Milwaukee Firsts

A partial record on some of the achievements from this great city on a great lake. The city's industrial history are well reflected but so are some less well-known innovations.

Chudnow Collection at the Cedarburg History Museum

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First Practical Typewriter

In September 1869, Christopher Latham Sholes perfected the first practical typewriter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He also developed the QWERTY keyboard arrangement in 1868, which is still the dominate English keyboard for typewriters and computers.

Postcard of Milwaukee City Hall (1928) by E. C. Kropp CompanyChudnow Collection at the Cedarburg History Museum

First Habitable Building in the World Built to a Height Above 350 Feet

Completed in 1895 to a height of of 353 feet, Milwaukee's city hall was the symbol of the city for a century. Although other man-made structures were taller, such as the Eiffel Tower or the Egyptian pyramids, these were not lived and worked in like the city hall. There was even living quarters constructed near the clock so the maintenance man would not have to climb so many stairs every day.

Ziegler's Chocolates Box (1911) by Ziegler's Candy CompanyChudnow Collection at the Cedarburg History Museum

First Individually Wrapped Chocolate Bar

Originally when customers to George Ziegler's wanted a piece of chocolate, he would have to break off a chunk from a large block. In 1911, the chocolate company became the first in the U.S. to market a wrapped candy bar, the Ziegler Giant Bar.

Luick Ice Cream Sign (c. 1920s-1930s) by Luick DairyChudnow Collection at the Cedarburg History Museum

First Wrapped Cartons of Ice Cream

Formed in 1897 by John Luick, a Civil War veteran. Luick's Ice Cream Company was the first to sell pint “bricks” of ice cream wrapped in paper and quarts of ice cream in cartons. Previously ice cream was hand-packed in cartons as customers purchased it at parlors and pharmacies.

Campfire Marshmallows (c. 1920s) by Imperial Candy Co./Redel Candy Corp.Chudnow Collection at the Cedarburg History Museum

First Rounded Marshmallow

The fluffy, sweet marshmallows made by Campfire Co. was the first to be produced round, instead of square. The smooth edge meant they could be more easily used in recipes, like that for the new marshmallow and Rice Krispies treat. Malitta Jensen and Mildred Day of the Kellogg Company Home economics department developed the snack in 1939 as a fund raiser for the Camp Fire Girls.

Postcard of Polar Bears at Washington Park (1910s) by E. C. Kropp CompanyChudnow Collection at the Cedarburg History Museum

First Polar Bear Born in Captivity in North America

In 1919, Milwaukee's Washington Park zoo was the location of the first polar bear born in captivity. He was named Zero, and lived among what was at that time the largest bear population of any zoo in the world.

Wonderland Park Tower (1910) by Wonderland ParkChudnow Collection at the Cedarburg History Museum

First Major U.S. City to Electrify All Streetlights

As a special project by the Socialist party elected by the citizens of Milwaukee, all Milwaukee streetlights were electrified by 1922. The brighter light made for less crime and accidents. The elimination of coal gas lights made for a safer light source.

Mathilde Franziska Anneke (1880s) by unknownChudnow Collection at the Cedarburg History Museum

First Feminist American Newspaper to be Published by a Woman

In 1852, German immigrant Mathilde Franziska Anneke founded the Deutsche Frauen Zeitung in Milwaukee. It was the first feminist newspaper to be published by a woman on American soil. It had a circulation of at least 2,000 readers. It only employed female typesetters!

Postcard of Marquette University Buildings (1920s) by E. C. Kropp CompanyChudnow Collection at the Cedarburg History Museum

First Catholic Coeducational University in the World

In 1909, Marquette in Milwaukee began to allow women to enroll in the Bachelor of Arts program for summer classes. Higher Catholic church authorities protested as this was not the tradition the world over. Marquette expanded the women offerings and received approval from Rome a few years later.

Postcard of the Wisconsin Lutheran High School cafeteria (1960s) by Wisconsin Lutheran High School Men's ClubChudnow Collection at the Cedarburg History Museum

First Woman Elected to a Major U.S. City School Board

At a time when being a female and being married meant that you could no longer serve as a teacher, Meta Berger didn't let it stop her from helping school children. In 1909 she was elected to the Milwaukee school board and helped bring in many reforms including "Penny Lunches", which were served at the schools requiring the construction of cafeterias. Berger served on the Milwaukee School Board, among other duties, for 30 years.

Milorganite plaque (1980s) by Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer DistrictChudnow Collection at the Cedarburg History Museum

First Pelletized Fertilizer

Our last fact humorously ends our study of Milwaukee ingenuity. The Jones Island Water Treatment Facility was constructed by Milwaukee's "Sewer Socialist" politicians. Finished in 1924, it was the largest water cleaning facility in the world. In 1926, the solids from the facility began to be sold as Milorganite, Milwaukee + Organic + Nitrogen. The fertilizer is still a leader in supplying slow-release nitrogen for healthy lawns and gardens.

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Chudnow Museum of Yesteryear
Museum Curator:
Joel Willems

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The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

Chudnow Collection at the Cedarburg History Museum

Stories from Chudnow Collection at the Cedarburg History Museum

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