Milwaukee Fun Facts

Milwaukee has a long and quirky history - get to know the city better and impress your friends with these fun facts!

LIFE Photo Collection

Invention of the Typewriter

The first practical typewriter was invented in Milwaukee in 1869. The QWERTY keyboard arrangement C. Latham Sholes perfected is still used to this day.

Cow's Skull with Calico Roses (1931) by Georgia O’Keeffe (American, 1887-1986)The Art Institute of Chicago

Georgia O'Keeffe

The Milwaukee Art Museum is home to one of the world's largest collections of work by Wisconsin-born artist Georgia O'Keeffe.

Dottie Hunter of the Racine Belles photograph (circa 1943)National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum

No Crying in Baseball

Wrigley's All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a big hit in Wisconsin, featuring teams like the Milwaukee Chicks, Racine Belles, and Kenosha Comets. Today, you can find bobbleheads depicting these trailblazing female athletes at the National Bobblehead Museum & Hall of Fame in Milwaukee.

Frank Lloyd Wright, Milwaukee (1946-04) by ScherschelLIFE Photo Collection

Frank Lloyd Wright

Famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright was born in Wisconsin, and several of his homes and structures can be seen and toured in the Milwaukee area. Visit Burnham Block, where six of  the 13 known American System-Built Homes still stand, or travel west to Taliesin, Wright's home estate.

Baby Gorillas At Milwaukee Zoo (1960-06) by Stan WaymanLIFE Photo Collection

Get Wild

Originally founded in 1892, the Milwaukee County Zoo has been a favorite for visitors of all ages for generations. Today, the Zoo is home to more than 2,000 animals and inspires and educates 365 days a year.

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Milwaukee: Fiercely Independent, Wholly Unexpected
From custard to contemporary art, murals to Lake Michigan
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