Located in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, what is today known as Cathedral Park Square predates the city itself. This connection to the history of Milwaukee and the wider region highlights what’s possible when it comes to the creation of a monument that resonates with audiences and entire communities.
Originally Known and Court House Square
The first court house in Milwaukee stood on the ground that now comprises Cathedral Park Square. This happened in 1837, when Milwaukee’s founders, French-Canadian fur trader Solomon Juneau and his partner, attorney Morgan L. Martin, donated the land for a courthouse. The jail was moved to another site in 1886, while a second courthouse was built on the site in 1873 and was used until 1931. The area became a park in 1939 after the second courthouse was razed.
Called Court House Square after it became a park, the space would eventually become known as Cathedral Park Square, taking the name of the nearby cathedral, with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee holding no ownership of the site. Notable attractions in the park include the Immigrant Mother that was designed to demonstrate the dignity of motherhood as well as a fountain that has been reinvented over over the decades. Children’s play areas, temporary art installtions and wide open green spaces have also come to define the park.
Today, Cathedral Park Square is a major gathering spot in downtown Milwaukee. It is adjacent to both commercial activities such as offices, retail, restaurants and bars but also in close proximity to the densest residential area of the downtown. The park hosts a weekly music series, Jazz in the Park, the Bastille Days festival and a number of other events throughout the year.
Part of the Milwaukee County Parks Systems, Cathedral Park Square features notable art installations that have helped to compel investment that will further accommodate the variety of events and high pedestrian traffic the area receives. All of this has allowed Cathedral Park Square to embrace the history it contains while also defining the culture and economy of the modern community.
Embracing Milwaukee’s Past to Define the Present Community
Cathedral Square Park takes up a full city block, comprising the footprint of the old court house in a way that enhances the connection between Milwaukee’s town square and the wider city. Doing so has connected the past of the space to the present of the community, enabling connections that have cultivated activity and attention across the landmark.
