Milwaukee the Midwest. Because of its easy access to Lake Michigan and other waterways, Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley has historically been home to manufacturing, stockyards, rendering plants, shipping, and other heavy industry. Reshaping of the valley began with the railroads built by city co-founder Byron Kilbourn to bring product from Wisconsin's farm interior to the port. By 1862 Milwaukee was the largest shipper of wheat on the planet, and related industry developed. Grain elevators were built and, due to Milwaukee's dominant German immigrant population, breweries sprang up around the processing of barley and hops. A number of tanneries were constructed, of which
Astor on the Lake a dense, oily smoke filed the building. The fire claimed the lives of two adults and two infants. Oscar Teweles, 59, and his nurse, Elsie Saxinger, 40, were killed due to suffocation in his apartment on the fifth floor. Over 300 people had to be evacuated due to the fire and were sent into the city streets. The damage caused by the fire was estimated at $75,000. Astor on the Lake The Astor on the Lake (also Astor Hotel) is a low-rise building located in the Yankee Hill (East Town) neighborhood of downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is listed on the