Title: Bureau of Bridges and Public Buildings Records
Inclusive Dates: 1926-1996

Creators:

• Milwaukee (Wis.). Bureau of Bridges and Public Buildings.
• United States. Work Projects Administration. Wisconsin.

Call Number: City of Milwaukee Archival Collection 71

Quantity: 7.0 cubic ft. (23 boxes)

Repository:

Milwaukee Public Library, Frank P. Zeidler Room

Archival Location:

Milwaukee Public Library (Map)

Abstract:

The Bureau of Bridges and Public Buildings, now known as Bridges and Building Services, is responsible for the operation and improvement of Milwaukee’s bridges and city-owned buildings. The majority of the collection contains historical narratives of public buildings and bridges in the City that were written and compiled for the Bureau by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Also included are various annual reports from the Bureau, floor plans, and general files on other projects.

Note:

To request materials from this collection, create/login to your Special Collections Account.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.mwpl-cmac0071

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The Bureau of Bridges and Public Buildings is responsible for the operation and improvement of Milwaukee’s bridges and city-owned buildings. It also provides maintenance services through its construction trades as well as structural engineering, mechanical engineering, and agricultural services to various City departments, such as the Department of City Development, the Fire Department, and the other sub-divisions within the Department of Public Works. It is now called Bridges and Building Services and is part of the Department of Public Works.

Series 1 contains descriptions of public buildings and bridges in the City of Milwaukee. This include the details of construction, maintenance, and historical narratives of these structures. The information was written and compiled for the Bureau by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), P. & S. Division, project no. 10455 in 1939-1940. The dates listed in parentheses cover the time period of the topics only; all of the reports were written in 1939-1940.

Series 2 consists of various annual reports from the Bureau; not every year is present and some are missing. There is also correspondence on work being done around the city, meeting minutes, and floor plans. The work being discussed includes projects for the Milwaukee Public Library, construction of a new building for the Milwaukee Public Museum, maintenance for various railroad bridges, approval of fallout shelters, and other renovation projects.

The collection is arranged into the following series:

1. Bridges and Public Buildings W.P.A. Project, 1939-1940
2. General Files, 1926-1996

Series 1 is arranged roughly by structure type, and with a few exceptions, is arranged alphabetically and then chronologically within each folder. Series 2 is arranged alphabetically by subject.

City of Milwaukee Bureau of Bridges and Public Buildings Records, 1926-1996, Collection 71. City of Milwaukee Archives, Milwaukee Public Library, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

• Bureau of Engineers Records. City of Milwaukee Archival Collection 7.

• Department of Building Inspection Premises Records. City of Milwaukee Archival Collection 40.

• Department of Public Works Records. City of Milwaukee Archival Collection 3.

Publications and Other Items

A Report Concerning Reorganization of the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Bridges and Public Buildings

Report on Space Requirements of the City Government of Milwaukee in the City Hall Area

Safe Working Procedures : Issued with Approval of Committee on Industrial Accident Prevention

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials. The collection is open to all in accordance with state law. The public may view City of Milwaukee Archival Collections by appointment at the Central Library. To request an in-person appointment, create/login to your Special Collections Account. If you have any questions, please contact the Archives and Special Collections Department at mplarchives@milwaukee.gov.

Use Restrictions

The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

Acquisition Information

Milwaukee Public Library receives official materials from city departments via the Milwaukee City Records Center, pursuant to state statutes and city ordinances governing the permanent retention of city records.

Processing Information

Processed by Janet K. Geronime, 1996. Revised by Gayle M. Ecklund, 2007. Materials added by Bob Jaeger, 2017. Second series added by Bob Jaeger, 2022.

	Series: 1. Bridges and Public Buildings W.P.A. Project, 1939-1940
Box   1 Folder   1	Auditorium (1835-1937), 1939-1940
Box   1 Folder   2-3	Incinerator Plant (1854-1937), 1939-1940
Box   1 Folder   4-5	Museum and Library (1847-1937), 1939-1940
Box   1 Folder   6-7	Branch Libraries (1896-1938), 1939-1940
	Bridges
Box   2 Folder   1	Bascule, N. Broadway Street (1849-1939), 1939-1940
Box   2 Folder   2	Bascule, Buffalo Street (1862-1938), 1939-1940
Box   2 Folder   3	Bascule, Clybourn Street (1856-1938), 1939-1940
Box   2 Folder   4	Bascule, Kinnickinnic Avenue (1883-1939), 1939-1940
Box   2 Folder   5	Bascule, Kilbourn Avenue (1900-1937), 1939-1940
Box   3 Folder   1	Bascule, Michigan Avenue (1886-1938), 1939-1940
Box   3 Folder   2	Bascule, Muskego Avenue (1872-1938), 1939-1940
Box   3 Folder   3	Bascule, Plankinton Avenue (1873-1938), 1939-1940
Box   3 Folder   4	Bascule, Water Street (1845-1939), 1939-1940
Box   3 Folder   5-6	Bascule, State Street (1865-1939), 1939-1940
Box   4 Folder   1	Bascule, Wells Street (1836-1937), 1939-1940
Box   4 Folder   2	Bascule, Wisconsin Avenue (1842-1938), 1939-1940
Box   4 Folder   3-5	Stationary, over Kinnickinnic River (1874-1937), 1939-1940
Box   4 Folder   6	Stationary, over Lincoln Creek (1929-1937), 1939-1940
Box   4 Folder   7	Stationary, over Honey Creek (1929-1934), 1939-1940
Box   4 Folder   8	Miscellaneous (1869-1938), 1939-1940
Box   5 Folder   1	General (1882-1938), 1939-1940
Box   5 Folder   2	Swing, W. Becher Street (1875-1938), 1939-1940
Box   5 Folder   3	Swing, S. 1st Street (1872-1937), 1939-1940
Box   5 Folder   4	Swing, S. 11th Street (1872-1938), 1939-1940
Box   5 Folder   5-7	Cherry Street (1845-1940), 1939-1940
Box   5 Folder   8	Swing, E. Juneau Street (1839-1938), 1939-1940
Box   6 Folder   1	Swing, E. Pleasant Street (1869-1938), 1939-1940
Box   6 Folder   2	Swing, N. Humboldt Avenue (1855-1938), 1939-1940
Box   6 Folder   3-6	City Hall (1846-1938), 1939-1940
Box   7 Folder   1-2	City Hall (1846-1938), 1939-1940
	Firehouses
Box   7 Folder   3	#1-5 (1836-1940), 1939-1940
Box   7 Folder   4	#6-10 and Repair Shop (1867-1938), 1939-1940
Box   7 Folder   5	#11-16 (1880-1939), 1939-1940
Box   8 Folder   1	#18-22 (1888-1940), 1939-1940
Box   8 Folder   2	#23-26 (1889-1939), 1939-1940
Box   8 Folder   3	#27-32 (1892-1939), 1939-1940
Box   8 Folder   4	#33-35 (1910-1937), 1939-1940
Box   8 Folder   5	#36-37 and Truck Houses #4 and #7 (1886-1938), 1939-1940
Box   8 Folder   6	Fireboat Houses #15 and #29 and High Pressure Pumping Station (1877-1939), 1939-1940
	Grade Separations
Box   9 Folder   1-7	Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, Northern Division (1890-1939), 1939-1940
Box   10 Folder   1	Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, Northern Division (1890-1939), 1939-1940
Box   10 Folder   2	Chicago, Northwestern Railway, Wis. Division (1889-1937), 1939-1940
Box   10 Folder   3-6	Chicago & Northwestern Railway, Madison Division (1897-1939), 1939-1940
Box   10 Folder   7	Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, Chicago Division (1890-1936), 1939-1940
Box   11 Folder   1	Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, Chicago Division (1890-1936), 1939-1940
Box   11 Folder   2-4	Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad (1897-1937), 1939-1940
Box   11 Folder   5-6	Chicago & Northwestern Railroad (1885-1937), 1939-1940
	Hospitals
Box   11 Folder   7	Johnston Emergency (1888-1937), 1939-1940
Box   11 Folder   8-9	Southview (1877-1937), 1939-1940
Box   12 Folder   1	Keenan Health Center (1874-1937), 1939-1940
Box   12 Folder   2-3	Markets (1835-1937), 1939-1940
Box   12 Folder   4-5	Bath Houses (1898-1937), 1939-1940
Box   12 Folder   6	Comfort Stations (1919-1937), 1939-1940
	Miscellaneous Buildings
Box   12 Folder   7	Pedestrian Subway, Lincoln Memorial Drive, and Pipe Yards (1854-1937), 1939-1940
Box   12 Folder   8	Annex, Armory, and Bridge Repair Shop (1880-1937), 1939-1940
Box   13 Folder   1	Meter Repair Shop and Municipal Garage (1915-1938), 1939-1940
Box   13 Folder   2	Municipal Service Building and Asphalt Plant and South Shore Municipal Service Department (1907-1937), 1939-1940
Box   13 Folder   3	Paint Shop, Testing Laboratory, Unemployed Men’s Social Centers, Atkinson Avenue Garage, and Highland Avenue Garage (1900-1938), 1939-1940
	Natatoria (Swimming Pools)
Box   13 Folder   4	E. Center Street (1904-1939), 1939-1940
Box   13 Folder   5	W. North Avenue (1895-1938), 1939-1940
Box   13 Folder   6	W. Greenfield Avenue (1906-1938), 1939-1940
Box   14 Folder   1	W. Highland Boulevard (1880-1937), 1939-1940
Box   14 Folder   2	N. Jackson Street (1908-1937), 1939-1940
Box   14 Folder   3	S. 10th Street (1913-1937), 1939-1940
Box   14 Folder   4	S. 4th Street (1880-1940), 1939-1940
Box   14 Folder   5-6	Police Stations (1874-1938), 1939-1940
Box   15 Folder   1-2	Police Stations, including fire and police alarm systems (1885-1937), 1939-1940
Box   15 Folder   3	Rapid Transit Lines (1925-1935), 1939-1940
Box   15 Folder   4-5	Safety Building, 1st District Station (1909-1938), 1939-1940
	Viaducts
Box   15 Folder   6	Bascule Bridge, 6th Street (1858-1938), 1939-1940
Box   16 Folder   1-3	Bascule Bridge, 6th Street (1858-1938), 1939-1940
Box   16 Folder   4-5	Bascule Bridge, Holton Street (1880-1938), 1939-1940
Box   16 Folder   6-7	Bascule Bridge, 16th Street (1869-1939), 1939-1940
Box   17 Folder   1	Bascule Bridge, 16th Street (1869-1939), 1939-1940
Box   17 Folder   2-3	E. Locust Street (1888-1939), 1939-1940
Box   17 Folder   4-5	E. North Avenue (1870-1939), 1939-1940
Box   17 Folder   6-7	Wisconsin Avenue (1906-1939), 1939-1940
Box   17 Folder   8	27th Street (1881-1939), 1939-1940
Box   18 Folder   1	27th Street (1881-1939), 1939-1940
Box   18 Folder   2-3	35th Street (1896-1939), 1939-1940
	Ward Yards
Box   18 Folder   4	#1-5 (1867-1938), 1939-1940
Box   18 Folder   5	#6-14 (1882-1938), 1939-1940
Box   19 Folder   1	#15-20 (1906-1938), 1939-1940
Box   19 Folder   2	#21-27 (1896-1938), 1939-1940
	Series: 2. General Files, 1926-1996	⇧
Box   20 Folder   1-9	Annual Reports, 1926-1996
Box   21 Folder   1	Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad (Milwaukee Road), includes bridges, 1954-1955
	Civil Defense
Box   21 Folder   2	Correspondence, 1952-1962
Box   21 Folder   3	Fallout Shelter Licenses and Privileges, 1962-1970
Box   21 Folder   4	Emergency Procedures, 1992-1994
Box   21 Folder   5	Milwaukee County Stadium, 1953-1954
Box   21 Folder   6	Milwaukee County War Memorial Center, 1950-1953
	Milwaukee Public Library
Box   21 Folder   7	Branches, 1950-1960
Box   21 Folder   8	Central, 1950-1961
Box   21 Folder   9	General Correspondence, 1988-1991
	Milwaukee Public Museum
Box   21 Folder   10	Library Building, 1943-1959
Box   22 Folder   1-4	New Building, 1959-1965
Box   22 Folder   5	Milwaukee River Dam, 1952-1968
	Municipal Equipment, Bureau of
Box   22 Folder   6	Municipal Service Building (Canal St.), 1948-1965
Box   22 Folder   7	Lincoln Ave. Storage Garage, 1957-1960
	Pabst Theater Restoration
Box   23 Folder   1	Administrative and Coordination Meetings, minutes, 1976
Box   23 Folder   2	Contractors’ Meetings, minutes, 1976
Box   23 Folder   3	Plankinton Mansion Renovation, 1980-1981
Box   23 Folder   4	Soo Line Railroad, includes bridges, 1988-1989
Box   23 Folder   5	Steam Locomotive Exhibit Committee, "Old Smoky", 1957-1958
Box   23 Folder   6	Vandalism, 1973-1979