Small sculptures of “Gertie the Duck” and her five hatchlings are some of the most distinctive features along the Milwaukee Riverwalk in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. These pieces were created to celebrate the impact Gertie has had on the entire city of Milwaukee. Doing so has helped to define multiple icons that connect to this legacy while also compelling engagement with audiences in a distinctive and personal manner.
A Symbol of New Life, Hope and More
In 1945, during the process to replace pilings on the Wisconsin Avenue Bridge, it was discovered that a mother duck had made a home for itself and their future chicks under the bridge. Dubbed Wisconsin Avenue Gertie, but Gertie for short, anticipation around the arrival of ducklings from “Gertie the Duck” caught the attention of the city and eventually the nation. Gertie was featured in a Readers Digest story entitled, “The Duck That Made Milwaukee Famous.” At a grim time of war and depression, Gertie and her family represented new life and hope.
Popular enough to see two Milwaukee-area teachers write a children’s book titled “Gertie the Duck,” Gertie and her chicks would eventually be immortalized on the bridge in 1997 in the form of multiple bronze sculptures spread across the Riverwalk. These pieces are part of the art displayed along the Milwaukee Riverwalk. However, duck imagery and icons are utilized across the Riverwalk and beyond.
Icons of ducks appear on maps and guides to the Riverwalk but are also used as a specific means of identity for the Riverwalk. These icons aren’t specific to Gertie or any of her duckings but residents recognize this connection. Just as importantly, these icons compel visitors to learn more about why ducks are utilized as such a prominent means of identity.
Duck icons appear on everything from signs directing audiences to the Riverwalk all the way to shirts and other pieces of merchandise. All of these icons that are indirectly connected to Gertie showcase what it can mean for the history and legacy of a city be personified in a way that creates a positive benefit for everyone.
Connection and Legacy
The story of Gertie is one that’s specific to the time and place when it transpired but that impact is not limited to either thanks to the way in which Gertie has been utilized to enable connection and legacy. The sculptures and duck icons are physical representations of what doing so looks like, showcasing what it can mean when the important elements of a place or time become everlasting.
