From the River to the Lake, a Village runs through it

Probably taken in the late 1930s or early 1940s, cars travel along Oakland Ave. at the intersection of Capitol Dr. (looking north).

Shorewood’s colorful history dates back to 1674 when French missionary Pere Jacques Marquette and his companions first saw the present site of Shorewood as they were traveling along the Milwaukee River. After the United States government purchased the area from the Menominee Indians, the arrival of settlers was not far behind. By 1836, Mechanicsville, as it was then known, had two saw mills and a dam. The first permanent settler, Thomas Bar, purchased 90 acres east of the river and the present day Capitol Drive in 1841.

The residents of the neighboring Milwaukee community found the area a delightful get away and in 1872, Lueddemann's on the River opened. The resort was a popular attraction for many years with a few name changes - Zweitusch's Mineral Springs Park, Coney Island, Wonderland, and finally Ravenna. The era of the resort-amusement park ended in 1916, but Hubbard Park and its historic lodge still remain a place of relaxation and entertainment for visitors and villagers. The village was originally incorporated in 1900 as the Village of East Milwaukee, making Shorewood the fourth oldest suburb in the Milwaukee area. The Village’s official name was changed to Shorewood in 1917.

Historical information as found in Images of America - Shorewood, Wisconsin provided by the Shorewood Historical Society www.shorewoodhistory.org.