Historic Third Ward, Milwaukee
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Historic Third Ward District
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Third Ward Neighborhood
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| Location | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
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| Coordinates | 43°01′58″N 87°54′21″W / 43.0328°N 87.9057°WCoordinates: 43°01′58″N 87°54′21″W / 43.0328°N 87.9057°W |
| Built | 1875 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| NRHP Reference # | 84003724 |
| Added to NRHP | March 8, 1984 |
The Historic Third Ward is a historic warehouse district located in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This Milwaukee neighborhood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the Third Ward is home to over 450 businesses and maintains a strong position within the retail and professional service community in Milwaukee as a showcase of a mixed-use district. The neighborhood's renaissance is anchored by many specialty shops, restaurants, art galleries and theatre groups, creative businesses and condos. It is home to the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (MIAD), and the Broadway Theatre Center. The Ward is adjacent to the Summerfest grounds. The district is bounded by the Milwaukee River to the west and south, E. St. Paul Ave to the north, and N. Jackson St. to the east.
During the early years of Milwaukee, the Third Ward was a relatively flat, swampy area. The land was drained, and soon houses populated the west side of the Ward, while along the east side of the Milwaukee River, factories and warehouses were built. Irish immigrants were the early settlers of the area. The Ward became known as the "Bloody Third," a reputation the area earned for its frequent fistfights.
The first railroad linked Milwaukee to the Mississippi River in 1856, letting the wholesalers supply needed goods to the population of settlers in the West. The Irish settlers in the Third ward went through two major tragedies. On September 7, 1860 the Lady Elgin steamship left Milwaukee carrying a large number of passengers from the Third Ward's Irish community. Over 400 people are believed to have died when the ship sank and is the second greatest loss of life seen on the Great Lakes. A Wisconsin Historical Marker in the Third Ward commemorates the tragedy while a monument dedicated at Calvary Cemetery serves as a cenotaph.
The second tragedy struck on October 28, 1892. A fire started in the Water Street Union Oil & Paint Co. Strong winds of up to 50 mph helped to spread the fire to the Ward's other buildings. In no time at all, the fire was out of control. Cities such as Chicago and Oshkosh helped Milwaukee's fire department fight the flames by sending horse-drawn units by rail. 440 buildings were destroyed and more than 1,900 people, mostly Irish families, were left without homes by the time the fire was finally under control at midnight.
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