Posted on Wednesday, 1st April 2009 by Bruce
From around 1882 through 1974, Milwaukee County maintained what was known as the “Poor Farm Cemetery” in Wauwatosa. The cemetery was a necessary offshoot of the Milwaukee County Almshouse, a working farm for the indigent which sat on land purchased by the county in 1852. Through the years, as the sweeping country meadow surrounding the Almshouse evolved into the Milwaukee County Grounds (becoming the site of the county’s Medical Center, the county’s psychiatric facilities, and numerous orphanages, sanatoriums, and other care facilities) these scattered burial sites at various places throughout the grounds ultimately became the final resting place for an estimated 7,500 to 12,500 of the area’s poor, unclaimed or unidentified decedents.
While a small portion of the cemetery remains to this day identified, fenced-in, and largely protected, the county used a variety of different locations throughout the grounds - as many as eighteen over the years, according to the county’s burial log - as burial areas. As time passed, poor or missing markers and shoddy record-keeping rendered many of these burial areas unidentifiable.
Having grown up in the area, and always aware of the burial sites’ existence on the grounds, I began researching the cemetery in the mid-1990′s. My interest was piqued once again in 2006, when, after years of debate and discussion, MMSD announced via a mailer to area residents that it was going to begin a massive excavation project throughout the area as part of the construction of a retention pond; a six-year, $84 million project, according to MMSD literature. Anyone who regularly drives the stretch of Swan Blvd between Menomonee River Parkway and Watertown Plank Road has been witness to how significantly the landscape of the area has changed over the past three years.
Recently, I was approached by a team of area researchers in the early stages of a project chronicling Milwaukee’s “Poor Farm Cemetery” and its history.
I am in possession of county burial records documenting many of the names of the known decedents buried there in the later years of the cemetery’s use. I have names and dates of burials, as well as the county entity burying them, which occurred there during the 1950′s, 1960′s, and 1970′s. We’ll be pooling our notes over the next few weeks, and in advance of this, I’d like to reach out to BadgerBlogger readers, to get input from any of you who believe you may have a relative who was buried in one of these “potter’s fields” on the Milwaukee County Grounds.
Have any of you engaged the county’s assistance in determining whether a relative had been buried there? Was the county helpful? What was the county’s response?
Or, if you were involved in the unearthing or relocation of any remains before or during the excavation project, and would like to speak, on condition of anonymity, in advance of this research project, please e-mail me: [email protected]
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6 Responses to “A link to Milwaukee’s past that many area residents aren’t aware of”
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April 1st, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Fascinating, I think we have such an interesting history here in Milwaukee. Look forward to reading more!
April 1st, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Bruce, I am glad that this project is moving ahead. As I have told you, I think it’s a very interesting story that needs to be told. I know how much time you have put into this already and I am looking forward to learning more.
April 1st, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Thanks, Patrick.
You, of all people, know what an obsession this issue has been to me over the years.
There’s so much more to tell. I’ll have follow-up in days to come.
April 1st, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Bruce, as you know, I grew up in the same neighborhood as you. I’ve been aware of some of the less Sanctified burials and burial grounds since I was old enough to “find interesting stuff” on the County grounds as I grew up.
There is and are fascinating details and stories yet to be told, but all those who were “interred” should be honored.
The prevailing culture of “death” may pretend to care, but clearly they don’t.
Bruce, you and I should compare notes.
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:06 am
Gosh, there are interesting things in the world to research and document, aren’t there? Don’t pay any attention to those who will ridicule what you do. They probably just don’t understand it, or aren’t sufficiently evolved to want to allow other people to follow their bliss.
April 2nd, 2009 at 9:26 am
What an interesting bit of information. As I was growing up I was told the story of my grandfather, an alcholic who was scorned by his only living son (my father), and was buried in a pauper’s grave somewhere near Fond du Lac. I’ve made a half hearted attempt over the years to learn more but always failed. This piece of info is something I’m going to check into because my family origins are in Milwaukee.