5 things to know about the Johnson's Woods neighborhood

Bill Glauber, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·4 min read
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There are more than 75 distinct neighborhoods in Milwaukee.

Here’s what to know about Johnson's Woods, described by John Gurda in his book Milwaukee: City of Neighborhoods as "an in-between sort of neighborhood," close and convenient to many places with a mix of bungalows, duplexes and small businesses.

Where is Johnson's Woods?

Johnson's Woods is located on Milwaukee’s west side. Its boundaries are Interstate 94 to the north, the Hank Aaron State Trail to the south, South 70th Street to the west and Wood National Cemetery to the the east.

What is the history behind Johnson's Woods?

The neighborhood takes its name from the property's early owners, the Johnson family. Dr. James Johnson was an Irish immigrant who arrived in Milwaukee in 1844 and later became an alderman, school board member and the city's first health commissioner. He held some 141 acres in the area in what was then the Town of Wauwatosa.

Haley Manley pushes neighbor Nikoli Drewniak, 12, while his mother, Megan Haas, watches at a swingset in the Johnson's Woods neighborhood on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023.
Haley Manley pushes neighbor Nikoli Drewniak, 12, while his mother, Megan Haas, watches at a swingset in the Johnson's Woods neighborhood on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023.

It wasn't until the early decades of the 20th century − and the third Johnson generation − that the land was developed. The key was the growth of Wauwatosa to the north and West Allis to the south and the rise of the industrial firm Allis-Chalmers. Workers needed homes and housing was erected.

According to Urban Anthropology Inc., the neighborhood "quickly became a salad bowl of ethnic populations. Germans moved in from the north and northwest sides of Milwaukee, Poles from the south side, and Irish, Jews, Croatians, Belgians, Bohemians, Slovenians, and French Canadians from the city’s center and east side."

The area became part of the City of Milwaukee through annexation between 1927 and 1931. And a second housing boom followed after World War II.

But the neighborhood faced dramatic change during the 1950s with the construction of Interstate 94.

What is special about Johnson's Woods?

A cyclist rides along the Hank Aaron State Trail at the southern edge of the Johnson's Woods neighborhood in Milwaukee.
A cyclist rides along the Hank Aaron State Trail at the southern edge of the Johnson's Woods neighborhood in Milwaukee.

A little more than 3,000 people live in this tidy blue-collar neighborhood described as "friendly" by longtime residents Mary and Carter Schultz.

"They used to call it God's Country," Mary Schultz said.

"Everyone here is trying to make a living and helping with everyone else," Carter Schultz said. "The people in this neighborhood are great."

The Hank Aaron State Trail cuts a swath along the southern portion of the neighborhood, providing splendid cycling and walking opportunities.

There's also a local tavern tucked in the neighborhood, Bull Shooter Saloon, 604 S. 64th St. It has a lively scene for darts, including tournaments.

There are a few businesses strung along South Hawley Road.

And at 331 S. 68th St. there is a place of worship that once housed the Church of the Nazarene and is now home to a Spanish-speaking Pentecostal congregation.

What else makes Johnson's Woods special?

Burbank Elementary School, 6035 West Adler Street, is the centerpiece of Milwaukee's Johnson's Woods neighborhood.
Burbank Elementary School, 6035 West Adler Street, is the centerpiece of Milwaukee's Johnson's Woods neighborhood.

The centerpiece of the neighborhood is Burbank Elementary School at 6035 West Adler Street. The school was opened in 1931 and named after Luther Burbank, a plant breeder.

The school features a playground and playing fields. But its emerald jewel is a small forest that offers shade, respite and a reminder of the area's historical roots and pastoral setting.

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Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel research, Milwaukee: City of Neighborhoods, Urban Anthropology Inc.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: A guide to Milwaukee's Johnson's Woods neighborhood