Historic Milwaukee App

Since 1974, Historic Milwaukee, Inc. has been dedicated to increasing awareness of and commitment to Milwaukee's history, architecture and the preservation of our built environment through education and advocacy. Historic Milwaukee, Inc. is a nationally recognized cultural institution representing the gold standard in community-based historic preservation and education. Our smartphone based walking tours are the next step in expanding our reach. Historic Milwaukee, Inc. is an affiliated member of the Wisconsin Historical Society, a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and VISIT Milwaukee. More than 1,000 Historic Milwaukee, Inc. volunteers share a love of history, Milwaukee's architectural treasures and the future of our city.

Historic Milwaukee, Inc. draws on its four decades of programming expertise to deliver engaging and informative tours and other innovative and educational programming on Milwaukee's history and architecture. Our tours are delivered in variety of formats: walking tours, specialized tours; step-on tour guides for coach buses and student tours that reinforce key educational outcomes for grades three through five. Historic Milwaukee, Inc. is the only nonprofit provider of these educational and historic tours in Milwaukee.

Our long-standing walking tours explore Milwaukee's unique and vibrant neighborhoods. Regular walking tours included a daily "Downtown Thu the Eras" tour, weekly Saturday tours of Brady Street and the Third Ward and a weekly Sunday tour of North Point Mansions. A winter tour season allows visitors to explore Milwaukee from the vantage point of the skywalk system with Skywaukee. Historic Milwaukee, Inc. has researched and developed more than 35 specialized tours that are offered on a rotating basis each year. We continually seek out feedback from our members and tour participants to improve our tours. New this year is a Walker’s Point tour, offered with both English and Spanish-speaking volunteer guides. Historic Milwaukee, Inc. invests significant time and energy in preparing its volunteer tour guides. All prospective tour guides complete a rigorous educational course that prepares them to become tour guides. Our student tours are tailored for third through fifth grade curriculum and starts with a guided tour of downtown that focuses on local history, civic government, architecture and geography.

Historic Milwaukee's Doors Open Milwaukee has become a much-loved community weekend. It has grown quickly; from approximately 40,000 site visits the first year to more than 90,000 site visits. Created with the foresight of Historic Milwaukee staff and longtime volunteers, Doors Open Milwaukee is one of only five such programs in North America. Attendees visited the Gaslight Building, gazed out at Milwaukee from the top of the U.S. Bank building and learned about fresh water and Lake Michigan at Jones Island.

Historic Milwaukee is also well known for presenting the Spaces & Traces Annual Neighborhood Open House. Over the past 34 years, hundreds of volunteers have helped thousands of tour goers

become more familiar with the unique characteristics of dozens of historic areas in Milwaukee's richly textured neighborhoods. Tour attendees have been educated about the "historical traces" of areas as varied as the Third Ward, Yankee Hill, Lincoln Avenue, Bay View, Rufus King, Newberry Boulevard, Sherman Park, and Story Hill as well as the areas along the rivers in downtown, Brady Street, Riverwest, and Walker's Point.

Milwaukee is a city that respects and honors its rich architectural heritage but is looking ahead as well. An increasingly sophisticated workforce evaluates a range of lifestyle and community offerings when choosing where to live and work. Among the questions they consider: What kind of city do I want to be part of? What types of community events are available for me, my family and friends and visiting guests?