Description

Bay View has a very rich and diverse history, so much so that it is impossible to cover all of its deserving scenes and stories here in this one book. In order to narrow it down a bit, this volume will focus on aspects that involve Kinnickinnic Avenue, the main artery that runs through the center of Bay View. Originally an Indian trail that traversed north and south from Milwaukee to Chicago, Kinnickinnic Avenue was well utilized by Native Americans, European traders, explorers and settlers. Kinnickinnic Avenue, or KK, as it is known by Bay Viewites, witnessed virtually all aspects of local history, including the beginnings of the French fur trade, the settling of the area following the Homestead Act of 1862, America's first labor strike in 1886, as well as the organization of Freemasons and Good Templars. Today, KK remains the main artery of Bay View, and bustles full of restaurants and shops, nightclubs and residences, most of which are housed in buildings that still stand today just as they did when first constructed many years ago.