The lakefront that is part of the deep history of Carrollville has gone through many changes over the last century and half. The story of Carrollville began in 1893 when 1,000 acres of farmland was purchased for the purpose of industrial development. Carrollville area was seen as prime spot for development of industry with the undeniable assets of Lake Michigan, Chicago Northwestern Railroad, and inexpensive farmland available. Over the years Carrollville has seen its share of industry that included a distillery, glue factory, fertilizer, and chemicals. Though these types of industries drove the economic growth of the area, including South Milwaukee and Oak Creek, they had a very negative impact on the environment and Lake Michigan. Once the useful life of these industries arrived many of the buildings and land that facilitated them were now left to deteriorate creating an unpleasant site for local residents. In 2009 City of Oak Creek Officials set an ambitious goal to reclaim these sites, clean them up and provide access to the lake for its residents and its visitors. Since 2009 the City has been working towards the goal of “Providing Access to the Lake” along the waterfront of these properties and is one step closer. In 2023-2024, the City will three additional projects to further this goal to reclaim the lakefront and provide permanent public access to the shoreline, along with new amenities for our community.
Lakefront History
