The historian and geographer, John Gurda, talks and writes about Riverwest at the time it was first built. It was an area with a grocery or tavern on almost any corner. He says that the neighborhood started off as German, and by the turn of the 19th century, was about 50 % Polish, and the other 50 % German. The Germans were there because the East side English and Scots wouldn't let them buy in. The late Victorian mansions were built especially along Prospect avenue , on the East side going north from downtown, and along Grand Avenue, now Wisconsin, going west from downtown. Few survive, the Pabst Mansion, the former home of the Archbishop, being one of the best. Interestingly, many of the Riverwest homes were built in stages. After the main floor, a few years later when there was more money and maybe more kids, the second floor would be built, then sometimes even a third or dormer floor above, a few years after that. One of the largest Riverwest homes, a corner brick house on a larger than usual lot, actually went thru 6 raisings, as I recall the story. By the way, a large part of Milwaukee is still of German or Polish descent. It's been said that many of the public grade schools had the first several years of classes only in German in the pre - WW1 years. Sometimes still today on the near South side and down towards the Basilica ( the gold dome came up on a flatbed train car from Chicago ) you can still hear three non - English languages spoken in three blocks. Ashley ----- Original Message ----- From: [email protected] To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2005 6:13 PM Subject: Re: [WiMilwau] Milwaukee river swimming In a message dated 3/3/05 6:36:25 PM Eastern Standard Time, [email protected] writes: > This is the part of Milwaukee known as Riverwest. My house is actually > in the area known as Harambee, which is directly west of Riverwest. was this, historically, a particular group's neighborhood? ==== WIMILWAU Mailing List ==== For subscribe/unsubscribe and other general list information, please see http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~sewis/wimilwau.htm ============================== New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429