Historical Signs

Shorewood’s Southwest Sector

Prior to its housing boom in the 1920s, Shorewood hosted five nature-inspired and raucous amusement parks, and the sprawling Oakland Car Station and Trainmen’s building, in operation until the 1960s.

All eventually disappeared, but before then the southwest quadrant – Edgewood Avenue on the south, Milwaukee River to the west, Oakland Avenue to the east, and Newton Avenue to the north – drew thousands to water slides, beer halls, a motordrome, hotel and a theater.

While it lasted, it was great fun.

•  In 1872, Frederick A. Lueddeman opened his Milwaukee River-side farm, adding benches and paths and bravely named it Lueddeman’s-on-the River. Northwestern Union Railway laid tracks for its steam engines across the Shorewood plateau.
• Otto Zwietusch bought 33 acres from Lueddeman in 1873, calling it Mineral Springs Park. He added a hotel, with billiards room and restaurant.
• In 1900, the Village of East Milwaukee (precursor to Shorewood) was established. Oscar Miller and the Summer Amusement Company purchased Mineral Springs and renamed it Coney Island Park. A wooden rollercoaster, the Scenic Railway, wound through the park. The Oriental Elephant, also contained a haunted house. There were beer gardens, shooting galleries, a high-wire act and a zoo. Typical daily cost for a family: $5. The park closed after three seasons.
• The resort was renamed Wonderland Amusement Park from 1905 to 1909. New owners added water chutes, a 200-foot tower and a larger Ferris wheel. But the park remained unprofitable.
• Finally, the business was reopened as Ravenna Park with the Milwaukee Motordrome, a steeply banked motorcycle racetrack,.

Eventually, loud music, garish lights and beer-sodden crowds on Oakland Avenue seemed out of place.

By 1917, Shorewood had its new name and the park’s 33 acres were developed for homes on Newton Avenue and Menlo and Morris boulevards.