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So why is it called
 a State “Trunk” Highway?


"The Red Arrow Highway"

 Click here for a map overview

Southern terminus: Kenosha County, at the Illinois state line near Carol Beach

Northern terminus: Vilas County, at the Michigan state line in Land O'Lakes

Mileage: about 325 miles

Counties along the way: Kenosha, Racine, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Calumet, Brown, Outagamie (for about two seconds), Shawano, Oconto, Forest, Oneida, Vilas

Sample towns along the way: Kenosha, Racine, South Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Port Washington, Sheboygan Falls, Kiel, New Holstein, Chilton, DePere, Green Bay, Pulaski, Gillett, Suring, Mountain, Laona, Crandon, Eagle River, Land O'Lakes

Bypass alternates at: Port Washington, Green Bay

Quickie Summary: State “Trunk” Highway 32 runs the north-south length of Wisconsin and goes through the heart of so many key Wisconsin cities and towns, serves as the lakefront route for southeastern Wisconsin and a key highway for the lake- and forest-filled regions in northern Wisconsin. It's both the main drag for downtowns in Kenosha, Racine, Milwaukee and Green Bay, and the distant road winding through otherwise quiet forests seemingly hundreds of miles from anywhere.
On Highway 32, you can see Wisconsin's tallest building, look up at the world's largest four-faced clock, pass within a mile of Lambeau Field, and wander through miles of Nicolet National Forest.
It's also designated the "Red Arrow Highway" in honor of the 32nd Division (a.k.a. the Red Arrow Division, and known as "Les Terribles" to the French), which fought with impressive distinction in World War I. A Detroit News article examines their accomplishments, among them being the first American division to set foot on German soil in the war. The highway is designated as such officially by Wisconsin State Statute 84.104, in case you want to check it out.

The Drive (South To North): We begin the northbound drive at the Illinois state line. With the exception of the Carol Beach Yacht Club, you’re pretty much as far in Wisconsin’s SE corner as you can get. Highway 32 is Sheridan Road here, following about 1,000 feet west of Lake Michigan. You’re also on the Lake Michigan Circle Tour.

Somewhat unceremoniously, Highway 32 takes over in Wisconsin where Illinois Route 173 leaves off. This begins the 325-mile journey to Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

The first town is Pleasant Prairie (pop. 16,136) a vast expanse of town without a real center. In fact, Pleasant Prairie is known not to have a single sidewalk. The enclave of Carol Beach lies along the water as you go past bars whose allegiances gradually lean more Packers than Bears as you keep heading north.

The Wooden Nickel, almost within sight of Illinois, features Wrigley Field's beers. These signs change dramatically as you continue north on Highway 32.The historical marker details Highway 32 as the "Red Letter Highway" in Pleasant Prairie (a similar marker is just inside the state line near 32's northern end).

After only a few miles, past the Keno Drive-In and other older landmarks, you enter Kenosha (pop. 92,808), Wisconsin’s fourth largest city. Originally known as Pike and then Southport (a name many businesses still use), Kenosha got its current name in 1850, a descendent name from the original Potawatomi name, Mas-ke-no-zha, meaning "place of the Pike."

Today, Kenosha just keeps changing. Relying on heavy manufacturing for many, many years, the demise of the American auto industry in the 1970s and 80s took a heavy toll on the area. Today, Kenosha’s economy hums along, buoyed by services and health care. Some manufacturing remains and the area contains headquarters for companies like Jockey International and Snap-On Tools. Proximity to Chicago and Milwaukee, including along Highway 32, makes it a handy area for transportation, warehousing and tourism. A recent influx of Chicago-area residents heightens the Packers-Bears tension every autumn. Ancient Kenoshans may recall the local NFL team called the Kenosha Maroons, which played for one season in 1924. You may know them now as the Washington Redskins.

As Sheridan Road (named for Fort Sheridan, which lies a few miles south in Illinois), and just past the intersection with the start of Highway 50, Highway 32 skims past Kenosha’s downtown and revamped harbor district. Formerly the site of a massive American Motors assembly plant, HarborPark bustles with lakefront condos, museums, emerging shops and small businesses and a streetcar system connecting them all. Other attractions include the Kenosha Public Museum and the Museum of the Civil War, scheduled to open in 2008.

North through Kenosha neighborhoods, you have access via Washington Road to the Washington Park Velodrome - the oldest continously operating velodrome in the United States - and shortly thereafter beaches that are used by nearby students from Carthage College and UW-Parkside.

Kenosha's Lake Michigan shore, north of downtown just south of Carthage College.

Just past the colleges (Highway 32 goes right by Carthage), you enter Racine County and make a beeline to the start of Highway 11 (Durand Ave.) and the City of Racine (pop. 81,855), which calls itself the Belle City and is Wisconsin’s fifth-largest.

The French may have named the city (Racine is French for "root", after the Root River which flows into Lake Michigan here), but Danish immigrants left the more indelible marks on the city. Racine is known as the "Kringle Capital of the World". Famous locales like Lehmann’s, O&H, and the Larsen Bakery crank out millions of the tasty iced and filled pastries every year and ship them worldwide. You, however, can stop in for a fresh one right there. They’re best that way.

Racine’s industrial and entrepreneurial history now spans three centuries. Home to major companies like J.I. Case and S.C. Johnson, it’s where the garbage disposal was invented in 1927; In-Sink-Erator still calls Racine home. It’s also where malted milk was invented in 1887 by William Horlick, who now has a high school named after him (they do not have a malted milk stand, however, according to my limited research.)

Highway 32 hooks up with Highway 20 for the push into downtown Racine.

Many cities the size of Racine host minor-league baseball, but Racine hosts minor-league football. The Racine Raiders of the North American Football League are one of the most respected minor-league football organizations in the country and have been around for over 50 years. The Raiders have sent players to the NFL over the years, although unfortunately most of them went to the Vikings. They play at Horlick Field, on the north side of town, just a few miles off Highway 20’s path. Their season begins in June, just about the time post-season Packers talk starts to die down...sort of.

The new Johnson Building overlooking Monument Square; the Racine Art Museum is across the street to the left.
The Civil War monument that gives Racine's Monument Square its name.

Highway 32 heads into Racine and meets up with Highway 20 for the ride downtown. Downtown Racine and the Harbor area offer a wealth of sights and things to do. The Racine Art Museum (441 S. Main St.) houses a series of contemporary craft exhibits and street-level displays; the Racine Heritage Museum (701 Main St.) houses a bird collection and other features from Racine’s early days. Monument Square (500 S. Main Street) offers a look back - and up - with its 61-foot high Civil War Soldiers Memorial, dedicated in 1884, when it was called Haymarket Square, while also giving a nod to the future with Wi-Fi Internet Access for anyone using their laptops in the square, perhaps imbibing in a beverage or meal from the surrounding stores. Well-known furniture store Porter’s of Racine (6th & Wisconsin) is located along Highway 32 (southbound) and traces its company roots back to 1857. If you’re in the mood for an old-fashioned diner experience and one of the best-rated burgers in the state, by the way, a visit to the Kewpee (520 Wisconsin Ave.) should satisfy you, as it has for Racine residents since the 1920’s.

Racine’s attention to the lakefront is among the more impressive in the state. Buildings lining downtown streets offer increasingly busy storefronts, but their upper floors also offer sweeping lake views, as do the condos springing up all over the place. The Reefpoint Marina, Festival Park and Pershing Park can be accessed right off Highway 32 at 4th and 5th Streets, which lead down to the water. Annual events include the Racine Boat Show, Great Lakes Brew Fest and Salmon-A-Rama (which is fun to say, actually).

Features along Racine's lakefront include Festival & Pershing Park, just south of the Reefpoint Marina.
Boats busily buzz under Highway 32 as it crosses the Root River, just before it empties into Lake Michigan.

Other things to see in Racine include the Johnson Wax Golden Rondelle (1525 Howe Street), built in 1964 for the New York World’s Fair; the Wind Point Lighthouse (4725 Lighthouse Drive, Wind Point), one of the oldest (1880) and tallest (108 feet) lighthouses on the Great Lakes; and the Racine Zoo, which offers an impressive array of animals - over 76 species - overlooks the lake, and offers its "Animal Crackers Jazz Series" on Wednesday and Selected Sunday evenings. The Zoo is located right where Highway 32 turns away from Main Street and onto Goold for a little jog through the north side neighborhoods.

Heading north from Racine, you’ll see the "Mile Roads." Many drivers on I-94 are familiar with 7 Mile Road (and perhaps 7 Mile Fair). Well, the Mile Roads in Racine County actually measure the number of miles to Highway 20, and they go up as you head north. Once your cross 5 Mile Road, Highway 32 becomes a two-lane road again; at 6 Mile, you meet up with Highway 31, the inland route back through Racine and Kenosha; and at 8 Mile, you reach Milwaukee County (note: this is not the same "8 Mile" that Eminem sang and starred in a movie about. Trust me, they’re quite different.)

After 8 Mile and into Milwaukee County is Oak Creek (pop. 31,029), a city formed in 1955 out of its original township. A huge We Energies power plant lies between the road and Lake Michigan, cranking out a sizeable chunk of the power used in this part of the state. The junction with Highway 100 provides an option to bypass much of the Milwaukee area, but hey, if you’re on the Red Arrow Highway, you gotta keep going, right? Many suburbs and a major downtown lie ahead!

One such suburb is South Milwaukee (pop. 21,256), a city in its own right founded in 1892. It’s the only city in Milwaukee County that follows its own numbering system for addresses and is home to manufacturing giant Bucyrus International, formerly known as Bucyrus-Erie. Bucyrus made shovels for building of the Panama Canal, and continues today making dragline excavators and shovels, including the world’s largest.

Highway 32 jogs a few times approaching South Milwaukee’s downtown, which is focused on Milwaukee Avenue in the midst of a whole series of cross streets starting with the letter "M." From Milwaukee Avenue, you end up on Chicago Avenue - ironically as you head in a northerly direction.

Not just an alliteration; it was good diner food. Lloyd's Lunch lasted over 50 years in South Milwaukee, but recently closed. Watch to see what else might open in its place...

As Chicago Avenue, Highway 32 continues northward and then easterly on College Avenue for about ½ mile, where it returns to Lake Michigan’s shore as Lake Drive.

Once on Lake Drive, you’re in Cudahy (pop. 18,316), with houses on your left and Milwaukee County golf courses and parkland on your right. A blue-collar town founded originally as Buckhorn Settlement and then named after meat-packing magnet and bacon lover Patrick Cudahy, the city still makes the tasty meats (the high school team name is the Packers, after all) as well as airplane parts in the sprawling Ladish plant, which has been at it since the early 1900’s.

Patrick Cudahy, bacon lover and founder of the city, stands guard at the entrance to Cudahy's Sheridan Park.
From the "You Never Know What You’ll Find on the State Trunk Tour" Department: this lawn on Highway 32 (Lake Drive) at Armour Avenue in Cudahy features a snowmobile, old gas pumps, and is slightly reminiscent of Cadillac Ranch just a bit.

From Cudahy into St. Francis, Milwaukee Bay and the skyline of downtown Milwaukee comes into view. At this point, Highway 32 (aka Lake Drive) runs about 60 feet above lake level and the views on a nice day - or evening - can be quite impressive. St. Francis (pop. 8,662) is one of Milwaukee County's smallest incorporated places and is named after St. Francis of Assisi. It's home to the Milwaukee Bucks practice facility, located inside the Cousins Center. Highway 32 officially turns west on Howard Avenue just inside the City of St. Francis to head north on Kinnickinnic Avenue, about 1/2 mile inland. Here, we've provided two options for you to get through Milwaukee - both of which are quite enjoyable; it's just one's the official highway route and the other is a slight bypass.

**BYPASS ALERT - MILWAUKEE LAKEFRONT ALTERNATIVE**
There are two officially sanctioned State Trunk Tour options for following Highway 32 through Milwaukee: the official route and a "hugging the lakefront" alternative, which is a bit shorter time-wise. Following the Hoan Bridge and Lincoln Memorial Drive (Milwaukee's pleasant version of Chicago's Lake Shore Drive), you meet up with Highway 32 officially on the north end of the city. In doing so, you bypass Bay View, much of downtown Milwaukee and the East Side, but if it's rush hour on a weekday or time is of the essence, do this:

Lakefront Alternate Route Guide:

Continue north on Lake Drive through St. Francis and into Milwaukee, where it becomes Superior Street. You're going through Milwaukee's Bay View neighborhood, same as Highway 32 does, but through a residential area. South Shore Park is a nice stop, especially detouring east on Iron Street, which drops into the South Shore Yacht Club, where the view to downtown is postcard-like on a nice day. Along Pryor Street within about 100 feet of Superior Street is the Iron Well, an artesian water well built in 1882. A pressurized aquifer below keeps a cold, constant stream of water flowing night and day throughout the year; you can load up on drinking water all you want! The water is iron-rich, which is good for your body but not as kind to taste buds. If you don't mind the well taste, though, it's great drinking water and served as a valuable alternative when Milwaukeeans suffered from the Cryptosporidium outbreak in 1993. During that time, people lined up for blocks for water from Pryor Street's Iron Well.

Further down, a right turn on Russell takes you to the lakefront and past the U.S. Coast Guard Station. This is also the access point for the Lake Express, a high-speed ferry boat to Muskegon, Michigan. Follow the signs to I-794 West, which brings you up onto the Hoan Bridge. The Hoan Bridge, named after Milwaukee's last Socialist mayor, is an elevated freeway structure that provides a fascinating view as you move northward: to your left is the salt flats where Milwaukee County stores its road salt for winter use, and a number of storage facilities for the feature just to your right: the Port of Milwaukee. An international port, it's not uncommon to see ships flying numerous flags of foreign nations transporting goods to and fro on the Great Lakes System, sometimes out into the oceans for voyages far, far away. Watch the sailboats as they dodge 550-ton iron ore freighters; it can be rather sporting. The view ahead, of course, is the increasingly interesting Downtown Milwaukee skyline.

The highest point of the Hoan Bridge rises 173 feet above the entrance to Milwaukee Harbor, where the Milwaukee River channels into Lake Michigan. Yellow steel arch supports hold the highway up and make it look like a McDonald's restaurant from a distance (this author mistook the Hoan Bridge once for a McDonald's. But hey, he was only 4 years old.) From the Hoan Bridge arches on towards downtown, the Third Ward neighborhood of Milwaukee is to your left, the Henry Maier Festival Grounds - home of Summerfest, the World's Largest Music Festival - is to your right, and downtown buildings are ahead. The tallest building in Milwaukee, the 42-story, 625-foot U.S. Bank Tower, is straight ahead. At this point, you can re-join Highway 32 northbound by following the Milwaukee Street exit and turning right, or continue the Lakefront Alternative by following the Michigan Street/Lincoln Memorial Drive exit to the right. Continue straight onto Lincoln Memorial Drive, crossing Michigan Street, which is also the beginning of U.S. Route 18.

This intersection gives you access to so many things: downtown is to your left where the state's tallest building hovers above; meanwhile, two relatively new sites are to your right. To the south, Discovery World and Pier Wisconsin; to the north, the Milwaukee Art Museum's Briese Soleil addition, known locally as the "Calatrava".

Santiago Calatrava's internationally-renowned "Briese Soleil" addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum has become a local symbol of pride, and a source of inspiration for photographers and car commercial location scouts everywhere. Some terrific art is inside, too.
Lagoon Drive, just off Lincoln Memorial Drive along Milwaukee's lakefront, provides views of downtown as peddle-boaters enjoy the Juneau Park Lagoon.

Up Lincoln Memorial Drive, you have a lovely drive along the lakefront. Big-shouldered residential towers sit atop the cliff to your west up above while bikers, runners and roller bladers flank you on the both the recreational trail to the west (once the main rail line connecting Milwaukee with Green Bay and the North Woods) and the Oak Leaf Trail to the east, running right alongside the parkway. Access to Juneau Park can be had via Lagoon Drive, where you can rent kites, bikes or roller blades and take advantage of the miles of trail in the area. Under the Brady Street pedestrian bridge, look to your right and you'll see the Milwaukee Yacht Club (for fancypants boaters) and McKinley Marina (for the commoners) and a mass of boats that dot the lake during those nice summer days. At the junction with Lafayette Hill, feel free to stop in Alterra-on-the-Lake Coffee, a local bean-brewing house that occupies what was once Milwaukee's main Water Works. Built in 1888, the building contains original machinery that pumped water from Lake Michigan in a museum-like display on one side... and good coffee on the other. Alterra-on-the-Lake is a popular spot for UWM students to get some studying done while satisfying their caffeine fix at the same time. In the nicer months, outdoor concerts are held that drown out the tennis balls popping back and forth on the courts across the street.

Lincoln Memorial Drive goes past McKinley Beach and abuts the lake closely for the next two miles, offering up a wide variety of views depending on the weather and time of day. Shortly before the next light, check out Villa Terrace to your left; it's easily seen as this mansion with horticultural splendor stair-stepping their way up the cliff to the house, once a private residence and now a museum. It's also a popular spot for weddings for couples with big budgets. Several hundred feet to the north, visible for miles, is Milwaukee's answer to Chicago's Water Tower. Since 1873 this 175-foot Victorian Gothic limestone tower has hovered over the East Side; for the first ninety of those years it pumped water and equalized pressure between Lake Michigan and the Kilbourn Reservoir, about one mile to the west. Today, it still houses the 120-foot standpipe but is otherwise simply something cool to look at.

Following Howard Avenue briefly west, Highway 32 turns north on Kinnikinnic Avenue, named after Milwaukee's south side river. This will take you along the route of a trail that has led into Milwaukee since it was a mere Native American trading stop. Today, the dynamic neighborhood of Bay View is the experience leading into the heart of the city. Bay View was its own town, incorporating in 1879 and featuring its own downtown, Post Office and distinct identity for decades until the city of Milwaukee absorbed it in 1887.

Along Kinnickinnic Avenue (aka KK), you'll find a wide variety of homes, small businesses and taverns. This is a great place for creating for own pub crawl. The Palm Tavern (2989 S. KK), Kneisler's White House (2900 S. KK) and Frank's Power Plant (2800 S. KK) provide old-school ambiance and great drink prices. Some bars in the area, like Kneisler's White House, have been around since the 1880s; Frank's Power Plant is one of several with the classic old Blatz neon signs above it that are increasingly rare to find anywhere else. Bay View is the kind of neighborhood where bars will pop up along side streets too, so feel free to explore. Side streets like Delaware, Ellen and Clement provide plenty of places for you to pleasantly stumble onto. This area has plenty of new places, too: The Highbury (2320 S. KK) features a variety of European beers, live music (often jazz) and shows soccer matches live for the surprisingly high number of British soccer fans in Milwaukee. Bar Lulu (2265 S. Howell, in full view of KK) is part funky bar, part kitsch, and part hipster. It's where the guys from Swingers would stop in for a drink. Lulu has an adjoining cafe complete with old school counter service, so there's definitely variety here.

For other eats in Bay View, check out Bella's Fat Cat (2737 S. KK) is heavy on the delicious burgers, malts, onion rings and custard... and light on nothing! Tasty smaller meals can be found at the Hi-Fi Cafe (2460 S. KK), which also features a cool jukebox and just a slight dose of counterculture energy. Annona Bistro (2643 S. KK) features a wide variety of sandwiches, paninis, pizzas, and quite a variety in a brunch. For a dose of Florida, check out the hard-to-find-but-worth-it Barnacle Bud's (1955 S. Hilbert St, east off KK Ave. on Stewart and north on Hilbert past some warehouses), where you can munch seafood out of a basket or a bucket along the KK River, sometimes with people who arrived by boat.

The Bay View stretch of Highway 32 is great for parking your vehicle and getting out to walk around. Abundant stores and places to check out abound: Rush-Mor Records, Loop, Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop, Broad Vocabulary, even Bay View Bowl are cool to explore. Watch for the opening of the Alchemist Theatre (2569 S. KK), which will feature a variety of, as they put it, "Ego-Free" Art, local musicians and unique theatrical performances.

Once you cross Bay Street, you're leaving Bay View. You hop over the Kinnickinnic River, under the Amtrak tracks, and past another fun bar, Chaser's Pub (2155 S. KK, 414-769-0630). Chaser's is not only a good drinkin' place, but they advertise their "last minute gift shop"...and they're not kidding. Knick-knacks a'plenty, including deer-themed merchandise, pewter dragons, and assorted sundry items that help if you find yourself suddenly realizing you need a last-minute gift and 2am is approaching. From there you head into Walker's Point, an area that hummed with factory activity in the 19th century and today hums with redevelopment. As Highway 32 becomes 1st Street, the World's Largest Four-Faced Clock appears. The Allen-Bradley clock has been boldly providing the correct time to south-side Milwaukeeans since 1964 and, at night, serves as a shining beacon. Once dubbed "the Polish moon" to reflect the area's primary ethnic group at the time, it could now be a moon of many faces: this area is heavily Hispanic now.

The Massive Concentration of Bars in Walkers Point
Scientists have calculated that if you spent 30 minutes inside each bar and restaurant in the Walkers Point area, it would take several years to make the full rounds (although I think they a) rounded up and b) may have gotten a little disoriented during research). Highway 32 as 1st Street has a variety of places right along it; 2nd Street runs parallel one block west features many more. Further west along 5th and 6th Streets near the cross street with National Avenue (Highway 59) is another concentrated area of places to go, especially if the Latin flavors are tempting you.

A sizeable dose of gay and lesbian bars have sprouted up in Walkers Point, too. LGBT places along or within sight of Highway 32 include Mona's (1407 S. 1st), the Harbor Room (115 E. Greenfield), Switch (124 W. National), La Cage (801 S. 2nd), Fluid (819 S. 2nd) and Walker's Pint (818 S. 2nd). Look for neon signs in the windows featuring a rainbow o' colors.

Another concentration of bars and restaurants lie within a few blocks of Highway 32/1st Street at National Avenue (the start of Highway 59), including but not even remotely limited to Timer's (739 S. 1st, at National), Fat Daddy's (120 W. National) Steny's (800 S. 2nd), Boom (625 S. 2nd), Crazy Water (839 S. 2nd), V Bar (703 S. 2nd), The Monkey Bar (1517 S. 2nd) and a host of others. (They have a MySpace page with more details. State Trunk Tour Recommendations include:
Slim McGuinn's (338 S. 1st), which features great food, a wide variety of beers and other beverages, and an outdoor patio that ranges from peaceful, cozy and sun-kissed to loud and wild when the freight and Amtrak trains grind away on the tracks above you. Try the Reuben Rolls!
La Merenda (125 E. National) opened in 2007 and offers a variety of tasty tapas items.
Just Art's Saloon (181 S. 2nd) is old, kinda dumpy and yet rather endearing. There's just something about it.

Walkers Point is named after one of Milwaukee's founding fathers, George Walker. Before Milwaukee was Milwaukee, it was three different settlements: Juneautown, founded by French trader Solomon Juneau; Kilbourntown, founded by aggressive developer Byron Kilbourn; and Walkers' Point, founded by businessman George Walker. Walker was the largest of the three men; he tipped the 19th century scales at over 300 pounds and yet was renown for his skills as an ice skater and on the dance floor. Three three men competed for settlers until they realized the nastiness of things - particularly between Juneautown and Kilbourntown - got so aversarial that settlers were getting scared away. Finally, they united under one city charter in 1846, and Milwaukee was born. Walkers' Point is most distinct of the three original settlements in terms of identity - what was Juneautown and Kilbourntown are now known as a variety of neighborhoods: downtown, Third Ward, Yankee Hill, Westown, East Side, etc. Meanwhile, the original Walkers Point is still Walkers Point.

Highway 32 as 1st Street continues through Walkers Point, providing a nice view of the impending downtown area. Straight ahead are buildings like the 100 East, which at 37 stories is the second tallest building in the city. The blue glass building in front of it is the Chase Tower, completed in 1962. And you'll see new construction all around you as you go through Walkers Point. Slim's will be on your right at Florida Street, right before the railroad bridge overhead. Slim's is a great bar stop for food, a variety of beers, and a view of the Amtrak train as it looms over the back patio. Just past the railroad underpass, Highway 32 angles to the right; the street ahead is Water Street, a main downtown thoroughfare. Highway 32 heads east briefly as Pittsburgh Street, then angles north over the Milwaukee River into the Third Ward.


Heading north on Highway 32 in Walkers Point, looking toward Milwaukee's downtown.

Highway 32 runs right up the middle of the Third Ward, mostly as Milwaukee Street. Just over the Milwaukee River at Erie Street, the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design (MIAD) is to your left, with art and design students everywhere; to your right is a long line of growing condo and art galleries and restaurants, as well as the south end of the Henry Maier Festival Grounds, home to Summerfest and so many great ethnic festivals that make Milwaukee one of the best festival cities in the United States. Continuing north, you'll have lines of six-story, late 19th century-era buildings on either side. Plenty of opportunities for eating, drinking, shopping and browsing are not only right along Highway 32, but down every cross street: Menomonee, Chicago, Buffalo and St. Paul, all the way to I-794.

About the Historic Third Ward
The Third Ward is one of Milwaukee's most interesting neighborhoods. Nestled just south of downtown, the Third Ward is bordered by the Milwaukee River to the west and south as the river makes its final push into Lake Michigan. Once home to factories and small working class homes, the Third Ward was an Irish neighborhood and became Italian later in the 19th century. Two major events shaped the neighborhood in the 19th century: the tragic sinking of the Lady Elgin in 1860, which claimed the lives of so many in the area it fundamentally changed the neighborhood, and a massive fire in 1892 that left the area in ruins. Many of the buildings along Broadway, Milwaukee and Water Streets, three key north-south thoroughfares, were built between 1893 and 1906 during the recovery process. Factories boomed here in the early 20th century, but a decline got so ugly that in the 1970s some city officials toyed with the idea of turning the area into a "Combat Zone"-style red light district. By the 1980s, however, the revival had begun. Classic old buildings became apartments, studios and new restaurants. The pace quickened in the 1990s and today, it's a booming blend of boutique retail, restaurants, bars, offices, art galleries, studios and condos.

The Third Ward is worth an afternoon, or even an overnight stay, in itself. Here are some things to do and see:

ATTRACTIONS

Eisner Museum of Advertising & Design
208 N. Water Street, at Chicago
The only museum of its kind in the nation, highlighting advertising history. Want to see that original "plop, plop, fizz, fizz" ad? Are you into retro advertising? This place is for you.

Brooks Stevens Gallery of Industrial Design
273 E. Erie Street
414-276-7889
In a salute to Milwaukee's industrial past, present and future, this gallery presents year-round exhibitions of work from national and international industrial designers.

SHOPPING

Cranston
250 N. Water Street
414-289-9880
There's a reason well-to-doers from the North Shore of Chicago come up here to shop. Fine home decor is the name of the game here, with a number of unique pieces in a beautiful, classic old store setting.

Katie Gingrass Gallery
241 N. Broadway
414-289-0855
Contemporary art and fine art gallery that serves as one of the main reasons the Third Ward is known so much by artists. Furniture and custom carpets are also on display.

Downtown Milwaukee is home to Wisconsin's busiest business district and has undergone an amazing rebirth over the last decade. The diversification of the area from primarily a 9-to-5 enclave that was otherwise deserted has become, not unlike the Third Ward, an active neighborhood where people live and play as much as work. Highway 32 cuts through downtown north as Milwaukee Street, east as Wells and then north again as Prospect; it takes you within blocks of a dizzying array of sites.

Heading through East Town in Milwaukee, Highway 32 is Wells Street. Along Jackson Street, you can enjoy lovely Catheral Square and St. John's Cathedral, built in 1848; in the distance, Milwaukee's condo boom is best reflected in the Kilbourn and University Club Towers, two 30-story plus buildings constructed since 2002. Highway 32 goes right past them as Prospect Avenue.
Highway 32 heads northeast above Milwaukee's lakefront as Prospect through much of the Lower East Side. This tree-lined street is flanked by upscale apartments, condo buildings and, as you approach North Avenue, tons of restaurants.

Downtown Milwaukee all the way up to da U.P. of Michigan has been toured - details, pictures and more will be posted shortly!

CONNECTIONS
South Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: Illinois Highway 137
Can connect nearby to: Highway 165, about one mile north; Highway 50, about 4 miles north; Highway 158, about 5 miles north

North Terminus:
Can connect immediately to: U.S. Highway 45
Can connect nearby to: Highway 17; Highway 70, about 11 miles south

Upcoming events in places along Highway 32:
Chilton Summer Festival, Chilton, June 12-15, 2008
Lion Fest, Thiensville-Mequon, June 13-15, 2008
International Bayfest, Green Bay, June 13-15, 2008
Great Northern Beer Festival, Eagle River, June 14, 2008
Civil War Museum Grand Opening - A Salute to Freedom, Kenosha, June 14-15, 2008
Kenosha Car Club 15th Annual Car Show, Kenosha, June 15, 2008
Polish Fest, Milwaukee, June 20-22, 2008
Summerfest, Milwaukee, June 26-July 6, 2008
Gallery Night, Racine, July 19, 2008
Eagle River Cranberry Festival, Eagle River, October 4-5, 2008

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