Lake Park
National Register of Historic Places

Lake Park

Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
Listed
April 21, 1993
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
93000339

About this property

Lake Park is an urban park covering 138.1 acres (559,000 m2), stretching 1 mile (1.6 km) on a bluff above Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Lake Park was designed in the late 19th century by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed Central Park in New York City along with many others. Believing that access to nature had a civilizing and restorative effect on the urban public, Olmsted designed Lake Park in the Romantic tradition, with a preference for natural (over formal) landscaping, winding paths, a variety of vistas, incorporation of wildlife, and a balance between active recreation and more passive enjoyment. Milwaukee architect Alfred Clas designed the park's pavilion, dedicated in 1903, as well as the grand stairway, added in 1908, that led from the pavilion to the lakeshore promenade below. Covering 138.1-acre (559,000 m2) on the shore of Lake Michigan, the park is part of a mostly contiguous stretch of lakefront amenities that extend north from Milwaukee's downtown, including Bradford Beach, various parks, McKinley Marina, and the Milwaukee Art Museum. The park terrain includes both bluffs and ravines. In addition, Lake Park is home to the last remaining Indian mound in the city of Milwaukee. The others were destroyed by early settlers of the city and surrounding area. A portion of the Oak Leaf Trail Lake Line runs through the park. It also contains North Point Lighthouse, which was built in 1888. A 6-hole golf course was built in 1903, expanding to 18 holes in 1930. Lake Park is the favorite park of John Hamann, a local celebrity known as the Milverine for his resemblance to Wolverine when walking shirtless. In July 2016, Lake Park became a popular location for Poké-Stops in the game Pokémon Go. In August 2016, the Milwaukee County Parks Department asked Niantic to remove the game stops until a permit was received, in compliance with a county ordinance.

Location

2900 N. Lake Dr. and 2800 E. Kenwood Blvd.
Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
43.07138, -87.86777

Categories

PREHISTORICLANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

North Point Lighthouse
Industrial
0.4 mi
Prospect Hill Historic District
Listed
0.5 mi
North Point North Historic District
Listed
0.6 mi
Kenwood Park-Prospect Hill Historic District
Listed
0.6 mi
Newberry Boulevard Historic District
Listed
0.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Lake Park listed on the National Register?

Lake Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 21, 1993.

What type of historic resource is Lake Park?

Lake Park is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Lake Park?

The period of significance for Lake Park is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Lake Park?

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