The Changing Neighborhood
A Closer Look
On N. 38th Street and N. 39th Street, between W. Garfield Avenue and W. Lloyd Street, there are 68 lots. Throughout history, this area has changed in many ways. In the early 1900s, the population of the neighborhood was predominantly of German descent. Washington Park was a new neighborhood being developed to satisfy the dreams these families had of owning a nice home with a backyard. Sanborn maps from 1910 show that most of this area's lots were full of homes at one point, with two lots holding a church and a corner store.
Between 1910 and 1951, there were two World Wars; during this time, men were away from their families, women were working, and life was very different for Americans. The map from 1951 represents the boom in American life after World War II. Every lot in the area is filled, and nearly every lot has added a garage. This area was a hub of activity and was close to major transportation areas, making it easy for residents to get to and from work. It was also close to the park and W. North Avenue, a central shopping district for the neighborhood. The location of these blocks, in conjunction with the occupations held by the residents, may have been a high contributing factor for this neighborhood's popularity among families looking to purchase homes in the early 1900s. In 1951 Washington Park was flourishing, and that is recognizable when reading maps from this time period. The map from 2013 shows a very different picture. There is an increase in empty lots, and although the church and corner store still stand, they now appear unapproachable. There are many factors which led to Washington Park's current condition, but there are also many people working to get the neighborhood back to the state it was in immediately following World War II -- a lively, safe, and flourishing neighborhood. Throughout history this neighborhood has undoubtedly undergone many changes, some of which seem mainly artificial when studied outside of the neighborhood's context; however, when considered on a deeper level, the effects these changes have on the people living in the area become evident. One major revision that occurred was the changing of street names. On maps dated from the early 20th century, both W. Garfield Avenue and W. Lloyd Street had different names -- W. Elm Street and W. Pabst Avenue, respectively. While it seems minor, this change would be drastic for those living on these streets; suddenly residents had a new address, and the homes took on new identities. Of the 68 lots located on these blocks, the two that have continuously remained the same are that of the church on N. 39th Street and W. Garfield Avenue and the corner store on N. 38th Street and W. Lloyd Street. The corner store has been listed as commercial property since no later than 1910 and could be beneficial for the neighborhood depending on the products it sells. For example, a small corner store which sells household items or groceries would be very beneficial to the residents. The neighborhood's church, which has served as a church since 1910 as well, has undergone several name changes. The 1910 Sanborn map shows it as Washington Park Chapel, whereas the 1927 map labels it as Washington Park Presbyterian Church. Today the church is known as Christian Fellowship Community Church, and, although it is a positive asset to the community, one could wonder if the multiple changes it has undergone have affected the neighborhood and parishioners. |
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The Changing Neighborhood
W. Lisbon Avenue between N. 30th Street and N. 40th Street has a history of being very flexible to community needs. The once bustling area of business has undergone an unfortunate downturn in recent years. The community's past assets were very industrial in nature. Large corporations like Harley-Davidson, Briggs & Stratton, and more made their profits from the labor of Washington Park residents. Many of the smaller businesses of the area were erected as a support structure for the rising population due to the community's large postindustrial infrastructure. Small grocery stores, coffee shops, nightclubs, automotive garages, and machine shops all thrived in this neighborhood. When the business left the area during the economic downturn of the 1970s, the residual effects could have been traumatic had it not been for Concordia University being in the area. The university prospered in a time when the baby boomer population was getting their secondary educations.
The masses flocked to Washington Park, and the businesses that catered to the young, up-and-coming crowd prospered. Many of the Polish flats and large residences of the area were rented out to students. The area also had a rise in multi-family home construction. After Concordia University left the neighborhood, nothing was left to support the surrounding smaller businesses, and the area went into a decline. Many of the small businesses that still line W. Lisbon Avenue support the neighborhood's low-income residents who have taken advantage of the inexpensive rental properties that blanket the community. As a result of the shift in neighborhood character and economy, many of today's businesses specialize in childcare. A large number of Washington Park residents with families work hours or have socially dynamic situations that create a need for childcare facilities. |
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The Visitor's Experience
Milwaukee began as a commercial city and quickly gained a reputation of having hard workers. Throughout the early years of Milwaukee's development, many new communities began springing up around the city, one of them being Washington Park. The experiences in each of these communities were unique, as they all offered different amenities.
The term 'sight' is simply the idea of what the average person sees every day. For people in the late 1910s and 1920s there was a variety of things happening within the Washington Park neighborhood. The community itself was very diverse in that a large part of its population was foreign-born (primarily German and Polish). In 1910, Milwaukee and New York were tied for first in the percentage of foreign-born population. The growth of industries, factories, and houses within Washington Park and beyond was facilitated by the rising popularity of the automobile, which allowed people to live farther away from work. A visitor passing through Washington Park during this time would find themselves with many things to occupy their time. Theaters, breweries, and the development of parks became the next big things for hard working citizens looking for entertainment. The Uptown Theatre on N. 49th Street and W. North Avenue became one of the predominant hangout places for the people of the Washington Park neighborhood. The development of Washington Park itself was also a big hit for people, as it was home to animals, social events, musicals, theatrical performances, and much more. The overall picture of somebody walking through the Washington Park neighborhood in the late 1910s and 1920s was very different from that of fifty years prior. With the development of parks, recreational centers, growing industries, and the automobile, there was much to see and do in this community. |
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