Parks of Milwaukee
Most parks in Milwaukee are owned and maintained by Milwaukee County as part of a county-wide system. However, some parks are administered by other entities, such as the state of Wisconsin, the city of Milwaukee, or neighborhood organizations.
Parks in Milwaukee County park system
The Milwaukee County Park system was awarded the 2009 National Gold Medal Award "for excellence in the field of park and recreation management" by the National Recreation and Park Association.| Park | Address | Size | Notes | Photo | - |
| Alcott | 3751 S 97 St | - | |||
| Algonquin | 7850 N 51 St | This park, located in Brown Deer, Wisconsin, has historically been a neighborhood park. Located adjacent to Algonquin Elementary School, Algonquin Park is the home of a playground and wading pool. | - | ||
| Armour | 6105 W Norwich Ave | - | |||
| Atkinson | 936 W Atkinson Ave | - | |||
| Back Bay | 2315 E Back Bay | Overlooks Lake Michigan | - | ||
| Baran | 2600 S Chase Ave | Baran Park has primarily been a baseball park, housing several ball diamonds. Nestled between the freeway and the neighborhoods of Bay View, Baran Park has provided a quiet island adjacent to several highly populated areas on Milwaukee's south side. | - | ||
| Barnard | 3300 W Barnard Ave | Adjacent to Greenfield Middle School | - | ||
| Bay View | 3120 S Lake Dr | - | |||
| Bender | 4503 E Ryan Rd | - | |||
| Big Bay | 5000 N Lake Dr | - | |||
| Bradford | 2400 N Lincoln Memorial Dr | Beach volleyball courts along Lake Michigan | - | ||
| Brown Deer | 7835 N Green Bay Rd | Location of the Brown Deer Park Golf Course and since 1994, the U.S. Bank Championship. Golf course designed by George Hansen in 1929. | - | ||
| Burns Commons | 1300 N Franklin Pl | The original site was donated to the City of Milwaukee by a real estate developer named James H. Rogers in 1847, making it one of the oldest parks in the city. The city soon changed the name to Franklin Park, the later renamed the park in honor of Scottish poet Robert Burns, to whom there is statue. | - | ||
| Caesar's | 1939 N Warren Ave | Southern end of the "east bank trail" on the East Side, adjacent to the east bank of the Milwaukee River and the former North Avenue dam. Site was originally acquired by the City of Milwaukee Water Department in 1889 and was named Milwaukee River Dam Park. In 1929, it was transferred to the city's parks department and named Caesar's Park in honor of Caesar Paikowski. In 1997, the city of Milwaukee removed the central section of the North Avenue dam, allowing the water to flow faster. | - | ||
| Cambridge Woods | Cambridge & Providence | Located in Milwaukee's East Side neighborhood, west of University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, along the Milwaukee River. | - | ||
| Cannon | 303 N 95 St | - | |||
| Carver | 911 W Brown St | A portion of the current site has a history of park use which dates back to 1853. At that point in time, Quentin's Park, a private facility, occupied the site of what is now Roosevelt Middle School plus much of the southerly part of Carver Park. In 1879 this land was sold to the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company and Schlitz Park was created. Through the 1940s, the park was called Lapham Park and featured the Lapham Memorial. | - | ||
| Cathedral Square | 520 E Wells St | The exact site of Milwaukee's second courthouse, as well as neighboring land to the first courthouse, which was just north of the park. Next to St. John's Cathedral and location of "Jazz in the Park," an outdoor summer concert series. | - | ||
| Center Street | 6420 W Clarke St | - | |||
| Chippewa | 11500 Park Hill Ave | - | |||
| Clarke Square | 2330 W Vieau Pl | Donated in 1837 by Nathaniel Brown and Norman and Lydia Clarke, who at the time were real estate developers in the area. | - | ||
| Clas | 930 W Wells St | Located adjacent to the south entrance of the Milwaukee County Courthouse. The Park Commission acquired the land from the County Board in 1967. A fountain was added during redevelopment of the space in the 1980s. The park was named after Alfred C. Clas, a prominent architect and planner who also served as a County Park Commissioner | - | ||
| Columbus | 7301 W Courtland Ave | - | |||
| Cooper | 8701 W Chambers St | Named for William H. Cooper who served as a member of the Milwaukee County Parks Commission from 1948-1955, the park contains a rental pavilion, softball diamonds, a play structure, and a wading pool. The Friends of Cooper Park partner with the county for park improvements, volunteer activities, and community events. | - | ||
| Copernicus | 2150 W Klein Ave | - | |||
| Cudahy | 3000 E Ramsey Ave | - | |||
| Cudahy Nature Preserve | 501 E College Ave | - | |||
| Cupertino | 2000 E Iron St | Named after County Supervisor Daniel Cupertino, this area was previously the northernmost portion of Southshore Park. | - | ||
| Currie | 3535 N Mayfair Rd | Golf course designed by George Hansen in 1927. | - | ||
| Dineen | 6901 W Vienna Ave | Located on the northwest side of Milwaukee, the park land was first acquired in 1951, with major developments in the 1960s. Named in honor of Cornelius R. Dineen, Park Commissioner. | - | ||
| Doctors | 1870 E Fox Ln | - | |||
| Doyne | 5300 W Wells St | - | |||
| Dretzka | 12020 W Bradley Rd | The majority of park land was acquired in 1956. The park was named after Jerome C. Dretzka, a member of the Park Commission. The golf course opened in 1964. Other facilities include a golf driving range, picnic areas, sand volleyball, a multi-use athletic field, a disc golf course, a segment of the Oak Leaf Trail, and a groomed cross-country ski trail. | - | ||
| Estabrook | 4400 N Estabrook Dr | Located along the easterly bank of the Milwaukee River between Hampton Ave and Capitol Drive. Initial acquisition of land for the park started in 1916. Significant development took place in the early and mid-1930s, led in part by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The historic Benjamin Church House—built by pioneer builder Benjamin F. Church—was moved to the park in 1938. The WITI TV Tower is also located within the park. | - | ||
| Euclid | 3200 S 88 St | - | |||
| Falk | 2013 W Rawson Ave | - | |||
| Franklin | 10400 W Oakwood Rd | - | |||
| Froemming | 8801 S 51 St | - | |||
| Garden Homes Square | 2600 W Atkinson Ave | - | |||
| Gilman Triangle | 2475 N Lake Dr | - | |||
| Gordon | 2828 N Humboldt Blvd | The City of Milwaukee purchased the site for Gordon Park in 1907. In 1937, it was turned over to Milwaukee County as part of the consolidation of parks. | - | ||
| Grant | 100 E Hawthorne Ave | Located in South Milwaukee, established in 1911 after Horace Fowle's sale of farm land. | - | ||
| Granville Dog Park | 11718 W Good Hope Pl | Milwaukee County's first dog park. Established in 1998, Granville Dog Park sits in what was once the town of Granville before it was annexed by the City of Milwaukee. Originally created by a combination of political leaders and a non-profit group, Partners in Parks, Granville Dog Park is now run exclusively by the Milwaukee County Parks department. | - | ||
| Greene | 4235 S Lipton Ave | - | |||
| Greenfield | 2028 S 124 St | 3266 Menomonee River Parkway Wauwatosa, WI 53222Other parks |