John Gurda’s Historic Milwaukee: The Feud Behind Milwaukee’s First Courthouse

It was a generous gift made with a selfish motive. When Milwaukee County’s first courthouse was built in 1836, the future city was a loose confederation of three competing settlements: Juneautown on the east bank of the river, Kilbourntown on the west side, and Walker’s Point a half-mile downstream from both.

All nursed grand ambitions, but Walker’s Point faded quickly, leaving its upriver rivals to struggle for supremacy. They did so with a vengeance, starting newspapers, making strategic gifts of land, and lobbying for public buildings in a determined effort to draw attention –   and settlers –   to their respective sides of the river.

Thanks to the close partnership between Solomon Juneau, the East Side’s founder, and Morgan Martin, a well-connected Green Bay lawyer, Juneautow