Milwaukee is the largest city in the state of Wisconsin and the fifth-largest city in the Midwestern United States. Milwaukee's estimated population in 2015 was 600,155, the Metropolitan Area has an estimated population of 2,046,692 as of 2015. Ranked by estimated 2014 population, Milwaukee is the 31st largest city in the United States.
The first Europeans to pass through the area were French Catholic missionaries and fur traders. In 1818, the French Canadian explorer Solomon Juneau settled in the area, and in 1846 Juneau's town combined with two neighboring towns to incorporate as the city of Milwaukee. Large numbers of German immigrants helped increase the city's population during the 1840s, with Poles and other immigrants arriving in the following decades.
Known for its brewing traditions, Milwaukee is currently experiencing its largest construction boom since the 1960s. Major new additions to the city in the past two decades include the Milwaukee Riverwalk, the Wisconsin Center, Miller Park, an expansion to the Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, and Pier Wisconsin, as well as major renovations to the UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena, while the under-construction Wisconsin Entertainment and Sports Center is scheduled to open in 2018. In addition, many new skyscrapers, condos, lofts and apartments have been built in neighborhoods on and near the lakefront and riverbanks.
ABOUT THE FOOTAGE
Opening shots at the General Mitchell Airfield, with a Northwest Aeroplane (number 556) and passengers boarding. We fly over an unidentified area and continue with Milwaukee downtown footage.
Buildings, structures and signs seen here in this video:
-Campbell Laundry Co., est. 1880 by Horace N Campbell (old address) 714 Sycamore St. (current address 712 W. Michigan St.), it was build in 1910. Campbell was absorbed by Polly Prince in 1959.
-(sign) Schlitz Beer – ''the Beer that made Milwaukee famous'', -(sign) Joe Lynch, -(sign) Enjoy Borden's Milk,
-The M.E. Church on Grand Avenue, (2133 W. Wisconsin Ave)
-Calvary Presbyterian Church (935 W Wisconsin)
-St. James Episcopal Church (833 W Wisconsin)
-George Washington Statue
-Victorious Charge Monument, W. Wisconsin Ave. (the former Grand Avenue) between N. 9th St. and N. 10th St.)
-the dome of the Public Library and Museum in the far distance
ABOUT THE AIRFIELD
It is named after United States Army Air Service General Billy Mitchell, who was raised in Milwaukee and is often regarded as the father of the United States Air Force.
The first airport terminal opened in July 1927. That month, Northwest Airlines, Inc., began air service from Milwaukee to Chicago and Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP). In August 1927, world-renowned aviator Charles Lindbergh visited the Milwaukee airport. Kohler Aviation Corporation began providing passenger service across Lake Michigan on August 31, 1929. On March 17, 1941 the airport was renamed General Mitchell Field after Milwaukee's military airpower advocate, Brigadier General William "Billy" Mitchell. On January 4, 1945, Mitchell Field was leased to the War Department for use as a World War II prisoner-of-war camp. Over 3,000 prisoners and 250 enlisted men stayed at the work camp. Escaped German prisoners were often surprised to find a large German American population just beyond the fence. The present terminal opened on July 20, 1955 and was designed by Leigh Fisher and Associates. In the year 1951 the airfield processed 279.226 passengers.
ABOUT GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR
a World War II icon – with strong ties to Milwaukee, spent much of his early life here, graduating from West Division High School. A rededication ceremony on Saturday morning will mark the moving of the city’s Douglas MacArthur statue to its new home near the War Memorial.
ABOUT THE STREETCARS
The Milwaukee Electric Railway and Light Company is a defunct railroad in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Its Milwaukee streetcar lines ran on most major streets and served most areas of the city. The interurban lines reached throughout southeastern Wisconsin. The last streetcar to run in Milwaukee, and the entire state, operated on Wells Street on March 2, 1958. Electric locomotives continued operating at the power plants until the early 1970s. The last two remaining sections of interurban lines were to Hales Corners and Waukesha. They continued in operation until June 30, 1951 as part of the Milwaukee Rapid Transit and Speedrail Company's rapid transit service. The outer end of the East Troy branch (beyond Mukwonago) continues to operate as the East Troy Electric Railroad, a 7-mile (11 km) long heritage railroad.
Dates of operation: 1905 – 1958, Length: 191 miles (307 km)