Practically every student on campus is familiar with Downer Avenue. Aside from Brady Street, it’s one of the most popular shopping districts on the East Side.

Whether it’s indulging in an ice cream sundae, shopping at a boutique or catching a movie at the theater, Downer Avenue has nearly everything a student could want. What most of us don’t realize, however, is that along with prime shopping and entertainment, the street also harbors a rich, interesting history.

The best way to see this history firsthand is through an actual walking tour.

As you walk, keep in mind that until about 1898, Downer used to be a strip of dirt road called Glen Avenue. Only a few wooden houses lined the road and it was not uncommon to see people walking on wooden sidewalks as horse-drawn wagons plodded through the town.

As more complex development began, the street’s name changed to memorialize Judge Jason Downer, a Milwaukee pioneer who made several donations to area schools and colleges.

Begin your walk on the corner of Bradford and Downer avenues. The first historic structure you’ll see is the well-known Popcorn Wagon. With its red-and-white-striped trim, brightly painted signs and wheels permanently affixed to a concrete platform, it is certainly among the most unusual and distinctive features on Downer.

The Popcorn Wagon remains the oldest working stand in Milwaukee and is thought to be the oldest still operating in the whole United States. Many East Side residents claim the stand has remained in service since at least 1916, though researchers have yet to prove the exact year it opened.

When it first opened for business, the stand was completely portable and its owners likely wheeled it around the East Side. At the time, steam-powered equipment helped make the popcorn and a bag cost only 5 cents (today it sells for over $3).

If you peek around the Popcorn Wagon, you’ll notice a seemingly ordinary parking lot. This lot predates even the wagon. It has existed since at least 1915, and is likely the oldest functional parking lot in Milwaukee. Evidence shows that many years ago, venders used to sell Christmas trees in the lot during the holiday season.

Directly across the street from the Popcorn Wagon stands the Downer Theatre — the oldest theater still showing movies in Milwaukee. Built in 1915, the theater remains among the best examples of the Chicago Commercial style of architecture.

As you walk by, pay close attention to the decorative trim at the top. This type of terra cotta is a trademark of the building’s architect, Louis Sullivan. The giant, protruding marquee, along with the bright green paneling, was added in the 1930s to reflect the Art Deco movement.

Continuing along Downer, you’ll see the CVS Pharmacy which, until recently, was an Osco Drug store. You’ll notice that the building has two distinct sections: the left-hand side features a two-story complex, while the right-hand side has just one story. The left section of the pharmacy was built in 1909 and became the Belleview Pharmacy (as the building stands on the corner of Downer and Belleview avenues). Notice that the second-story brick walls and large bay windows have remained intact, while the first floor windows have been blocked to serve as CVS’s window displays.

The right side of the structure used to be a two-story house before it was demolished in 1966. The two buildings were connected to become a Sentry grocery store. The storefront received a complete makeover in 1999 when Osco Drug bought the location.

Next door to CVS Pharmacy sit two restaurants: The Original Pancake House and Ristorante Bartolotta. This site used to house two buildings constructed in the early 1900s that were later damaged by fire. The current structure was built around 1975; the wooden beams and light-colored brickwork indicate the buildings are not as old as their neighbors.

The Downer Hardware store, built in 1912, is a perfect example of Pre-WWI architecture. The small two-story building became Downer Hardware in 1937 and has remained a beloved Downer Avenue staple since.

Finally, you’ll arrive at Sendik’s Market, which has been in business since 1929. The building itself was constructed in 1909. This was the second Sendik’s built in Milwaukee; the first opened on Oakland Avenue.

Past the commercial district on either side, you’ll see a number of houses and apartment buildings. These are all fairly new additions to Downer Avenue, only dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Now that you know a little more about Downer Avenue, make sure you pay attention to the history that surrounds you the next time you’re strolling down it.

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