Historic Third Ward Walk

Welcome to Milwaukee! We're starting at the Milwaukee Public Market, in the Historic Third Ward. Its founders took their inspiration from Pike Place Market in Seattle, and they wanted a space that would support smaller, local businesses. The building opened in 2005, designed by The Kubala Washatko Architects of Cedarburg, Wisconsin.

The architects say the steel, glass and brick were chosen to honor the industrial history of the Third Ward, and as we walk you'll see the old brick warehouses that inspired them. The project cost about 10 million dollars, paid for with a mix of private and public money. Here's an interesting lesson the market learned. When it opened, most vendors sold raw ingredients.

Over time, organizers found that vendors did better selling freshly prepared food, so today you'll find bakery items, soup, seafood, cheese, spices, coffee, candy and plenty of ready-to-eat meals, along with flowers and gifts. Since November 2018, the market has had its own stop on The Hop, the city's streetcar.

This is the Historic Third Ward, a warehouse district that's one of the oldest neighborhoods in Milwaukee. It was once a flat, swampy area between Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee River, drained in the 1850s. Its early settlers were Irish immigrants, and its fistfights earned it the nickname the Bloody Third. The Irish community suffered two great tragedies.

In 1860, the steamship Lady Elgin sank with many Third Ward passengers aboard. About 300 people are believed to have died. Then on October 28, 1892, a fire broke out at an oil and paint company on the river. Driven by strong winds, it destroyed 440 buildings and left more than 1,900 people homeless.

Cities as far away as Chicago sent horse-drawn fire units by rail. The Ward was rebuilt quickly, which is why its warehouses look so unified, and Italian immigrants moved in, with saloons, groceries and spaghetti factories. After decades of decline, a cluster of these buildings became a historic district in 1984. Today it's full of shops, galleries and theaters.