What to know about the upper east side of Milwaukee
There are more than 75 distinct neighborhoods in Milwaukee.
Here’s what to know about Upper East Side.
Where is the upper east side of Milwaukee?
The upper east side neighborhood is located just north of downtown and the east side neighborhood along Lake Michigan. Its southern border is North Avenue and runs between two waterways — Lake Michigan and the Milwaukee River — to its northern border of Shorewood at E. Edgewood Avenue.
What's considered the upper east side also overlaps with what many consider the North Point neighborhood and other smaller neighborhoods. The boundaries of Milwaukee's many neighborhoods have changed over time, and differ — and overlap — depending on the source.
What is the history behind the upper east side?
Potawatomi, Ojibwe, Odawa (Ottawa), Fox, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sauk and Oneida people called Milwaukee home for three centuries prior to the arrival of European settlers.
The development of the Upper East Side happened slower than in surrounding neighborhoods. It wasn't until the late 1800s that industrial workers began to move north of downtown in search of work, according to Urban Anthropology's neighborhoodsinmilwaukee.org. Mostly Germans inhabited the area at first, working at a yarn factory and ice houses along the Milwaukee River.
Affluent neighborhoods grew in the upper east side near the lake
With open land above what is now North Avenue, developers wanted to attract more affluent populations to the area. Two subdivisions were created in the late 1800s and filled up in the 1900s. Lake Park was also built in the area around the same time. It was designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted who was commissioned by the city to design three parks: Lake Park, River Park (now Riverside Park) and West Park (now Washington Park).
Milwaukee's upper east side is home to parks, restaurants, shops and hiking trails
The upper east side Neighborhood is home to a few attractions:
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: While areas closer to the lake are mostly residential, there is also a college-town feel in some parts of the Upper East Side where UW-Milwaukee sits.
Lake Park: One of Milwaukee's best parks, Lake Park overlooks Lake Michigan and includes a golf course, hiking trails, tennis courts, a playground and is home to Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro.
Downer Avenue Shops and Restaurants: The area draws many patrons to popular restaurants (Café Hollander, Bel Air Cantina and Canela Cafe) and shops (Boswell Book Company and Stone Creek Coffee).
Bradford Beach: One of Milwaukee's beautiful lakefront beaches that is open year round. In the summer, it has concessions, a couple beach bars and volleyball nets.
Urban Ecology Center: The Urban Ecology Center is an outdoor enthusiast's dream. You can rent gear, join group outings on the water or trails and learn about Wisconsin's natural resources. Plus, their east side location has a climbing wall.
Oak Leaf Trail: A section of the 135 miles of trails throughout Milwaukee runs through the upper east side neighborhood, connecting trail users to the north and south of the county. You can learn more about the trail at county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Parks/Explore/Trails/Oak-Leaf-Trail.
Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Home: There are a few homes designed by the famous architect in Milwaukee. One, which was for sale in 2023, is on the upper east side.
New to the neighborhood? Here’s how to access Milwaukee services
The Upper East Side is located in the 3rd aldermanic district. Contact your alderperson and find news about the district at city.milwaukee.gov/CommonCouncil/CouncilMembers/District3.
The upper east side is located in the Milwaukee Police Department’s District 5, which has public safety meetings at 5:30 p.m. the first Wednesday of the month. Find more information at https://city.milwaukee.gov/police/districts/District-5.
Find your garbage and recycling schedules at city.milwaukee.gov/sanitation/GarbageRecyclingSchedules.
Learn how to register to vote and find your polling place at city.milwaukee.gov/election/Voter-Info.
Need to borrow tools for a home improvement project? Check out the city’s Tool Loan Center, 2500 W. Capitol Drive. More details at bit.ly/MKE_ToolLoan.
Want to get emailed updates about police activity, new development and more in your neighborhood? Sign up for the city’s e-notify system at city.milwaukee.gov/News-Events/enotify.
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What makes your Milwaukee neighborhood special to you? Do you have any photos in the neighborhood you'd like to share? Share more at bit.ly/MKE_Neighborhoods.
Drew Dawson can be reached at [email protected] or 262-289-1324.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A guide to Milwaukee's upper east side neighborhood
