Milwaukee
c. late 19th century
This painting is a birds eye view of the Milwaukee harbor. In it we can see the break water walls that were constructed to make the harbor a calmer location than the the open lake. Shipping was an incredibly important part of the growth of Milwaukee. In the early years it was a busier port than even Chicago to the south. The reason for this was that the Great Lakes were the fastest form of transportation for good, such as grain and furs originating in the Midwest and travelling East.
Milwaukee’s port suffered a set back when the railroads came through. Chicago was a closer city to the rail lines as they were built, and this new land transportation system was even faster than shipping. Although Milwaukee continues to be an important port on the Great Lakes, the days of being a stratigicly critical link to the East have come and gone.
