1901 Map of Milwaukee

About this map

Milwaukee at the beginning of the twentieth century is a dense industrial and maritime hub concentrated around Milwaukee Bay and the mouth of the Milwaukee River. The city's grid is already well-defined, transitioning northward into a landscape of smaller settlements and agricultural townships like Granville and Mequon. Transportation defines the geography, with the Chicago and Northwestern R. R. and the Milwaukee and St. Paul R. R. radiating from the urban core. To the north, the Lake Shore Line follows the bluffs overlooking Lake Michigan. Notable pockets of development appear at Whitefish Bay and Fox Point, while inland, the river supports small communities like Thiensville and Silver Spring. The map documents a period before the sprawling suburbanization of the late 20th century, capturing individual depots like Dillman Sta. and localized centers such as Berthelet and Lindwurm that were later absorbed into the growing metropolis.