[milwaukee-electric] Re: Wauwatosa or West Allis?

[Gary Schnabl]

On account of the snow, I was uncertain if there were railroad tracks or 
a poorly plowed roadway in that photo. I suppose that Wauwatosa went as 
far to the east as 27th Street at some ancient time because on the 1910 
Census, my grandfather's 30-acre "farm" at 42nd & Capitol Drive was 
listed as being in the town of Wauwatosa. Back when the village of West 
Milwaukee was incorporated a bit over 100 years ago, it too was listed 
as being in Wauwatosa, along with West Allis.
Today, I came across an 1838 map 
(http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=%2Ftp&CISOPTR=5506&DMSCALE=25.00000&DMWIDTH=770&DMHEIGHT=600&DMMODE=viewer&DMFULL=0&DMOLDSCALE=2.66005&DMX=0&DMY=0&DMTEXT=&DMTHUMB=1&REC=1&DMROTATE=0&x=132&y=36 
<http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=%2Ftp&CISOPTR=5506&DMSCALE=25.00000&DMWIDTH=770&DMHEIGHT=600&DMMODE=viewer&DMFULL=0&DMOLDSCALE=2.66005&DMX=0&DMY=0&DMTEXT=&DMTHUMB=1&REC=1&DMROTATE=0&x=132&y=36>) 
showing the original streams roughly between Milwaukee and Pewaukee--the 
only two locations of any significant settlement back then. One can 
approximate their current locations by knowing that the section lines 
are roughly roads such as Capitol Drive, 27th Street, Sherman Boulevard, 
etc.

Milwaukee was about 2 1/2 square miles then, and Pewaukee had about a 
half square mile in area. The map shows the path of the proposed 
Milwaukee to Rock River Canal traversing the Subcontinental Divide 
between Milwaukee and Pewaukee. Part of its path was chosen to be very 
near the interurban's ROW.



On 12/26/2010 10:24 AM, Ken and Tracie wrote:
> Hi Gary,
>
> Definitely 72nd&  State.
>
> I worked in the "Village" from 1979 until early 1985. My employer had a
> fueling account for company vehicles at that Texaco. The station also
> handled repairs on our older vehicles once they were out of warranty.
>
> The new upper cross arms with six wires were added to the Milwaukee Road's
> signal pole line in 1957, replacing the company's two wire AC circuit
> through the area.
>
> Though the street lighting fixture style was popular in communities across
> the country, the street lighting poles and fixtures seen on State Street
> were unique to Wauwatosa as far as Milwaukee suburbs were concerned..They
> were replaced between the late 1970s and the early 1980s. I have a finial
> from one.
>
> After a pedestrian bridge was built at the location of the former streetcar
> bridge crossed the river, I often took the Route 76 bus to 68th and State
> and walk the right of way to work. Much faster than waiting for the
> westbound Route 71.
>
> K.
-- 

Gary Schnabl
Southwest Detroit, two miles NORTH! of Canada--Windsor, that is...