Shorewood brings together several distinct discoveries: a former railroad corridor now replaced by the Oak Leaf Trail, scenery along the Milwaukee River, and a long sandy shoreline at Atwater Beach. There are also small local stories tied to individual houses or a sign in River Park. As you plan, you can weigh these themes against one another: history, riverfront, and beach each represent a different side of Shorewood.
Railroad History Along the Oak Leaf Trail
The railroad tracks that ran through Shorewood were replaced by the Oak Leaf Trail in 1989. An earlier rail journey connects to the story of the “Twin Cities 400”: the Chicago & North Western Railway train ran through Shorewood from 1935 to 1963, along the route of today’s Oak Leaf Trail. The comparison puts both in chronological context: the train service ended in 1963, and the tracks were converted in 1989. “The Ghost Train” was planned as an artistic sensory experience at the Oak Leaf Trail bridge and Capitol Drive in Shorewood. The proposed project was intended to encourage visitors to imagine the “Twin Cities 400”’s historic round trip.
Riverfront, Woods, and Beach
Hubbard Park covers nearly 5 acres of terraced, wooded land on the east bank of the Milwaukee River. Visitors reach the park through a pedestrian tunnel beneath the Oak Leaf Recreation Trail. Atwater Beach offers a different setting: its sandy shoreline is 800 feet long. In comparing the two landscapes, Hubbard Park foregrounds woods, terraces, and riverfront, while Atwater Beach is distinguished by the length of its sandy shoreline.
Shorewood Nature Preserve lies between Menlo and Newton on the east side of Lake Drive. The Milwaukee River Greenway, by contrast, is centered on the riverfront: Shorewood residents have access to a nature trail along the Milwaukee River. The Preserve can be located by its street names and position on Lake Drive, while the Greenway is defined by its riverside nature trail.
Local History in Houses and River Park
The “Birthday Markers” are granite stones in front of homes; each gives the year the respective house was built. This makes local history readable at the level of individual buildings. Their scale sets these stones apart from the railroad and park histories, which explore longer periods or changes in the community.
In River Park, the interpretive sign “A Colorful Controversial Corner” points to another layer of history. It stands near the ball fields and tells the story of Cooney Island, Wonderland, and Ravenna, former amusement parks that operated there from 1900 to 1916. River Park is also the home field for the Village of Shorewood’s youth baseball and youth soccer organizations. Thus, two distinct points of interest come together in the same park: today’s youth organizations and the history of former amusement parks.
Discover more destinations: Milwaukee, West Allis, Wauwatosa, Whitefish Bay, Greenfield, Cudahy, Brown Deer, St. Francis.
Go to the broader travel overview: Milwaukee.
