Meanings Behind Shorewood's Street, Park and Building Names

The intersection of Capital and Oakland Ave. Photo via Shorewood Historical Society.

Capitol Drive has changed names four times, Oakland Avenue follows a surveyor's line from 1835, and one street commemorates Wisconsin's first "dummy line" railway. These aren't just thoroughfares—they're the chronicles of how a farming community transformed into Wisconsin's most densely populated village, one street name at a time.

Shorewood's street, building and park names preserve a remarkable story, from Native American hunting grounds to a planned streetcar suburb that attracted Milwaukee's elite. Each name reflects pivotal moments in the village's development, transportation revolutions, and the community's evolving identity between Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee River.

The village's naming patterns reveal three distinct influences: the transportation networks that made suburban living possible, the municipal milestones that marked its growth, and the geographic features that shaped its character. Understanding these patterns unlocks the hidden history beneath our feet.

A big shout out to the Shorewood Historical Society for the assist on this post!

The street that couldn't keep a name

Capitol Drive holds the record for most name changes in Shorewood history, cycling through four different identities before settling on its current designation. Originally called Lake Street, it became Mineral Springs Road, then Atwater Road, and finally Capitol Drive in 1927 when the concrete bridge across the Milwaukee River near the Oak Leaf Trail connected it to Capitol Drive on Milwaukee's west side.

The street's multiple identities reflect Shorewood's rapid evolution. Each name change marked a new phase in the community's development—from rural farming area to recreational destination to integrated suburban thoroughfare. The original Atwater name lives on at Atwater Beach, where wooden steps and a pier were built in 1916 when "East Capitol Drive was called Atwater Road."

This naming evolution illustrates how communities adapt their identity markers as they grow. Capitol Drive's journey from local Lake Street to major regional thoroughfare mirrors Shorewood's transformation from isolated farming community to integral part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area.

Following the surveyor's compass

Oakland Avenue and Capitol Drive intersect at one of Shorewood's most historically significant spots—the precise point where four original land sections from the 1835 government survey meet. Oakland Avenue follows these original section lines, making it literally a foundational street in the village's development.

The 1835 survey occurred when the U.S. government purchased land from the Menominee people through the Treaty of Washington. Surveyors divided the wilderness into precise geometric sections, and Oakland Avenue emerged along one of these original boundaries. This practical surveying decision from 1835 would later determine where Shorewood's village center developed.

The intersection became crucial when the Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company expanded streetcar service along Oakland Avenue in 1898. The village center emerged along this streetcar line, with businesses and services clustering at the intersection of the historic survey line and the major east-west thoroughfare. Oakland Avenue represents how 19th-century surveying decisions shaped 20th-century community development.

From toll road to Gold Coast

Lake Drive began as the Whitefish Bay Toll Road, a private route for horse-drawn vehicles that became public in 1913 when Milwaukee County purchased it from private ownership. This transformation from private toll road to public thoroughfare enabled the development of Shorewood's famous "Gold Coast" of mansions along the Lake Michigan bluff.

The road's privatization reflected early transportation economics—private companies built and maintained roads, charging tolls to recoup investment. When Milwaukee County acquired the route, it opened lakefront access to broader development. Wealthy Milwaukee families began building architect-designed mansions with Lake Michigan views, creating the prestigious residential area that defines Lake Drive today.

This naming pattern—Lake Drive for its proximity to Lake Michigan—represents the geographic influence on Shorewood's street naming. The community's founders understood that natural features provided both practical navigation aids and appealing residential amenities.

The "dummy line" connection

Downer Avenue preserves the memory of the "Dummy Line," the Whitefish Bay Railway Company's commuter train that operated along this route from 1886 to 1898. The colorful nickname "dummy line" referred to small steam locomotives that looked like passenger cars, designed to avoid frightening horses with their mechanical appearance.

The railway was crucial to Shorewood's development as one of Milwaukee's first suburbs. Before reliable public transportation, only the wealthy could afford to live outside the city and commute by private carriage. The Dummy Line made suburban living accessible to Milwaukee's growing middle class, enabling the residential development that would define Shorewood's character.

When the railway company replaced the Dummy Line with electric streetcar service in 1898, Downer Avenue retained its name as a permanent reminder of this transportation revolution. The street name honors the technology that made suburban Shorewood possible.

Milestones in municipal development

Richland Court holds the distinction of being Shorewood's first paved street, receiving concrete in 1913 as part of the village's rapid infrastructure development. This seemingly minor municipal milestone marked a crucial transition from rural farming area to modern suburban community.

The paving of Richland Court coincided with explosive population growth—from 300 residents in 1900 to 1,255 by 1913. The village was racing to provide infrastructure for new residents attracted by streetcar access to Milwaukee jobs and lakefront amenities. By 1920, Shorewood had 15 miles of paved streets and 24 miles of sidewalks.

Other streets commemorate municipal development milestones: Morris Boulevard housed the Public Works Department built in 1928, while Murray Avenue became home to the Safety Building that housed both police (organized 1920) and fire departments (organized 1929). These street names preserve the memory of how a rapidly growing community organized professional municipal services.

The Ghost Train legacy

The present day Oak Leaf Trail follows the route of one of America's most famous passenger trains—the legendary "Twin Cities 400" operated by the Chicago & North Western Railway from 1935 to 1963. Known for covering the 400-mile journey between Chicago and St. Paul, Minnesota, in less than 400 minutes, this high-speed train once thundered right through Shorewood along what is now a peaceful recreational trail.

The Twin Cities 400 represented the golden age of American passenger rail travel, when streamlined diesel trains connected major cities at unprecedented speeds. The train's route through Shorewood provided residents with front-row seats to witness this technological marvel as it raced northward toward the Twin Cities twice daily.

Today, the Oak Leaf Trail occupies this historic railway corridor, transforming a transportation route into a recreational amenity. While no street bears the train's name, the trail itself preserves the memory of when Shorewood residents could hear the whistle of one of America's most celebrated passenger trains passing through their community. The "Ghost Train" lives on in the trail that replaced the tracks, connecting Shorewood to a broader network of recreational paths while honoring its high-speed rail heritage.

The Hubbard behind Hubbard Park

Hubbard Park bears the name of Village President William J. Hubbard, who purchased the land in 1922 for public use, but the park's location tells a more colorful story. The site housed a succession of amusement parks: Lueddemann's-on-the-River (1872), Coney Island, Wonderland, and finally Ravenna Park.

The original Wonderland amusement park controversy actually triggered Shorewood's incorporation in 1900. Milwaukee visitors arrived by streetcar and were dropped off at the Oakland Avenue and Menlo Boulevard gate, creating noise and crowds that motivated local residents to incorporate as the Village of East Milwaukee for better local control.

The park's naming honors local leadership while preserving memory of the area's entertainment heritage. The transformation from private amusement park to public park reflects Shorewood's evolution from controversial recreational destination to family-oriented suburban community.

From East Milwaukee to Shorewood

The most significant naming decision in Shorewood's history occurred in 1917 when the Village Board changed the community's name from East Milwaukee to Shorewood. This change reflected residents' desire for a distinct identity that would "more accurately reflect the environment that attracted business and professional people."

The new name captured the community's essential character—wooded areas along the shore of Lake Michigan. "Shorewood" suggested both natural beauty and sophisticated suburban living, distinguishing the village from industrial Milwaukee while maintaining convenient access to urban amenities.

This renaming decision influenced subsequent street naming patterns. New subdivisions received names that reinforced the community's identity as an upscale residential area with natural amenities and planned development.

Legacy of planned development

Shorewood's street names tell the story of America's streetcar suburb era, when public transportation enabled the first wave of suburban development. The village developed as a classic streetcar suburb with systematic street grids, planned neighborhoods, and coordinated municipal services.

The naming patterns reveal how communities balance practical navigation needs with identity creation. Streets named after transportation routes (Oakland Avenue, Downer Avenue) provided functional wayfinding, while names honoring local leaders (Hubbard Park) and geographic features (Lake Drive) reinforced community identity.

Today, these street names serve as permanent historical markers, preserving the memory of transportation technologies, municipal milestones, and community transformations that shaped one of Wisconsin's most distinctive suburban villages. Walking Shorewood's streets means following the paths of streetcar lines, surveyor's sections, and the ambitions of residents who built a model community between the lake and the river.