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Third Ward Information
Third Ward is an upper class neighborhood located just to the south of
downtown, the Third Ward is noted for a large number of condominiums and loft
apartments, antique stores, and art galleries. It is also a center of
Milwaukee's gay community. It's also home to the Milwaukee Institute of Art &
Design.
The Historic Third Ward is a historic warehouse district located in downtown
Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The neighborhood is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places. Today, the Third Ward is home to over 450 businesses and
maintains a strong position within the retail and professional service community
in Milwaukee as a showcase of a mixed-use district. The neighborhood's
renaissance is anchored by many specialty shops, restaurants, art galleries and
theatre groups, creative businesses and condos. It is home to the Milwaukee
Institute of Art and Design (MIAD) and the Eisner Museum of Advertising and
Design. The Ward is adjacent to the Summerfest grounds.
During the early years of Milwaukee, the Third Ward was a relatively flat,
swampy area. The land was drained, and soon houses populated the east side of
the Ward, while along the east side of the Milwaukee River, factories and
warehouses were built. Irish immigrants were the early settlers of the area. The
Ward became known as the "Bloody Third", a reputation developed for the colorful
fistfights that broke out often.
The first railroad linked Milwaukee to the Mississippi River in 1856, letting
the wholesalers supply needed goods to the population of settlers in the West.
The Irish settlers in the Third ward went through two major tragedies. On
September 7, 1860 the Lady Elgin steamship left Milwaukee carrying a large
number of passengers from the Third Ward's Irish community. Over 400 people are
believed to have died when the ship sank and is the second greatest loss of life
seen on the Great Lakes. A Wisconsin Historical Marker in the Third Ward
commemorates the tragedy while a monument dedicated at Calvary Cemetery serves
as a cenotaph.
The second tragedy struck on October 28, 1892. A fire started in the Water
Street Union Oil & Paint Co. Strong winds of up to 50 mph help to spread the
fire to the Ward's other buildings. In a no time at all, the fire was out of
control. Cities such as Chicago and Oshkosh helped Milwaukee's fire department
fight the flames by sending horse-drawn units by rail. 440 buildings were
destroyed and more than 1,900 people, mostly Irish families, were left without
homes by the time the fire was finally under control at midnight.
Prominent local architects stepped in to design many of the commercial
structures after the 1892 fire. Over the next 36 years construction continued,
giving the buildings an interesting continuity that unifies the neighborhood
because of this relatively short time of development.
Italian immigrants replaced the Irish, during this period of reconstruction, and
the Irish had moved to different areas in the city. The Italians were very
prolific in the warehouse businesses, establishing Commission Row, a grouping of
grocery commission houses. By 1915, 29 Italian saloons, 45 Italian groceries, an
Italian bank and two spaghetti factories populated the Ward. Grocery warehouses,
liquor distributors dry goods businesses and manufacturers were the business
that flourished during this time.
Highway construction displaced the close-knit Italian Third Ward community in
the 1960s. The trucking industry and suburb growth led to the decline of
warehouse operations and industry. Ironically, Milwaukee's first architectural
landmark was named in 1967, the Blessed Virgin of Pompeii Catholic Church, the
same year it was demolished for construction of the I-794 freeway.
In 2000, the Historic Third Ward Association began co-sponsoring Milwaukee's
premier art event, Gallery Night and Day, a quarterly event which attracts
thousands of visitors to the neighborhood. The Historic Third Ward has recently
experienced an influx of upscale women's boutiques, children's clothing shops,
restaurants and high-end furnishings businesses. The Milwaukee Public Market
also offers year-round indoor gourmet and specialty food shopping.