09/01/2026
How cool to see 23rd & Wisconsin (our current location) before the hotel was built!
Grand Avenue, now West Wisconsin, was still a gravel road when these brave souls took their high-wheelers out for a spin in about 1890. The riders were crossing 23rd Street when the shutter clicked.
The intersection is part of the densely settled Avenues West neighborhood today, but it was practically in the country when these wheelmen barreled through.
Read more: https://www.milwaukeemag.com/heres-an-inside-look-at-milwaukees-first-bicycle-craze/
Story by: John Gurda
Photo: Courtesy of the Milwaukee County Historical Society
This story originally appeared in our August 2026 issue. Ensure every month’s issue is delivered right to your door for less than $20 a year. Subscribe now: https://tr.ee/MilMagSubscribe