Milwaukee's human history begins with American Indian people who lived near
the confluence of Milwaukee's three rivers into Lake Michigan for centuries.
Tribes who inhabited the area that is now Milwaukee included Menominee, Fox,
Mascouten, Sauk, and Potawatomi. With the arrival of Europeans and an
increasing population, large and often violent divides become more prominent.
These settlers built three dueling settlements (Juneautown, Kilbourntown, and
Walker's Point) around what is now Downtown. The two former communities were
extremely competitive and created two non-aligning street grids. This is why
1st Street is
