Article - The Streets of Edward A. Green

[Yance]

The Streets of Edward A. Green

By Yance Marti
© January 19, 2010

The Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit in the Milwaukee Public Museum opened on Friday January 15, 1965 with an intimate and detailed view of life in downtown Milwaukee in the 19th century. In a speech during the opening night, Mayor Maier said that, “...those cities with the greatest futures are many times those which are proudest of their past.” The new exhibit showed a pride in the past which wasn’t easily found in the city at the time. Urban renewal had already changed much of Milwaukee’s downtown and freeway projects continued to demolish remnants of the 19th century that remained.

Many artifacts from mansions and buildings were salvaged to find their way into the exhibit. The mirror at the back of the Schlitz tavern was salvaged from the Blatz Mansion which was torn down for the Park East Freeway. The Kitty Williams “house of ill repute” on East State Street, torn down in 1963 provided materials and inspiration for a room above the optometrist office. Stained glass and old doors from other demolished buildings provided original materials in various buildings constructed as part of the exhibit.

The idea for the Streets of Old Milwaukee was suggested by art director and exhibit designer, Edward A. Green of the City’s Public Museum when plans for the new museum were underway. It was built after much research by himself and Robert Lietz and after one and a half years of construction. This was the first exhibit of the new museum and the first of its kind in the country which allowed visitors a chance to interact with a nearly life-sized recreation of a 19th century city within a large 5,600 square foot exhibit space. The realistic details included everything from original cedar paving blocks to mannequins dressed in period costumes, including “Granny” relaxing in the perpetual evening on her porch’s moving rocking-chair. The buildings were representative of many of the old businesses including Pfister and Vogel tannery, Laabs drugstore, Usinger’s sausage shop, the Daily Journal, George Watts and sons, the Edwin Toepfer company, and many more.

Ed performed his initial research by taking photographs of many of the city’s older buildings that would serve as models. Many extra details would not be overlooked including painted signs, pasted handbills, and even graffiti. He searched through the extensive archives of the museum and the Historical Society to try to realistically portray life in the late 19th century when Milwaukee wasn’t the busy metropolis it would later become. Several businesses and individuals donated historical items to include in the various buildings.

Over the years the exhibit has continued to change and evolve, adding more mannequins and other businesses so that visitors can be more immersed in the varied history of the city. Later additions to the original exhibition were the Mader’s restaurant added in May 1966, the Poehlmann bakery added in November 1980, the Roundy, Peckham grocery added in February 1998, and the African-American, Watson family added in February 2000.
Since his retirement in 1984, Edward Green has kept busy with other projects as well as his personal art work. A few of the other exhibits he has designed include the Mitchell Airport Gallery of Flight and the Milwaukee Beer Museum. Even at 88 years young he continues to give lectures about his past work and impart his knowledge of museum exhibit designs.

Sources:
Edward A. Green
Milwaukee Sentinel, October 17, 1953
Milwaukee Journal, January 16, 1965
Milwaukee Journal, November 21, 1980
Milwaukee Journal, May 25, 1984
Milwaukee Journal, January 2, 1985
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, December 4, 2000

[just1paul]

I have not been through the streets of old Milwaukee since probaby 1989-1990. Maybe someday i should take a walk. Thanks for the interesting post Yance.

[Yance]

Here are a few more images courtesy of Ed Green.