John Gurda is a Milwaukee historian.
He is the the Chair of the Citizen Advisory Committee On The Naming Of Public Buildings, Facilities And Streets.
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Content referencing John Gurda
Why Milwaukee Elections Are Always Viewed With Suspicion
A 'punching bag' for outstate Republican legislators?
Dec 23rd, 2025 by Alexander Shur
Meet Milwaukee’s Flag Task Force
Will the council agree with its rankings?
Jul 1st, 2025 by Jeramey Jannene
Celebrating 100 Years of A Sewage Plant
Jones Island is a national landmark. Officials gather to mark its importance.
Jun 25th, 2025 by Jeramey Jannene
Bradley Foundation Has Become Less Local
Much less money for Wisconsin, more board members from outside state.
Jun 12th, 2024 by Bruce Murphy
Milwaukee and the Stolen Picasso
Tale from 1969 puts a city with few Picasso paintings at center of an international mystery.
Jun 19th, 2023 by Bruce Murphy
County Planning Habitat Restoration in Milwaukee River Greenway
Project will clear invasive species, improve habitats for plants and wildlife.
Jan 13th, 2023 by Graham Kilmer
New Policy Would Require County To Study Demolishing The Domes
County board considering replacing repair-focused 2016 policy after limited progress.
Dec 1st, 2022 by Graham Kilmer
The Age of Elegance
Upper East Side’s Prospect Hill neighborhood is a walk past one lovely, distinctive mansion after another.
Sep 2nd, 2022 by Cari Taylor-Carlson
A Walk In The Riverwest Woods
The walk from Concordia to Capitol along the river displays oh so much of nature’s beauty.
Aug 28th, 2021 by Cari Taylor-Carlson
Walker’s Point is a Living Museum
So many housing styles and interesting architecture in what was once called ‘Skunk Grove.’
Jun 12th, 2021 by Cari Taylor-Carlson
Bay View Offers History and Lake Views
Neighborhood charm and a spiritual connection to Lake Michigan.
May 6th, 2021 by Cari Taylor-Carlson
Council Committee Amends Milwaukee Tool Deal
Reporting requirements on employee race, gender, residency and wages added.
Apr 27th, 2021 by Jeramey Jannene
North Point Is Milwaukee’s Gold Coast
Take a two-mile walk filled with historic, architecturally splendid homes and lovely lake views.
Apr 16th, 2021 by Cari Taylor-Carlson
Brewers Hill Boasts Lovely Restored Homes
And a colorful history. It’s a fun, 14-block walk.
Apr 1st, 2021 by Cari Taylor-Carlson
Forest Home Library Not Historic, Alders Vote
Committee overturns historic designation for 1960s building, full council vote to come
Dec 8th, 2020 by Jeramey Jannene
Children’s Theater Digs for City History
New play by First Stage revolves around quest to find Solomon Juneau’s treasure.
Oct 28th, 2020 by Ana Martinez-Ortiz
A Riverwest Beerline Walk
The west side of the river offers a lovely journey filled with bird song.
Aug 3rd, 2020 by Cari Taylor-Carlson
City’s Smallpox Quarantine Created a Furor
Back in the 1890s, Milwaukee’s clampdown on smallpox outbreak caused fear and fury.
May 12th, 2020 by Andy Soth
The Encyclopedia of Milwaukee Documents the City
UW-Milwaukee has built a massive digital archive for the city.
Mar 5th, 2020 by Michael Horne
Acid Attack Makes Polonia Residents Uneasy
South-side neighborhood, now majority Hispanic, has made that transition with few conflicts.
Nov 20th, 2019 by Edgar Mendez
Free Tickets to Evening with John Gurda
Urban Milwaukee members can claim tickets worth $80 for historic preservation speech.
Jul 2nd, 2019 by Gabrielle Barriere
Check Out Milwaukee Museum Week
Unique new partnership of 17 groups showcases city's wide range of cultural offerings.
Jan 14th, 2019 by Jeramey Jannene
How Long Will Flag Debate Last?
Arts Board might not have decision on the city flag by the end of 2018.
Oct 11th, 2018 by Jeramey Jannene
Will City Adopt a New Flag?
Arts Board doesn't seem crazy about "Peoples' Flag," has invited creators to next meeting.
Oct 2nd, 2018 by Jeramey Jannene
Join a Bike Ride Under the Polish Moon
Sign up for slow-moving, family-friendly, 8-mile, summer night ride through the South Side.
Jun 1st, 2018 by Dave Schlabowske
Task Force Considers Future of Domes
The options are “overwhelming” and the future far from certain.
Dec 14th, 2017 by Graham Kilmer
22% of City Workers Live in Suburbs
Nearly 1,000 workers have left city since state ended residency rule.
Dec 14th, 2017 by Bruce Murphy
Hank Aaron Trail Has Historic Murals
Walkers, bikers encounter murals celebrating historic Open Housing Marches of 1967.
Oct 7th, 2017 by Lydia Slattery
Why the Jewish Museum Matters
Current exhibit is example of story telling that strengthens community.
May 15th, 2017 by Rick Deines
The Great Wall of St. Francis
Lake Michigan shoreline getting obliterated by development.
Jan 27th, 2017 by Jonnie Guernsey
State Law Constrains Entrepreneurs
Employee non-compete contracts make Wisconsin less competitive, less innovative.
Dec 28th, 2016 by Tom Barrett
13 Short Facts About The Domes
Domes task force presented with data that reveals much about the popular attraction.
Dec 2nd, 2016 by Virginia Small
Pastor Gets Street Named After Him
City's citizens advisory committee renames one block of Meinecke Ave.
Nov 1st, 2016 by Jordan Garcia
All Hail Milwaukee’s New City Flag
Robert Lenz’s creation is the winner. Will Common Council make it the city’s official flag?
Jun 15th, 2016 by Laura Thompson
Polish Moon Ride Registration Open
Sign up for slow-moving, family-friendly, 8-mile, summer night ride through the South Side.
Mar 21st, 2016 by Dave Schlabowske
Domes Are An International Star
They are a tourist and architectural attraction. Yet there’s talk of tearing them down.
Mar 3rd, 2016 by Virginia Small
Inside the Grain Exchange, 1880
The trading room was one of the "most lavishly decorated" public spaces in the region.
Jan 12th, 2016 by Jeff Beutner
Christmas Shopping at the Pfister
Month-long marketplace features 80 artists and many hand-made items.
Nov 27th, 2015 by Jim Cryns
The 37 Neighborhoods of Milwaukee
Local historian John Gurda's new book has a message: Geography matters.
Sep 28th, 2015 by Brendan O’Brien
MillerCoors Celebrates 160 Years
Event attendees celebrate "Miller Time" with a lager from 1855.
Sep 24th, 2015 by Michael Holloway
GermanFest, the Most Authentic Ethnic Fest?
Good food and music led the way at the 35th annual festival.
Jul 27th, 2015 by Jack Fennimore
A Mayor’s Home Is Still Notable
Once John Norquist's residence, this elegant 1889 home on S. 26th St. is included on Historic Milwaukee's upcoming Spaces and Traces tour.
May 4th, 2015 by Michael Horne
Forest Home Library Replacement Decided, Mill Road Deferred
New library on Mitchell St. could bring "Third Ward-caliber energy" to the south side neighborhood, John Gurda predicts.
Dec 18th, 2014 by Michael Horne
Huge Turnout for East Library Opening
It was a truly an East Side event, and a crowd with tons of notables celebrated history in the making.
Nov 24th, 2014 by Michael Horne
The Remarkable Growth of Milwaukee Brewing Co.
And John Gurda slips up on beer history?
Oct 13th, 2014 by Michael Horne
How Art Deco Changed the City
Even today, it remains the style that best epitomizes American urbanity.
Jul 30th, 2014 by Christopher Hillard
Sen.Carpenter’s Rather Dull Duplex
His sided, south side home, in suburban-like Jackson Park, is a veritable pillar of middle-class respectability.
Jun 15th, 2014 by Michael Horne
The House of Hank the Dog
The Brewer's canine mascot has a nine-room Whitefish Bay home and 10,000 square foot lot to roam in, all worth $570,000.
Mar 24th, 2014 by Michael Horne
Historic Milwaukee’s Fans Convene
A big crowd turns out as as Remarkable Milwaukee 2014 honors historian John Gurda and developer Kendall Bruenig.
Mar 5th, 2014 by Urban Milwaukee
John Gurda’s Home of History
Just one block north of the suburbs in Bay View, he's written most of his 19 books from this home base.
Dec 2nd, 2013 by Michael Horne
Residents Reject Freshwater Name
Contest to rename Pittsburgh Ave. to honor water institute didn't convince street's residents, who nixed Freshwater Way.
Jun 20th, 2013 by Michael Horne
Jen Ede
How a 29-year-old West Allis native became publisher of a new magazine.
May 19th, 2013 by Judith Ann Moriarty
Tour the Talgo Trains You Might Never Ride
Downtown block parties are coming, use of bike racks on MCTS buses doubles year-over-year, explore the Historic Concordia neighborhood with HMI, UWM gets a zoning change, The Moderne is meeting hiring requirements, and kids can ride free on the Amtrak Hiawatha this summer.
May 17th, 2012 by Jeramey Jannene
HSI/WiRED Properties Proposal Picked for East Library
The Milwaukee Public Library Board of Trustee’s Building and Development Committee met at the East Library on Wednesday night to hear final proposals from the three respondents to the East Library Redevelopment RFP. Following a closed session for deliberations, the Building and Development Committee voted to move the proposal from HSI Properties forward to the full Library Board.
Nov 10th, 2011 by Jeramey Jannene
HMI Doors Open 2011 Recommendations
Imagine this for a moment -- you’re a kid in a candy store, and as things go, this candy store is opening for the first time ever and only for one weekend. Oh gosh. You’ve dreamed of this cornucopia of confections so many times before, you know every name and shiny wrapper in the store... but your eyes are bigger than your stomach. How can you pick just a choice few, knowing your slight allowance won’t let you have all that you want? It’s the best and worst kind of agony.
Sep 21st, 2011 by Adam Carr
Wild Space takes it to the bank
Debra Loewen's new Past Present brims with dreamy, arresting moments, but there's a slow patch in the middle.
Jan 28th, 2011 by Tom Strini
Wild Space Dancers amid greenery and steel
On Thursday, Debra Loewen's Wild Space dance company opens a new site-specific work at the Lynden Sculpture Garden.
Sep 7th, 2010 by Tom Strini
Wild Space Dance’s ‘Map of Memories’ sheds light on a disbanded Milwaukee community
Map of Memories is not only an enthralling 90-minute kinetic display of beautiful sinewy human motion but also a local history lesson. A performance event features a fascinating pre-show talk by Milwaukee Historian John Gurda about the origins of Jones Island, its inhabitants, and its eventual change into its support for modern industry.
May 2nd, 2009 by Michael Madden
