Milwaukee Shore (Hall)
c. mid 19th century
Milwaukee, being a confluence of rivers and the large Lake Michigan, grew as a town that had and utilized its water supply. From shipping to brewing and tanning, the industry in Milwaukee was defined by the ready access to water for transport, utilization and waste removal.
The shore line of Milwaukee would undergo large changes throughout its history. The bluffs north of the Milwaukee river mouth used to cascade directly down into the lake with very little shoreline. This painting shows how many of thosse spans of shoreline looked, but this was prior to the addition of the railroad lines. Milwaukee’s shore was extended over 100 feet into Lake Michigan to allow the addition of rail lines and a station. In 1965 a new terminal replaced the shoreline Union station and the rail lines were replaced by a road, and park spaces.
