[2][3] A permanent European settlement in what would become Milwaukee began in 1822 when Solomon Juneau built a cabin so he could run his trading post year-round.

[1] Early settlers in the 1830s were mostly Yankees from New England, with some British, German, Irish, Norwegians, and Solomon Juneau's black cook, Joe Oliver.

During the Civil War some of the early frame shops were replaced by three and four-story brick business blocks with stylish ornamentation in the brickwork.

The streetcar network connected it to the larger west side business district on Wisconsin Avenue.

In the 1970s planners recognized that the remaining enclave of Victorian buildings had its own charm and began to promote its "old world," German character.