no longer holding the claim of “tallest,” it still is as beautiful as it was then.
Can you imagine that this is how Milwaukee used to look? Does it bring up stories from your own past? Share your thoughts below!
Herman J Esser / Library of Congress/Call Number: HABS WIS,40-MILWA,39-
This public service building was bustling with workers in 1905. Our industry field might not be what it was then, but our architecture on Michigan Ave. is still just as beautiful.
John Vachon/Photogrammar/ LOC ID: LC-USF33-T01-001528
Gimbels was once the most popular department store in Milwaukee and is missed by many. Here’s what it looked like after 97 years in 1939.
John Vachon/Photogrammar/LOC ID: LC-USF33-T01-001915
Back in the day, we used the beach for bathing, as shown in this photo from 1940. Can you imagine bathing in the beautiful—yet mucky—Lake Michigan today?
Library of Congress/Detroit Publishing Co./Call Number: LOT 12688, no. 32 [P&P]
The Milwaukee Central Library is the oldest library in the city, but it was once named New Public Library. The building is as beautiful as it was in 1901.
Carl Mydans/Photogrammar/LOC ID: LC-USF34-006003
These industrial plants stretch as far as the eye can see. Milwaukee used to be much more industrial in 1936 than it is today.
Carl Mydans/Photogrammar/LOC ID: LC-USF34-006016
The viaduct is still here, but the residential houses look much different!
John Vachon/Photogrammar/LOC ID: LC-USF33-T01-001419
Milwaukeeans sure looked sharp in the ’30s.
John Vachon/Photogrammar/LOC ID: LC-USF33-T01-001430
Our German roots never looked so good.
Library of Congress/Detroit Publishing Co./Call Number: LC-D4-12572 [P&P]
Here’s our awesome lakeside park in the very early 1900s! Check out what it looks like today in our previous article here.
John Vachon/Photogrammar/LOC ID: LC-USF33-001436
Our courthouse doesn’t look much different than it did in the ’30s!
Albertype Co./Library of Congress/ID Number: LC-USZ62-15867
Can you believe that breweries used to make deliveries with horse-drawn buggies in 1910?
Library of Congress/Detroit Publishing Co./Call Number: LC-D4-42558 [P&P]
The elegant and famous Pfister never looked as classy as it did in 1900.
Library of Congress/Detroit Publishing Co./Call Number: LC-D4-13177 [P&P]
In 1901, our city hall was the tallest structure in the country. Though no longer holding the claim of “tallest,” it still is as beautiful as it was then.
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