Muskego in Waukesha County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Historic Muskego Centre Park

Photographed by Linda Hansen, February 18, 2017

1. Historic Muskego Centre Park Marker

Inscription. You are standing at the site of Muskego's original "main street." Its junction with the Janesville Plank Road resulted in this area being identified as Muskego Centre on 1873 maps. Beginning as an Indian trail, leading up to the shores of Little Muskego Lake, it developed into a commercial and political center for the early European settlers. In its earliest days, it was called the Waterford Plank Road. In later days, it became Racine Avenue connecting the cities of Racine and Waukesha. The heyday of this road began in the early 1900s and lasted through the 1950s. Its growth was spurred by the coming of the interurban electric railway (TMER&L) in 1904. Thousands of summer tourists from Milwaukee visited the numerous resorts and summer cottages that occupied the shores of Little Muskego Lake. The visitors arrived at the Smith-Hotel-Railway-Station just south of here and walked up Racine Avenue to their various destinations.

Farmers from the surrounding countryside came here to ship their produce, receive their freight, get their mail and patronize the establishments that lined both sides of this street. The Vesbach Hardware

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Store and a machinery dealership were located on this site. The Horn Bros. General Store and post office opened north of here in 1927. The original Jerome Drugs, "Larry" the shoemaker, a laundromat, several taverns, a barber shop/insurance agency and a Chrysler automobile dealership were also located just north of here. The Muskego Town Hall across from Horn Bros. functioned as a community center, hosting meetings, elections, weddings, funerals, sports events and Saturday night movies. The Old Town Hall has since been relocated to the Old Settlement Centre on the "new" Racine Avenue.

The rerouting of Racine Avenue in 1968 brought about a general decline to the commercial importance of this area. At that time the road name was changed from Racine Avenue to Pioneer Drive, reflecting its early history. Today, only a few businesses remain here as a reminder of the past glory days of the historic Muskego Centre.

Erected 2014.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • Roads & Vehicles • Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 42° 54.189′ N, 88° 8.391′ W.

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Marker is in Muskego, Wisconsin, in Waukesha County. It is on Pioneer Drive, on the left when traveling north. In the Muskego Centre Park, next cross street is Janesville Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Muskego WI 53150, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Wisconsin and in Greater Milwaukee.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Electric Interurban Muskego Centre Station (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Janesville Plank Road Tollgate (approx. ¼ mile away); Muskego Beach Amusement Park (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Devil's Teapot (approx. 0.4 miles away); "Do I Smell Pizza-Burgers?" (approx. 0.4 miles away); Old Muskego Town Hall (approx. 0.4 miles away); Park Arthur (approx. 1.7 miles away); Linnie Lac (approx. 1.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Muskego.

Another marker is no longer nearby. Muskego (was approx. half a mile away but has been permanently removed).

Additional keywords. Muskego, Janesville Plank Road, Racine Avenue

Credits. This page was last revised on March 16, 2017. It was originally submitted on March 14, 2017, by Linda Hansen of Waukesha, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,101 times since then and 54 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on March 14, 2017, by Linda Hansen of Waukesha, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.